The Myth of Sisyphus is a philosophical essay that explores the themes first expressed in Camus’s novel The Stranger. Camus begins with an exposition of suicide to see if Tolstoy’s argument, “if God does not exist then we must kill ourselves” is sound advice. He finds that it is not and that we have a duty to live. Camus also addresses Kierkegaard’s “leap of faith” in the face of the absurdity of our existence. Camus concludes that our life has purpose in the conscious act of rebelling against the inevitability of death. Knowing that we must one day die, Camus argues, heightens our appreciation of youth, beauty, warmth, and life itself. This work is complex but richly rewarding. Those who wish to tackle The Rebel, should first read this book.
The Myth of Sisyphus
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