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An Analysis Of Jean-Paul Sartre's 'No Exit'

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How are the characters ‘traps’ for each other?

No exit, a play by Jean-Paul Sartre describes hell as a state of being, “hell is other people.” Garcin, Inez and Estelle all strangers to each other and from different parts of the world are put into a room together. Inez, Estelle, and Garcin exist in Hell to torment each other. As the layers of contemptibility are torn far from every one of them, they are uncovered and helpless before the others. Unexpectedly, Inez wants Estelle, who frantically wants Garcin. Garcin wants nothing to do with either of them, however frantically needs their assurance, particularly that of Inez, which is never to be given. Inez thoroughly hates Garcin because he hinders her from having Estelle. In a like way, Estelle disdains Inez, who obstructs her having Garcin. The valet describes hell as “a passage ... more rooms, more passages, and stairs ... that 's all,” which is the most basic description. However, it suggests how once one has entered, there is no going back. Furthermore, Garcin was the first one to enter and therefore he would have to tell the others that they are trapped in there, in an airless hot room with no exit but however there are no torture instruments in there. The first question that Garcin asks is “Where are the instruments of torture... the racks and red-hot pincers?” which is the first hint that they are being tortured by other people’s presence rather than actual instrument. The only way of exiting is the other’s
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