Jorge Luis Borges Existentialism

Throughout the 20th century, many authors found themselves completing their works with a focus on a newfound philosophy—existentialism. Existentialism is defined as a “…philosophy concerned with finding self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility…” Developed in the 19th century, a variety of authors tackled the concept for its authenticity. From Albert Camus’ The Stranger and The Fall to Franz Kafka’s Amerika and The Trial, the concept of existentialism provided a platform for expanding and deepening the meanings of an author’s works, especially regarding human nature. An author who demonstrated this principle and its complexity was Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges. Known for his works during the

Specifically, Borges took on the role of existentialism within the supernatural realm in his 1949 story entitled, “The Aleph.” In the short story, Borges [author] depicts the experience of finding an object called the “Aleph” in his friend Carlos Argentino Daneri’s

After just experiencing the Aleph, Borges’ life became a blur of faces. Without any new faces or scenarios, Borges [character] feels without any free choice. Borges [author] expresses the repetition of the faces by staring each line with “I feared,” thus accentuating the redundant nature of life. Contributing to existentialism, Borges [character] felt lost in a world without a guide. His actions no longer affect his future, causing fear within him that he will no longer understand his place in the world. He tried to forget, as it would allow him to dictate his own life again and not feel consumed in the spiral that is infinity, as mentioned in the line, “Fortunately, after a few unsleeping nights, forgetfulness began to work in me again.” (Borges, 284) Without this experience, Borges [character] would have never understood the importance of choice on his future. In addition, the long term effects of the Aleph took a toll further than just the life of Borges [character], but in the mind as well. Soon after witnessing the Aleph, Borges’ [character] mind began to forget the moments of that day. As many minds, witnessing and absorbing masses of knowledge within a limited span of time makes the conscious prone to forgetfulness, especially with unfamiliar information. Though, when it comes to key information, we find ourselves going over the contents of the topic to ensure its validity. Borges [character]