The Pursuit of Freedom——An Existential Study of Scobie's and Brodie’s Freedom

[Abstract] Why does man suffer and how can man get free to live a meaningful life in a world seemingly full of suffering？ Both Graham Greene and Muriel Spark excellently recorded man's uncertainty and anxiety in their novels. This thesis argues that The Heart of the Matter and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie fully demonstrate Sartre's existentialistic views， especially his views on freedom.

[Key Words] Existential; freedom; Scobie; Brodie

1. Foreword

In order to understand Scobie and Brodie's aspiration for freedom better， let's discuss the historical background of the setting in the novels first.

As George Orwell points out， so far as the younger generation was concerned， the official beliefs were dissolving like sandcastles. … The debunking of western civilization had reached its climax and \"disillusionment\" was immensely widespread. （Gorra，1990）

2. Introduction

2.1The Introduction to The Heart of the Matter and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

The Heart of the Matter is one of the best of Graham Greene 's novels. The novel was set in a small British colonial outpost in West Africa. Henry Scobie， deputy commissioner of police during the war， was passed over for the commissionership. His failure to be promoted upset his wife Louise and prompted her determination to go to South Africa for a holiday. However， the act of betrayal to his wife and God and his incapability to make both happy cornered him into a predicament of despair in which he decided that the only exit was an eternal damnation--suicide.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie has succeeded in gaining both critical acclaims and a vast international readership for Muriel Spark. The novel is set in and around Edinburg girl's school-Marcia Blaine， modeled on James Gillespie's school， where Spark was educated. The novel focuses on a group of schoolgirls who are chosen and shaped for discipleship by the praiseworthy and eccentric schoolmistress Miss Jean Brodie. As a result， one of the Brodie set member Sandy reveals Brodie's secret that she was a fascist to headmistress， so this secret became the excuse that headmistress made Brodie retired ahead of time.

3. The Pursuit of Freedom

3.1 Sartre's Existentialistic Views on Freedom

Sartre is commonly considered the father of Existentialist philosophy， whose writings set the tone for intellectual life in the decade immediately following the Second World War.

In Sartre's works， the concept of freedom takes on two connotations which are complementary. （Sartre， 1993） In being and nothingness freedom is a radical condition resting on the ontological status of man qua man. In the critique， the concept of freedom appears as a historical condition， qualified by the constrictions of human affiliation， social obligation， material scarcity and so forth. But common to both usages is the human prerogative for transcendence， that is， for the surpassing of the given. Transcendence is detachment， but detachment is not retirement from the world， or a separation from existence， in the manner the stoical consciousness attains its freedom， for example. On the contrary， Sartre speaks of detachment as the desire to change the world： freedom here implies the need to take up an active stance in the world; it requires praxis. This is why freedom for Sartre always entails the problem of responsibility. “… Man is condemned to be free. Condemned， because he did not create himself， yet in other respects is free; because once thrown into the world he is responsible for everything he does.\" （Sartre， 1957）

3.2 Reflections on Scobie in Light of the Revelation on Sartre's View of Freedom

3.2.1 Scobie's Longing for Freedom

Scobie's desire for freedom is a significant theme of the novel. The whole story can be read as a description of his desperate quest for freedom. The search for an unattainable freedom reveals Scobie's unconscious mind and provides a counterpoint to his unbearable sense of failure and tiredness：

Peace seemed to him the most beautiful word in the language： My peace I give you， my peace I leave with you： O Lamb of God， who takest away the sins of the world， grant us thy peace. In the Mass he pressed his fingers against his eyes to keep the tears of longing in. （Greene， 1971）

3.3 Reflections on Brodie in Light of the Revelation on Sartre's View of Freedom

3.3.1 Brodie's Misunderstanding of Freedom

What a pity， Miss Brodie gives us a totally different understanding on Sartre's view of freedom： she is really wholly free， without considering other people's freedom. （Muriel， 1965）She does whatever she likes and wants; she talks whatever she likes and dislikes; she abuses her freedom， even she makes a mistake of playing the role of god and assuming that everyone should under her control. In a word， she has a misunderstanding on Sartre's view of freedom， which leads her a bad ending.

4. Conclusion

By adopting Sartre's theory of freedom in the analysis of Scobie and Brodie， it is possible to get the idea that everybody should never give up pursuing his own freedom and should know that there is no absolute freedom. Therefore， it is hoped that this thesis can offer readers another way to understand these two great writers Graham Greene， Muriel Spark， and of course their works.

In modern society， everyone may encounter different kinds of obstacles and troubles， no matter what the situation is， we should try our best to live authentically.

References

1. Gorra， Michael. The English Novel at Mid-Century. "Basingstoke， Hampshire： Macmillan， 1990.

2. Jean-Paul Sartre. Being and nothingness， trans. "Hazel E. Barnes. China Social Sciences Publishing House ChengCheng Books LTD.， 1993.

3. Jean-Paul Sartre， Existentialism and Human Emotions New York： The Wisdom Library， 1957：23.

4. Greene， Graham. The Heart of the Matter. Great Britain： C. Nicholls amp; Company Ltd.， 1971.

5. Muriel Spark. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Penguin Books， 1965.