Existentialism in Unknown PlacesExistentialism is the embodiment of the unknown. There is no simple explanation of what exactly it is, there are only certain characteristics and behaviors that describe existentialist views. In today's world, examples of this can be found everywhere, in films, books, songs and in people in general. Existentialists are known for thinking and acting only for themselves. They believe that to understand what it means to be human, one must first understand oneself. Some well-known existentialist entertainment plays are: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and The Breakfast Club by John Hughes. The Stranger is a book written about a young man whose mother dies, which soon leads him to become familiar with the feeling of not caring what his actions do to others or to himself. The main character Meursault begins to help his friend Raymond, to carry out torments to torment his mistress. Out of nowhere, while at the beach, Meursault shoots the brother of Raymond's mistress. He is thrown in prison and put on trial, but he doesn't seem to be as affected by his actions as he should be. He initially struggles to live without cigarettes, women, and nature, but he soon discovers that he doesn't need any of that. After being sentenced to death, he is suggested to turn away from his atheism, but he later realizes that human existence has no greater meaning. This awareness and acceptance is what truly makes him happy (Camus). Then, The Breakfast Club is a very relevant film about high school students suffering the consequences of their actions in detention. The children are all... middle of paper... to be the one he really wanted. This shows the very complex nature of their minds and how much work it takes to stay true to their views. Their ways can very easily be changed by the cruel society that still exists, but they stick to the path they know. Existentialists are the true sculptors who create the meaning of the human being, by creating it themselves. Works Cited The Breakfast Club. Real. John Hughes. Production of the A&M Films channel, 1985. Perf. Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Esteves. Film.Camus, Albert. The Stranger. New York: Vintage International, 1946. Print. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The yellow wallpaper.” Yellow wallpaper and other stories. Mineola: Dover, 1997. Print. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1972. Print. Shakespeare, William. Ham. Lincoln: Cliff's Notes Inc., 1965. Print