If we are assuming that hell is the result of their wrong actions, but we take God out of the equation, what is the standard of justice?
If Sartre was an existentialist, it makes me think that they are put together for the purpose of dealing with their life and their past. They need to take responsibility for their actions and break free of their inauthentic existences. They need to face their true selves--and though there are no physical mirrors, the people they are put with reflect their authentic self. We see this hinted at with Estelle and Inez in a physical sense and we also see it with Garcin and Inez as they identify with each over their cruelty.
I think they are to stay there because they chose it for themselves. They chose to live inauthentically in their life on earth and as a result chose their own hell. In their death they will eternally choose their punishment and never be able to leave.
Commented on Tori's.
I agree that they chose their own fate. I also think that they realized that they had brought this punishment upon themselves when they finally got the door open, yet never left. They knew they deserved it and that even if they did escape, there was nowhere else for them to go. It was almost as if they knew they belonged in Hell.
ReplyDeleteThe question of the standard of justice is great!!! Without truth, there can be no wrong answer. Then, the next question is if there is no standard for justice or no wrong answers, how can a hell even exist?
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