Reflective Essay on "No Exit"

Reflective essay on "No exit"

In the play "No exit", Sean-Paul Sartre portrays existentialism by employing three distinguished characters to bring out its meaning. The play starts in a single room setting with no windows, no mirrors, just one door. Three characters are then introduced to this room starting with Garcin followed by Inez then Estelle. The reader learns that this so called "room" is their hell, and while they are waiting for the demons and torturers, the real emotional torture begins as they taunt each others' weaknesses and sins. The theme of this play rises from these events as the reader learns that "hell is other people" and that one should take responsibility of his/her actions. This reinforces existentialism as well as their constant struggle with facing the truth as they thrive to prove that they are still alive, existent, that is. Garcin tries to prove that he is not a coward and Estelle hunts down all means of looking at her physical appearance thinking that a mirror would prove her existence. Conversely, Inez seems to be the most realistic and honest one of them as she confesses her sins and accepts her being dead. This conflict carries on till the end of the play where all three finally deal with their condition. The themes of this play are highlighted through the characters, their relationships and dialogue, all of which will be discussed.
This performance required us to choose an extract from the play and perform it as it is. My group and I decided to choose an extract that lies in the climax of the play and brings out the characterization of all the characters. Therefore, we decided to perform the very last part of the play where the characterization is most vivid. In this part of the play, Garcin tries to prove that he is not a coward to both Inez and Estelle. Inez realizes that his image lies in her hands and taunts him by repeatedly calling him a coward which is Garcin's hell. Perhaps Inez does that because she finds