Existence,Choice And Freedom

The French Lieutenant's Woman is one of the most important works byJohn Fowles and its creation is heavily influenced by existential philosophy,particularly Sartrean existentialism. In this paper, efforts have been made tointerpret this novel in the following perspectives: first, the narrative structureand the triple endings. The narrative structure of the novel is layered ratherthan linear in terms of both temporal order and different persons used by thenarrator. The triple endings of the novel bring with them many possibilitiesfor readers to choose from and it is highly existential in nature; second, thenaming and the language employment of the characters. The names of thecharacters, especially Sarah's different names and nicknames, are notrandomly given and they manifest the author's choice and they also imply thepossible features of the characters. The language employment of thecharacters is of the same nature; third, the central themes of the novel, namely,the banality and absurdity of existence, and individual freedom. These themes,more than anything else, are the essential significance of the novel anddeserve our due attention and careful research.