Similarities Between Selfishness And Martin Luther King
Yuliana Havryshchuk
Mrs. Nayyar
ENG 4U
31 October 2012
Selfishness: The Road to Damnation
One cannot attain an authentic and fulfilling life by living selfishly. Estelle Rigault of Sartre’s No Exit, and Martin Luther King make very different decisions throughout their lives, which lead to opposite degrees of authenticity. Altruistic values, means of achieving what they desire, and motives behind the manipulation of others are what sets the two apart and determines how fulfilling their lives are. Estelle’s selfishness is demonstrated through her relationships on earth. She marries an older man for the riches he has. When she discovers that she is pregnant from her lover, Roger, she kills the baby, thus causing Roger to kill himself. She explains, “It pleased him no …show more content…
She 'd assure you you were God Almighty if she thought it would give you pleasure (Sartre 40).
Estelle is manipulating Garcin to make him fall in love with her. Her selfishness backfires when Inez reveals the truth to Garcin. He states, “You disgust me” (Sartre 40). Had Estelle truly cared about Garcin, she would not have had to lie, and face the consequences of him finding out.
While Estelle’s selfishness leads to an inauthentic and unfulfilling life, Martin Luther King’s selflessness does the opposite. His altruism is evident when he stands up for others who are being treated unjustly, even though he personally is not affected. In his letter from Birmingham jail he writes, “Just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world, I too… must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid” (King 1). It is because of King’s selflessness that he leads a fulfilling life. He changes the lives of African Americans for the better, and continues to be an inspiration to millions. His altruistic qualities contrast the non-existent ones of Estelle.
Mrs. Nayyar
ENG 4U
31 October 2012
Selfishness: The Road to Damnation
One cannot attain an authentic and fulfilling life by living selfishly. Estelle Rigault of Sartre’s No Exit, and Martin Luther King make very different decisions throughout their lives, which lead to opposite degrees of authenticity. Altruistic values, means of achieving what they desire, and motives behind the manipulation of others are what sets the two apart and determines how fulfilling their lives are. Estelle’s selfishness is demonstrated through her relationships on earth. She marries an older man for the riches he has. When she discovers that she is pregnant from her lover, Roger, she kills the baby, thus causing Roger to kill himself. She explains, “It pleased him no …show more content…
She 'd assure you you were God Almighty if she thought it would give you pleasure (Sartre 40).
Estelle is manipulating Garcin to make him fall in love with her. Her selfishness backfires when Inez reveals the truth to Garcin. He states, “You disgust me” (Sartre 40). Had Estelle truly cared about Garcin, she would not have had to lie, and face the consequences of him finding out.
While Estelle’s selfishness leads to an inauthentic and unfulfilling life, Martin Luther King’s selflessness does the opposite. His altruism is evident when he stands up for others who are being treated unjustly, even though he personally is not affected. In his letter from Birmingham jail he writes, “Just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world, I too… must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid” (King 1). It is because of King’s selflessness that he leads a fulfilling life. He changes the lives of African Americans for the better, and continues to be an inspiration to millions. His altruistic qualities contrast the non-existent ones of Estelle.