1999: From a novel or play choose a character (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict with one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. You may use one of the novels or plays listed below or another novel or work of similar literary quality.
In the one-act play, No Exit, Garcin, Estelle, and Inez all have self-conflicts in which their mind is pulled in conflicting directions mainly because they are no longer existing in the real world and they wish to verify that with each other in the underworld. One such character, Garcin, is conflicted with himself over the fact on whether he is a coward for attempting to desert Rio during a war. Like the others, he has committed the sin of cheating on the love of his life and in front of her. When put in the same room with the others, he tries to avoid them but eventually Estelle tries to seduce him. When he begins to accept her, Garcin realizes that he can validate his existence.
When Garcin admits to Estelle that he was executed for running away, he looks to her for hope in which she can tell him whether he is a coward. Estelle says she cannot and that it is up to him to decide. Garcin cannot do so and Inez tells him to stop lying and admit it. This is where Garcin begins to become conflicted where he can either accept the truth from Inez by admitting he was a coward or he could try to hear it from at least one person, which is Estelle that he was not a coward. Garcin had faced death rather poorly because he is afraid of the judgment that his friends and co-workers are passing on him back on Earth. If he is able to make Estelle admit that he was not a coward, Garcin would be able to find solace within his existence.
Inez tries to break them apart saying that Estelle only will admit that to get the comfort of a man and so Garcin tries to leave. For a moment, he just becomes disgusted with them and tries to leave by pounding on the door and asking the Valet to open it. He yells that he will take all the physical torture that hell gives him as long as he is away from the two women. Inez is willing to let him go, but Garcin is only focused on convincing her that he is not a coward and so decides to stay. Garcin feels that he can get redemption only if Inez tells him that he is not a coward. Inez is not willing to do so and continues to call him a coward.
Garcin does not have enough faith in himself and so is conflicted because he is unsure of his motives and is unable to become honest with himself on why he ran away from the war. Not only is he conflicted, but this creates the problem of him having no responsibility for his actions. He only cares for himself and tries to validate his existence through the eyes of other people and does not have self-confidence. These arguments are meant to show that Garcin is a character who is self-conflicted on whether or not he is a coward and it plays an important role in this play because it defines how one character’s final judgment is passed on to other people instead of the ability to decide for himself.
