Existentialism Is a Humanism
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Themes
All Themes Existence, Essence and the Human Condition Abandonment and Atheism Radical Freedom, Choice, and Responsibility Existentialism and Its Critics
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Jean-Paul Sartre Sartre’s Audience at the Club Maintenant The Christian Critics The Communist Critics The Christian Existentialists The Atheist Existentialists Early Atheists Sartre’s Student The Jesuit in the Prison Camp
Terms
All Terms Existentialism Humanism Anguish Abandonment Despair Human Condition Human Project Subjectivity Intersubjectivity Will Essence Bad Faith Authenticity A Priori Optimism Freedom
Symbols
All Symbols Paper Knife
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Existentialism Is a Humanism

by Jean-Paul Sartre
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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Existence, Essence and the Human Condition Theme Icon
    Existence, Essence and the Human Condition
  • Abandonment and Atheism Theme Icon
    Abandonment and Atheism
  • Radical Freedom, Choice, and Responsibility Theme Icon
    Radical Freedom, Choice, and Responsibility
  • Existentialism and Its Critics Theme Icon
    Existentialism and Its Critics
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Jean-Paul Sartre
  • Sartre’s Audience at the Club Maintenant
  • The Christian Critics
  • The Communist Critics
  • The Christian Existentialists
  • The Atheist Existentialists
  • Early Atheists
  • Sartre’s Student
  • The Jesuit in the Prison Camp
Terms
  • All Terms
  • Existentialism
  • Humanism
  • Anguish
  • Abandonment
  • Despair
  • Human Condition
  • Human Project
  • Subjectivity
  • Intersubjectivity
  • Will
  • Essence
  • Bad Faith
  • Authenticity
  • A Priori
  • Optimism
  • Freedom
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Paper Knife Symbol Icon
    Paper Knife
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Download the Teacher Edition
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Existentialism Is a Humanism Study Guide

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MLA

Jennings, Rohan. "Existentialism Is a Humanism." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 27 Apr 2018. Web. 12 Feb 2026.


Chicago

Jennings, Rohan. "Existentialism Is a Humanism." LitCharts LLC, April 27, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/existentialism-is-a-humanism.

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