43 pages • 1 hour read
Jean-Paul SartreNausea
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1938A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In the fictional French city of Bouville, historian Antoine Roquentin lives in isolation, researching an 18th-century aristocrat. As he documents his life in a diary, he grows increasingly disoriented and nauseated by the existence of objects and his own being, questioning the meaning of existence. His interactions with people and his work drive him deeper into existential despair and alienation. Nausea includes depictions of pedophilia, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and ableism, as well as references to sexual assault and contains racist stereotypes and language.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre is a profound philosophical novel exploring existential angst and the meaning of existence through its protagonist, Antoine Roquentin. Critics praise its deep introspection and innovative narrative style. However, some find it excessively introspective and dense. The novel remains a seminal work in existentialist literature, provoking thought and debate.
Who Should Read Nausea?
Readers who enjoy Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre typically appreciate existential literature and deep philosophical explorations of meaning and individuality. Fans of Sartre's work may also enjoy Albert Camus' The Stranger or Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, which similarly delve into themes of alienation and existential angst.