ABSURDISM IN THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY

UMA LEITURA CAMUSIANA DE A BIBLIOTECA DA MEIA-NOITE

Abstract

This text investigates a possible convergence between the concept of the absurd, as formulated by the philosopher Albert Camus, and the novel The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. According to Camus, the absurd characterizes the tension between the human search for meaning and the apparent indifference of the universe, confronting the individual with the void of existence. In Haig’s novel, this issue is addressed during the journey of the main character who, immersed in despair and a sense of purposelessness, attempts suicide but is given the opportunity to experience alternative lives in a magical library. The narrative highlights her struggle to find meaning amid the multiple possibilities of life, reflecting the individual’s anguish in the face of freedom and uncertainty. The analysis emphasizes how The Midnight Library engages with Camus' philosophy by advocating for the acceptance of life in its unpredictability, without resorting to transcendent illusions, suggesting that true fulfillment lies in the authentic experience of the present despite the absurd.