Abstract:This thesis mainly makes an analysis of the “anti-hero” in Alan Sillitoe’s novel Saturday Night and Sunday Morning from the perspective of existentialism. It makes an emphasis on the text mainly from the following four sections. The first part focuses on Arthur Seaton’s pursuit of essence. His pursuit of essence implies Sartre’s existentialism in that “existence precedes essence”; the second part employs Sartre’s existentialism “the world is absurd, and life is painful” into exploring Arthur Seaton’s absurd life; the third part borrows the “free choice” of Sartre’s existentialism to analyze Arthur Seaton’s free choice; the final part uses Sartre’s “hell is other people” to analyze Arthur Seaton’s hellish interpersonal relationship. The analysis of “anti-hero” not only enables readers to have a better understanding of the social background and people’s living conditions at that time, but also warns us people who live in contemporary society that we should have definite goals and beliefs. 

Keywords: Alan Sillitoe; Saturday Night and Sunday Morning; existentialism; antihero

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Alan Sillitoe and His Works-1

1.2 Existentialism and Anti-hero-2

2. Literature Review-5

3. “Anti-hero” in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning-7

3.1 Arthur Seaton’s Pursuit of Essence-7

3.2 Arthur Seaton’s Absurd Life-8

3.3 Arthur Seaton’s Free Choice-10

3.4 Arthur Seaton’s Hellish Interpersonal Relationship-11

4. Conclusion-12

Works Cited-14