What Is Literature? (Literature and Existentialism)

Why Theory by Why Theory

Jun 21, 202601:20:34TV & Film

On this episode, Ryan and Todd complete their Sartre inflected trifecta of episodes by engaging his 1947 essay series What Is Literature? The hosts begin by talking about how much Sartre's method has meant to them respec...

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from Why Theory.

Wretched of the Earth

Aug 30, 2026 - 01:12:30

On this episode, Ryan and Todd complete their Frantz Fanon duology by talking about his final completed w...

Black Skin, White Masks

Aug 17, 2026 - 01:22:26

On this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss Frantz Fanon's decolonial classic, Black Skin, White Masks . The h...

Adaptations

Aug 2, 2026 - 01:25:31

On this episode, Ryan and Todd theorize the adaptation as a form of film. The episode takes its point of...

The Odyssey

Jul 19, 2026 - 01:25:03

On this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss Christopher Nolan's recent film. The conversation begins with Emil...

Theorizing the World Cup

Jul 6, 2026 - 01:27:37

On this episode, Ryan & Todd theorize the World Cup as a public event that enables the non-expert to see...

Michael Clayton

Jun 7, 2026 - 01:14:53

On this episode, Ryan and Todd cover writer-director Tony Gilroy's 2007 political thriller masterpiece, M...

Existentialism Is A Humanism

May 24, 2026 - 01:16:19

On this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss Jean-Paul Sartre's 1945 lecture titled "Existentialism is a Humani...

Impossible Professions

May 11, 2026 - 01:20:31

On this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss Freud's idea of the "impossible professions." First articulated in...