Mailer’s Existentialism and the American Existential Tradition

Abstract

Mailer occupies a prominent position within the American literary tradition due to his opposition to the dominant cultural values of his era. Influential American existentialist writers include Mailer, Faulkner, Hemingway, and Updike. Through their writings they celebrate personal freedom, reject determinism, and focus on human existence. Mailer's existentialism emphasizes individualism, authenticity, and moral ambiguity. He aligns himself with a longstanding lineage of writers who have sought to awaken the moral awareness of their audience, striving to connect language with concrete realities through the use of symbolism and imagery, as noted by Emerson. Furthermore, he has metaphorically illustrated the individual's spiritual journey as fundamentally intertwined with the broader narrative of America, both as a reality and as an ideal. Norman Mailer's existentialism and the American existential tradition are intriguing subjects that explore the human condition, individual freedom, and the search for meaning.