John as an Existential Hero in J.M. Coetzee’s Youth

Abstract

John is an existential hero in Coetzee’s novel Youth because he struggles against the hostile circumstances as well as mechanical repetitive jobs with existential consciousness all through the novel. He chooses to be an artist, especially a poet in his life. He takes all the responsibility of his choice and has the courage to leave his parents to meet his dream. When he leaves home, the sufferings, miseries and anxieties of the world thrust up one after another on him. He is sympathetic in the novel, because he creates from the opposing forces and continues his life till his last breath. He takes all the hostile situations as a source of energy and is determined to reach to his dream to be an artist when he leaves the country; his aim to be economically sound is not fulfilled in London. He is failed to be a poet and economically sound man. Neither has he experienced true love which he wants to transform into poetry. Nor he can be economically sound so that he could devote all his time to be a poet. The destiny never favors him. He accepts everything at last and goes to work in Berkshire but his hope to get true love and creativity never dies. In spite of his failures and sufferings in life, he never surrenders before existence. He never leads his life to suicide, death and negativity. He continues his journey of life with positive attitude in mind and revolts against these meaningless, repetitive works of the absurd world. So, John is an existential hero in the novel.