Does Shirou represent absurdism? SPOILERS

Sep 14, 2019 10:37 AM

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Jul 2018

564612

Absurdism can be boiled down to the philosophical concept in which life has no meaning, we can't create meaning, yet we should still pursue meaning. It's a little more complicated than that though: absurdism is about the contradiction of humanity seeking meaning, when it's impossible to find meaning.
Isn't that exactly what Shirou does? To Shirou, becoming a hero and saving everyone is his dream. So much so that that is the meaning of life to him. Yet, after

To Shirou, life has no meaning without his dream. Yet this dream is impossible; you can't save everybody. It's a paradox. So basically:
Shirou's dream of saving everybody = life's meaning = cannot be achieved.
Yet Shirou pursues it anyway, while knowing the absurdity of his dream.
If you disagree, please tell me why.

Sep 14, 2019 10:48 AM

Milennin

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Feb 2015

6845

More like idealism. It sounds great on paper, but it's impossible to achieve in reality.

Also, a dream isn't necessarily something that needs to be fulfilled in order to have meaning to a person, that's why it's called a dream. It's to be something to strive or work towards, despite knowing you're unlikely to ever going to attain it. How should I say it, it's more about the journey, rather than reaching the actual end goal.

Sep 14, 2019 11:01 AM

Ochimusha

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Jun 2012

12239

I'm not 100 a scholar on this or anything, but I think the movement of the absurd was about someone embracing the nonlineal and undetermined nature of life without recourse to any schematic understanding or inhered meaning in the world. Think Meursault.
I haven't seen the show so I'm just a piece of shit, but if Shirou values the defense of humanity to the point of hazarding his life for it, that demonstrates an ability in him to derive appropriative meaning as the answer to(not to found) an absurd question.

Sep 14, 2019 11:08 AM

deg

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Jan 2009

92307

nah he is just being idealistic

dreams can be unrealistic too

if you want peace then prepare for war - John Wick

Oct 24, 2019 6:40 AM

Idealovaerrthing

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Mar 2017

You're damn right about him represent absurdism(honestly Shirou represent many things the more you analyze him). Even though he knew this ideal shit is impossible ( he even said "not even a miracle can't make a world where everyone is happy) he keeps striving for it because the only way he can feel salvation and happines from his survivor guilt and low self worth is from imitating the smile Kiritsugu had when he saved him. And his oath to Kiritsugu before he died

He admired this smile because that Shirou who is on the verge of his death had lost everything, including his soul and emotion, seeing Kiritsugu cried and smiled because he saved somebody brings him joy, because this was his first emotion after he was reborn, so he thought saving and helping everyone around him without a reward will grant him that very same smile and JOY. he didn't care about being a superhero until at that time he decided to do it in Kiritsugu's place, and Kiritsugu saying "i'm relieved" and died right scarred him deeply and he know he had to be one so he won't be guilty about it. All of these is Shirou himself, this is the one and only way he can feel his life is WORTH LIVING, this is why he's so desperate to achieve his ideals even though he know it's impossible and meaningless.

Nov 14, 2019 11:13 AM

Schloetz

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Dec 2016

Sort of? It depends on the route. He's mostly focused on idealism, as is the main theme of the entire story. Fate route Shirou remains an idealist, UBW Shirou becomes more of a realist, and HF Shirou becomes a cynic. The closest would be Fate route Shirou, but then again he's made to be something that the average person can't reach, and is unrealistic, as what happens when the average person tries to endlessly pursue idealism is what results in someone like Archer.

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Does Shirou represent absurdism? SPOILERS

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