FROM PASSIVE TO ACTIVE NIHILISM: THE EXISTENTIAL PATH TO ÜBERMENSCH IN “A REPORT TO AN ACADEMY” AND “THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER”

Abstract

 Within the contours of existential theory, this paper offers a new reading of Franz Kafka’s “A report to an Academy” and Jean-Paul Sartre’s “The Childhood of a leader”. Positioning “A report to an Academy” and “The Childhood of a leader” within the intersection of Nietzschean philosophy and existentialism, the paper aims to reveal the existential ideologies that underpin their narratives. Kafka’s “A Report to an Academy”, engages with the concept of the Übermensch, Red Peter's metamorphosis from an ape to a civilized being exemplifies Nietzsche’s Übermensch through his self-overcoming and redefinition of identity, as he wields the will to power - - - moving towards a liberated, self-determined existence. Red Peter’s ultimate achievement of a human identity through his successful integration into the human society epitomize the Nietzschean Übermensch. In “The Childhood of a leader”, Lucien Fleurier moves beyond passive nihilism to embody the qualities of the Übermensch, demonstrating a capacity for self-overcoming and the establishment of a new, self-defined purpose. In "A Report to an Academy" and "The Childhood of a Leader", the progression from passive nihilism to active nihilism serves as a precursor to the realization of the Übermensch. The chief characters, Red Peter and Lucien Fleurier, each navigate the existential challenges of their respective worlds, transforming from states of despair to self-creation and empowerment. Their journey(s) highlight the dynamic interplay between passive nihilism to active nihilism, culminating in the Nietzsche's vision of the Ubermensch - - - symbolized by the active assertion of will to power.