How It Is (Comment c’est, 1961; English version 1964) by Samuel Beckett (Themes)

 

How It Is (Comment c’est, 1961; English version 1964)

by Samuel Beckett

(Themes) 

Themes in How It Is by Samuel Beckett

Samuel Beckett’s How It Is explores a stark vision of human existence in which meaning, identity, and moral order have largely collapsed. Through its radical form and bleak imagery, the novel presents several interrelated themes that reflect Beckett’s mature philosophical concerns. These themes do not unfold through conventional plot development; instead, they emerge through repetition, fragmentation, and the persistent voice of the narrator. Together, they form a meditation on existence reduced to its barest essentials.

One of the central themes of the novel is existence as endurance. Life in How It Is is not purposeful or progressive but continuous and exhausting. The narrator crawls through mud without knowing why or toward what end. There is no goal, only the compulsion to continue. Beckett presents existence as something that must be endured rather than understood or justified. This theme reflects the influence of absurdist philosophy, in which the human condition is defined by the tension between the desire for meaning and the silence of the universe.

Closely related is the theme of the failure of language. Language in How It Is is broken, repetitive, and uncertain. The narrator struggles to articulate his experience, often revising or contradicting himself. Yet despite its inadequacy, language remains essential. Speaking—or thinking in words—is the only way the narrator can assert his presence. Beckett thus presents language as both a necessity and a burden: it cannot fully express reality, but without it, existence would dissolve into silence and nonbeing.

Another major theme is the instability of identity. The narrator’s sense of self is fragmented and mutable. His role shifts between master and victim, particularly in his relationship with Pim. These roles are not fixed moral positions but temporary states within a recurring cycle. Beckett suggests that identity is not an inherent essence but a function of circumstance. The self in How It Is is fluid, uncertain, and perpetually vulnerable to reversal.

The theme of power and cruelty is central to the novel’s exploration of human relationships. The narrator’s treatment of Pim is violent and controlling, yet it is depicted without moral commentary or justification. This cruelty appears systemic rather than personal, suggesting that domination and suffering are built into the structure of existence itself. Beckett does not portray evil as a result of choice or character but as an inevitable outcome of hierarchical relations in a world stripped of ethical grounding.

Memory and uncertainty also play a significant thematic role. The narrator recalls fragments of a past world of light, culture, and social interaction, but these memories are unreliable and possibly secondhand. Beckett undermines the idea that memory provides continuity or meaning to existence. Instead, memory becomes another unstable narrative, a mental construction that may offer temporary comfort but no lasting truth.

Finally, the novel is permeated by the theme of meaninglessness and repetition. The events of How It Is do not lead to transformation or resolution; they recur in cycles. Crawling, encountering another, dominating or being dominated, and moving on again form a closed system with no exit. Beckett’s emphasis on repetition denies traditional narrative development and reinforces the idea that existence lacks teleological direction.

In conclusion, the themes of How It Is converge to present a vision of human life stripped of illusion. Endurance replaces purpose, language falters, identity dissolves, and power circulates without moral meaning. Yet within this bleak landscape, the persistence of the voice suggests a final, paradoxical theme: the necessity of expression. Even when meaning fails, the act of speaking remains, bearing witness to existence as it is.