The Expelled (L’Expulsé, written 1946, published 1955) by Samuel Beckett (Characters Analysis)

 

The Expelled (L’Expulsé, written 1946, published 1955)

by Samuel Beckett

(Characters Analysis) 

Character Analysis of the Protagonist in Samuel Beckett’s The Expelled (L’Expulsé)

The protagonist of Samuel Beckett’s The Expelled is a profoundly complex and emblematic figure whose experiences embody the existential and psychological concerns at the heart of the novel. Unnamed and largely undefined in social terms, he exists as a solitary consciousness, expelled from his home, familiar surroundings, and, ultimately, from the certainty of meaning itself. Beckett’s narrative focuses almost exclusively on the interior life of this character, presenting a meticulous exploration of isolation, memory, and the absurdity of human existence.

At the core of the protagonist’s characterization is his profound alienation. He is physically and metaphysically removed from the world he once inhabited, and this expulsion extends beyond the literal sense into the realms of identity and understanding. Deprived of meaningful human interaction, he becomes acutely aware of his solitude, and his consciousness constantly oscillates between memory, reflection, and despair. This alienation is not merely a circumstance but a defining feature of his existence, reflecting Beckett’s broader philosophical concerns with the isolation inherent to human life.

The protagonist is also characterized by his obsessive introspection and fragmented memory. Throughout the novel, he attempts to reconstruct his past, recalling family figures, childhood experiences, and lost relationships. Yet these memories are unreliable, fleeting, and often contradictory, highlighting the instability of identity and the impossibility of returning to a coherent past. His introspection underscores the tension between the human desire for continuity and the inevitability of disruption, a theme central to Beckett’s existential vision.

Furthermore, the protagonist embodies the theme of existential absurdity. His actions—walking, remembering, questioning—are largely futile, and the world around him is indifferent to his presence or suffering. Beckett’s stylistic choices, including minimalism, repetition, and fragmented thought, emphasize this absurdity, immersing the reader in the protagonist’s disoriented and hopeless consciousness. He is both observer and participant in his own suffering, a condition that reflects the inescapable isolation and purposelessness of human existence.

In conclusion, the protagonist of The Expelled is not merely a character in the conventional sense but a symbolic embodiment of alienation, memory, and existential struggle. Through his inner experiences, Beckett examines the fragility of identity, the futility of human effort, and the absurdity of existence. The expelled man is at once a unique individual and a universal figure, representing the human condition in its most stark, isolated, and introspective form. His characterization exemplifies Beckett’s modernist and existentialist sensibilities, making him one of the most compelling figures in twentieth-century literature.

 

Analysis of Figures from Memory in Samuel Beckett’s The Expelled (L’Expulsé)

In Samuel Beckett’s The Expelled, the figures from memory play a subtle yet crucial role in the narrative, providing glimpses into the protagonist’s past while highlighting the novel’s central themes of alienation, identity, and existential uncertainty. These figures—primarily family members, childhood acquaintances, and fleetingly recalled strangers—are rarely depicted as fully realized characters. Instead, they appear as fragmented, elusive, and sometimes contradictory images, reflecting the instability of memory and the difficulty of reconstructing a coherent past.

Family figures, such as parents or siblings, are central to the protagonist’s recollections. They often appear as shadowy presences, partially remembered and partially imagined, representing both connection and loss. Their roles are symbolic: they embody the comfort, familiarity, and social grounding that the protagonist has been expelled from, and their absence underscores his profound isolation. Beckett portrays these figures not to develop traditional interpersonal relationships, but to highlight the psychological and emotional gap created by separation from home and family.

Other figures from memory, including acquaintances, friends, or vague strangers, serve to reinforce the ephemeral and unreliable nature of recollection. They appear briefly, sometimes contradicting previous memories, and often dissolve before their significance can be fully grasped. This constant slipping of figures in and out of awareness emphasizes the protagonist’s precarious grasp on identity and narrative continuity. The act of remembering becomes a double-edged experience: it connects him to the past while simultaneously reminding him of the impossibility of truly returning to it.

The figures from memory also function as mirrors for the protagonist’s consciousness, revealing his fears, regrets, and desires. Through these spectral presences, Beckett explores the tension between presence and absence, reality and imagination. Memory becomes both a lifeline and a source of anguish, and the figures that inhabit it are never stable enough to provide resolution, reinforcing the novel’s existential motifs of absurdity, dislocation, and solitude.

In conclusion, the figures from memory in The Expelled are symbolic, elusive, and psychologically charged. They illuminate the protagonist’s inner life, underscore his isolation, and dramatize the instability of memory and identity. By presenting these figures as fleeting and unreliable, Beckett transforms memory into a narrative device that deepens the novel’s exploration of alienation, consciousness, and the human condition.

 

Analysis of Implied Forces or Entities in Samuel Beckett’s The Expelled (L’Expulsé)

In The Expelled, Samuel Beckett subtly introduces implied forces or entities that shape the protagonist’s consciousness and underscore the existential themes of the novel. These forces are not represented as traditional characters; instead, they exist as abstract, often ambiguous presences that exert influence over the protagonist’s thoughts, memories, and perceptions. They embody the unseen pressures of existence, the metaphysical questions of purpose, and the human confrontation with the unknown.

One of the most notable implied entities is God or a divine presence, which appears intermittently through the protagonist’s introspections and rhetorical questioning. While not addressed directly in a traditional religious sense, this implied divine force symbolizes the human desire for moral or existential order and the anxiety that arises in its perceived absence. The protagonist’s occasional appeals, doubts, or reflections upon such an entity highlight his struggle to reconcile his suffering with the silence or indifference of the universe.

Another implied force is fate or the inexorable logic of existence. The protagonist perceives his expulsion not merely as a personal misfortune but as a reflection of larger, uncontrollable forces that govern human life. These forces, while unseen, are palpable in the structure of his world: the isolation, the futility of action, and the inescapable dislocation of his experience. Beckett presents fate as both oppressive and indifferent, emphasizing the protagonist’s helplessness in a universe that offers no guidance or consolation.

These implied entities also intersect with the motif of existential absurdity. Their presence—or absence—forces the protagonist to confront the fragility of human understanding and the impossibility of imposing meaning on a world that is largely indifferent. In this sense, the implied forces function less as characters and more as philosophical devices, enabling Beckett to explore profound questions of human consciousness, mortality, and the search for significance.

In conclusion, the implied forces and entities in The Expelled—ranging from divine or metaphysical presences to the abstract inevitability of fate—serve to accentuate the protagonist’s isolation and existential struggle. They are not tangible beings but conceptual pressures that illuminate the human condition: the quest for understanding, the confrontation with an indifferent universe, and the enduring tension between presence and absence, meaning and void. Beckett’s use of these forces reinforces the novel’s exploration of consciousness, alienation, and the absurdity of existence, making them essential to its philosophical depth.