Miguel de Unamuno

Illusion versus Reality & Life Motivation

Future-Think versus Here-and-Now Reality

Embracing Life in the Face of Reality

Meaning Through Illusion Perpetuation

DIFFERENT ILLUSIONS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLES

In studying de Unamuno’s San Manuel Bueno, we are provided with a story unique for its era. The story is unique because the hero who exists a century ago is seen as one with a dual consciousness, one that tolerates and promotes Christian ideology on the surface, but one who understands absolutely underneath the challenge of the existential dilemma-finding meaning in a reality that one is only born into as an organic animal destined to die. In other words, even though Manuel accepts we are alone in the universe, and that there is no consci

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of progress, of his belief that eventually people could be made to accept and handle the truth of death representing the end of reality. Formerly, Lazaro thought the simple folk were idiots who could not be moved to embrace life. However, he learns from Manuel’s example that influence can be exerted over others but only through individual action and example, not by ripping their illusions away from them, “The absolute failure of his diatribes to move us and their lack of effect upon the village-where they were listened to with respectful indifference-disconcerted him to no end. ‘The man does not exist who could move these clods.’ But he soon began to understand the kind of influence exercised over the village by Don Manual, and he came to appreciate the effect of the priest’s work in the village” (de Unamuno 152). Nonetheless, Manuel and de Unamuno are far from pessimistic in the face of the existential dilemma and in the face of individuals who can never accept the truth. This is because Manuel has discovered how to enjoy life by embracing the truth, and, life has meaning for him because he is able to help people enjoy life more by promoting their illusions or crutches. In reality, if we face the existential dilemma it
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Don Manuel, Manuel Lazaro, Michael Alper, Manuel Bueno, Lazaro Manuel, God-part Brain, Nietzsche God, Yes Lord, God Manuel, Manuel Buenos, de unamuno, simple folk, existential dilemma, people live, miguel de, miguel de unamuno, enjoy life, reality life, vague future society, lazaro manuel, existential reality, heaven hell, san manuel bueno, discovered enjoy life, based future reality,
Approximate Word count = 3435
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

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