Becoming Beauvoir Summary

"What would it mean to truly live as a free individual without compromising the freedom of others?" This question propels Simone de Beauvoir’s life and philosophy, reshaping our understanding of freedom, ethics, and relationships.

Simone de Beauvoir’s Misrepresentation as Sartre’s Shadow

Simone de Beauvoir’s intellectual life is often overshadowed by her association with Jean-Paul Sartre. While their partnership is legendary, it has inaccurately painted her as the junior thinker of the two. This undermines the originality and depth of her contributions. Modern research challenges this notion by revealing how she often explored ideas before Sartre, even providing insights that appeared in his major works.

Her student diaries, published in more recent years, show how she conceived many ideas about the nature of self and others independently. For instance, the distinction she made between being “for myself” and “for others” predates Sartre’s similar discussion in Being and Nothingness. Her letters to filmmaker Claude Lanzmann reflect a more multifaceted romantic life, discrediting the perception of her as entirely subordinated to Sartre emotionally or intellectually.

The cultural climate of the early 20th century made it difficult for many to see a woman as an autonomous intellectual. Diminutive nicknames and dismissive portrayals, like being called “Notre Dame de Sartre,” showed society’s unwillingness to take her seriously. Yet, her writing and actions reflect remarkable independence and thought.

Examples

• Beauvoir’s distinction of “for myself” and “for others” echoes in Sartre’s later existential works.
• Her romantic letters to Lanzmann illustrate the complexity of her relationships.
• She earned the title of youngest person ever to pass the agrégation philosophy exam, rivaling Sartre.

A Childhood Framed by Faith and Books

Beauvoir’s childhood shaped the foundation of her philosophical ideas. Raised in an upper-middle-class family, she was pulled between her devout Catholic mother and atheist father. Their ideological divide introduced her to debates on beliefs and equality from a young age.

Though she was deeply religious as a child, attending mass and even considering becoming a nun, Beauvoir’s questioning mind led her to notice injustices. She pondered why men lived with more liberty while women adhered to stricter moral codes. This contradiction began to erode her faith, but her religious upbringing left traces, particularly the Christian idea of equality, which informed her commitment to feminism later.

Books were another major influence in her early years. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women inspired her, especially the character of Jo March, who chose learning and writing over traditional gender roles. These stories offered Beauvoir a framework for imagining a life that defied societal expectations and prioritized personal freedom.

Examples

• Her mother’s devout Catholicism contrasted sharply with her father’s atheism.
• Jo March in Little Women influenced Beauvoir’s early ideas about rejecting traditional roles.
• She saw the Christian concept of equality as a precursor to gender equality.

Early Cracks in Beauvoir’s Faith

As a teenager, Beauvoir began moving away from religion, questioning its role in justifying societal norms she found unfair. Her father’s indulgent lifestyle contrasted with her mother’s hard work and sacrifice, fueling her skepticism about a divine order dictated by men.

The moment that marked a turning point was her visit to a religious bookstore in Saint Sulpice. There, the attendant made inappropriate advances, which made the church’s moral authority seem hypocritical at best. By 19, she had embraced atheism and began exploring existential ideas often attributed solely to Sartre.

Instead of despair, Beauvoir interpreted her newfound atheism as a call to action. Without divine guidance, she believed individuals had the responsibility to chart their own paths. This became a cornerstone of her existentialist ideas: life must be defined by actions and personal commitment.

Examples

• Observing her parents’ conflicting lifestyles highlighted moral inconsistencies.
• The event at Saint Sulpice bookstore cemented her criticism of religious authorities.
• Her shift to atheism led her to explore self-made ethics and existentialism.

The Transformative Summer of 1926

At 18, Beauvoir visited Lourdes, a Catholic pilgrimage site, where she encountered extreme human suffering for the first time. Witnessing the ill and disabled searching for miraculous cures challenged her perspective on compassion and personal guilt.

Initially, she considered dedicating herself entirely to serving others, but ultimately, she rejected total self-sacrifice. Beauvoir decided it was equally important to preserve one’s autonomy while contributing to the well-being of others. This experience allowed her to balance her own aspirations with moral responsibility, a theme that colored much of her philosophy and writing.

This event also shifted her philosophical focus from theoretical debates to practical, lived experience. She began to see literature as the best medium for capturing and conveying life’s richness, completing a novel manuscript at only 18.

Examples

• Witnessing suffering at Lourdes prompted thoughts on moral compromise.
• Her reflections led to a central theme: giving yourself to others without losing yourself.
• She began intertwining literature and philosophy to express real-life truths.

Meeting Sartre: Important, But Not All-Consuming

Beauvoir and Sartre’s famous relationship didn’t start with the dramatic spark often emphasized. When they met while preparing for the agrégation, Beauvoir was initially more interested in his friend René Maheu. Sartre’s physical appearance even left her unimpressed, and she resisted his early advances.

However, she later appreciated Sartre’s kindness and intellectual generosity, which contrasted with his public persona. Though their bond deepened into a profound intellectual and romantic partnership, Beauvoir maintained her affection for other men. Her private writings reveal an equality and open-mindedness that many mischaracterize, portraying her as Sartre’s subordinate.

Beauvoir’s achievements, such as passing the prestigious exam at 21—three years younger than Sartre—highlight her as an equal partner, not merely an appendage to Sartre’s legacy.

Examples

• Her relationship with Maheu began before her romantic feelings for Sartre developed.
• She passed the agrégation as the youngest in history, rivaling Sartre’s own success.
• She challenged Sartre’s work openly, calling his early essays clumsy.

The Complexities of an Open Relationship

Beauvoir and Sartre agreed to an unconventional open relationship, allowing for “contingent loves” alongside their partnership. This idea resonated with their prioritization of personal freedom, but it was not without challenges.

Beauvoir was romantically drawn to others, including Olga Kosakiewicz, one of her students, but became uneasy when Sartre showed infatuation with Olga as well. Their dynamic exposed the emotional complexities of practicing freedom in relationships. While they saw these choices as acts of independence, the moral implications of their involvement with students faced scrutiny in later years.

Still, the pair worked to uphold their ideals of freedom, using their bond to explore human relationships, power, and emotional responsibility.

Examples

• Their pact in Meyrignac allowed room for other relationships beyond each other.
• Olga Kosakiewicz became a source of jealousy and tension in their arrangement.
• Public discourse later criticized their relationships with students under their mentorship.

A Philosophical Divide on Freedom

A core debate between Beauvoir and Sartre shaped their philosophies. Sartre argued that all humans have the power to transcend their circumstances, regardless of oppression. Beauvoir disagreed, emphasizing that social and political realities often limit individual freedom.

Her essays, like The Ethics of Ambiguity, explored how external forces—gender, race, class—impeded transcendence. She questioned simplistic ideas of autonomy, offering a view grounded in lived oppression, which later informed her feminist masterpiece, The Second Sex.

Beauvoir’s argument expanded existentialism to include power and privilege, aspects Sartre largely overlooked.

Examples

• Sartre’s concept of “bad faith” failed to consider systemic oppression.
• Beauvoir cited gender limitations, asking what “transcendence” means for women in harems.
• Her essay The Ethics of Ambiguity became a landmark in ethical existentialism.

Ethics as the Cornerstone of Living

While Sartre struggled to articulate a practical vision of ethical freedom, Beauvoir explored it deeply in her work. She believed that our actions impact others’ freedom, and ethical living means using our autonomy responsibly and for the benefit of others.

Using historical and personal examples, she argued for empathy-driven freedom, recognizing relationships as central to a meaningful life. Unlike Sartre’s oft-quoted phrase “hell is other people,” Beauvoir saw coexisting with others as essential to well-being.

Her philosophy of ethical freedom transformed abstract existentialism into a guide for real life.

Examples

• Her analogy of Pyrrhus and Cineas contrasted self-indulgence with meaningful action.
• She emphasized shared responsibility for creating freedom for others.
• Her ideas became central to feminist ethics, influencing social movements.

The Legacy of Beauvoir’s Philosophy

Simone de Beauvoir’s commitment to ethics, freedom, and feminism reshaped modern thought. Through books like The Second Sex, she influenced gender equality debates worldwide. More than Sartre’s peer, she was a thinker who sought to connect ideas with action.

Despite societal dismissal, Beauvoir stayed focused on leading a just life. Her philosophical journey inspires reflective living and advocates for equity and shared humanity in personal and public life.

Examples

• The Second Sex became foundational for feminist thought globally.
• She turned existentialism from theory into practical tools for ethical choices.
• Her works bridged theoretical contemplation with literature’s real-world applications.

Takeaways

1. Question your assumptions about freedom—consider how your choices affect others’ autonomy and well-being.
2. Explore ways to live both authentically and ethically, seeking individuality without harming collective humanity.
3. Understand the broader social forces shaping lives, and advocate for fairness that supports freedom for all.