Becoming Beauvoir audiobook cover - A Life

Becoming Beauvoir

A Life

Kate Kirkpatrick

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PhilosophyBiography & Memoir

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Becoming Beauvoir
Correcting the Legacy+
Childhood Influences+
Loss of Faith & Existential Awakening+
The Lourdes Epiphany (1926)+
Relationship with Sartre+
Philosophical Divergence+
The Ethics of Freedom+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
According to recent discoveries in Simone de Beauvoir’s unpublished journals, how did her philosophical ideas relate to Jean-Paul Sartre’s?
  • A. She largely adopted Sartre's ideas after reading his book Being and Nothingness.
  • B. She developed several key existentialist concepts, such as the distinction between being 'for myself' and 'for others,' before Sartre published them.
  • C. She completely rejected existentialism until Sartre convinced her of its validity.
  • D. She focused exclusively on feminist theory while leaving broader existentialist philosophy entirely to Sartre.
Question 2 of 7
How did Simone de Beauvoir's early religious upbringing influence her later feminist philosophy?
  • A. Her father's strict atheism taught her to reject all patriarchal structures, including the Church.
  • B. The Christian concept that all human souls are equal before God inspired her to question why women were treated unequally in society.
  • C. Her desire to become a nun led her to believe that women should separate themselves entirely from male-dominated society.
  • D. The Catholic emphasis on female saintliness provided her with a model for female intellectual superiority.
Question 3 of 7
Which of the following contributed significantly to Beauvoir's loss of religious faith during her teenage years?
  • A. Reading Jean-Paul Sartre's early essays on atheism and nihilism.
  • B. Failing her philosophy exams at the convent school.
  • C. Observing unjust double standards between men's and women's moral expectations, compounded by a traumatic experience at a religious bookshop.
  • D. Her mother's sudden abandonment of Catholicism in favor of secular philosophy.
Question 4 of 7
After visiting the Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes in 1926, what conclusion did Beauvoir reach about the purpose of philosophy and literature?
  • A. Philosophy must remain purely theoretical to avoid being corrupted by the suffering of the real world.
  • B. Literature is superior to philosophy because it can bridge the gap between intellectual knowledge and real-life feelings and experiences.
  • C. A life of complete self-sacrifice to the sick is the only ethical way to apply philosophical principles.
  • D. Religious texts are the only form of literature capable of answering deep philosophical questions about human suffering.
Question 5 of 7
How did Beauvoir and Sartre's open relationship, involving 'contingent loves,' play out in reality?
  • A. It was effortlessly maintained and completely free of jealousy or complications.
  • B. It was a one-sided arrangement where only Sartre pursued other partners while Beauvoir remained monogamous.
  • C. It stirred complex feelings, testing their ideals through jealousy, and later marred their reputations due to the power dynamics with young students.
  • D. It was quickly abandoned after their first year together because Beauvoir demanded a traditional marriage.
Question 6 of 7
On what key philosophical point did Beauvoir disagree with Sartre’s arguments in Being and Nothingness?
  • A. She rejected his idea that people can simply 'transcend' their circumstances, arguing that systemic oppression and lack of power prevent many from doing so.
  • B. She believed that 'facticity' (unchosen attributes like skin color or gender) plays absolutely no role in a person's life.
  • C. She argued that individuals should act in 'bad faith' to survive in a hostile, patriarchal society.
  • D. She felt that existentialism should only apply to political leaders and not to everyday workers like waiters.
Question 7 of 7
How did Beauvoir’s philosophical focus ultimately diverge from Sartre’s regarding the concept of freedom?
  • A. Beauvoir believed freedom was an illusion, whereas Sartre believed it was absolute.
  • B. Beauvoir argued that individual freedom must be exercised ethically and responsibly because our actions impact others, whereas Sartre lacked a clear ethical framework.
  • C. Beauvoir insisted that true freedom could only be achieved in isolation, agreeing with Sartre's statement that 'hell is other people.'
  • D. Beauvoir focused solely on political freedom for women, abandoning the broader existentialist concept of individual freedom.

Becoming Beauvoir — Full Chapter Overview

Becoming Beauvoir Summary & Overview

Becoming Beauvoir (2019) recounts the story of French philosopher, writer and feminist icon Simone de Beauvoir for a contemporary audience. Making use of previously unpublished letters and diaries, Becoming Beauvoir describes how the famous intellectual became herself.

Who Should Listen to Becoming Beauvoir?

  • Those interested in feminism and gender studies
  • Budding existentialists
  • Philosophy students

About the Author: Kate Kirkpatrick

Kate Kirkpatrick lectures in religion, philosophy and culture at King’s College London, in the United Kingdom. In addition to Becoming Beauvoir, she has written books on Jean-Paul Sartre, including Sartre and Theology and Sartre on Sin.

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