First Utbah Gathering: Existential Alienation (Al-Athra)

**Gathering Title:** Existential Alienation **Club:** Utbah **Location:** Department of English Literature, Al-Athra, Dammam **Time:** Saturday, September 6, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM **Gathering Concept** A calm and deep discussion on the meaning of existential alienation, why we sometimes feel estranged from ourselves and the world, and how philosophy and literature address this feeling. We will approach the concept through three books of different levels, allowing each participant to choose what suits them: **Light:** The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka **Intermediate:** The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus **Academic:** Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche Prior reading is helpful but not required. Attendance is open to those who wish to listen only. **One-Hour Program** 10 minutes of brief introduction to the concept and its connections to the three books 50 minutes of small roundtable discussions **Simple Rules** Respect all opinions, give everyone a chance to speak, no interruptions.