‘The Sick Rose’ addresses the most important philosophical questions: Is life intrinsically absurd? Is it worth living, and is suicide an acceptable idea under certain conditions? The characters of the story come up with different views on life and death. You will also observe a tinge of magical realism, as the events of the story unfold many unexpected situations. The pace of the story is quick, and it could even qualify as a psychological thriller with a philosophical topping—the perfect food for thought.
The title of the story basically comes from a William Blake poem; it is also the name of the main protagonist, who is terminally ill and finds herself in the ultimate dilemma of choosing death over life, non-existence over pain. To aid her, a quiet, shadowy, serial-killer arrives, who doesn’t care much to understand life, but to live it in an artistic manner. The main character however is her ex-boyfriend, who can be declared as the real ‘absurdist’. See who triumphs in this age-old battle of death, life, thought, and art.
