Existentialist writers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir explored themes of existence, freedom, and absurdity. They questioned the inherent meaning of life, emphasizing the individual's responsibility to create their own purpose in an apparently indifferent universe. Sartre’s notion of “bad faith” reflects the struggle against societal expectations and self-deception, while de Beauvoir examined the ways in which gender and identity shape individual existence. Their works often delved into the tension between freedom and the constraints imposed by society, shaping modern philosophy and influencing literature, psychology, and political thought.