Picture the scene: you're making your way through The Hour of the Star with your class and someone asks about existentialism. You give a quick lowdown on this philosophical concept, telling your students it's all about how your life is yours, and no one else has a say.

The problem is that a a particularly perceptive student will spot the potential flaw: if the story's all about existentialism, then it might be impossible to truly relate to or understand the protagonist's situation. Someone else's life is theirs, after all, and they're the only person who can create, shape, and maintain it.