Philosophicality

I've been reading a lot of philosophical theory and literature recently as part of my independent study on existential fiction, and it has seriously fired me up to at least somewhat change the way I write. Having recently finished the classic Russian novella "Notes From Underground" by Dostoevsky and now making my way through the slow burn that is "Nausea" by Sartre, I have been noticing things a little more, savoring feelings more than usual, and simply paying attention to life and the manner in which I do things in a way that I never really did before exposing myself to these great works. Coincidentally and somewhat perfectly, I also just finished the infamous dystopian novel "Fahrenheit 451" by Bradbury for my English class, which discusses the ways in which literature can cause people to recognize their own problems, and thus become more unhappy. In short, thought begets realization of ones more invisible crises, exactly the focus of both "Notes" and "Nausea". While using such a conundrum as the entire driving force may be an extremely difficult task and perhaps too daunting for a still-developing writer, incorporating ideas of existential dread and real self-reflection into stories can prove an incredibly exciting task, and allow for narratives to reach a whole new level of depth. I recently finished the novel "Giovanni's Room" by Baldwin, which expertly achieves this: balancing a narrative more clear cut and traditional than that of "Notes" or "Nausea", but still filled to the brim with philosophical ruminations. This, I believe, constitutes an excellent challenge for a budding "serious" writer, and one I have set for myself, as I now plan on attempting to execute just this. As such, I would strongly recommend other young writers at least gain a bit of exposure to overtly philosophical works of fiction, as it can prove immensely useful in constructing self-aware and multi-dimensional characters. Not only that, but it can have the same effect on ourselves, as I have found in my case. The personal and artistic benefits should not be ignored, though they may at times come with the revelation of some new problems, as "Fahrenheit" posits. Still, as artists, the feeling of being truly alive and awake should prove more important than any amount of blissful ignorance.