"I was much influenced by Jean-Paul Sartre"

Thom Gunn was a British poet who was heavily influenced by the works of French thinker and writer Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre's works, such as Being and Nothingness, checked out the concept of existentialism, which is the concept that people are responsible for producing their own meaning and function in life. Gunn was likely drawn to Sartre's writings because of their focus on private freedom and obligation. Gunn's poetry often explored themes of alienation, liberty, and identity, which are all subjects that Sartre wrote about extensively. Gunn's adoration for Sartre's work appears in this quote, as he acknowledges the impact that Sartre had on his own writing. Gunn's work was greatly affected by Sartre's concepts, and he likely found inspiration in Sartre's works to develop his own special design of poetry.