Mr. Derrick Fernando
Comp/World Lit II
“The Stranger” Essay
April 29, 2013
Camus Tell Me About The Stranger
For our last essay assignment each of you will be required to use all the tools that we
have worked on over the course of the year, plus one more. After working on research through
the “Animal Farm” essay, “The Stranger” essay will also require research, but instead of coming
up with your own topic and incorporating research at the end, the initial inquiry will be based on
the research you do.
The assignment is simple, you must write an argumentative essay about the stranger
through the lens of an existential or absurdist philosopher. As stated earlier, you will need to
begin your inquiry (and your graphic organizer) with research. Start by researching the
philosopher you have chosen to find things they have written, ideas they are associated with, and
any possible connections they may have to the novella. Then, as you read the novella, take note
of things YOU find interesting and pertinent to an argument about the novella. Also, you will
want to note things that sound similar to ideas spawned by your chosen philosopher. Lastly, you
will need to seamlessly integrate the ideas and words of your chosen philosopher with your own.
The following names are the philosophers you may choose from:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Heidegger
Nietzsche
Kierkegaard
Beauvoir
Merleau-Ponty
Sartre
Poulet
It goes without saying that you will need to define the movement you are working with
(existentialism or absurdism), but since absurdism finds its genesis in existentialism it will still
need to be included in your essay. This should be included in the background paragraph of your
essay.
As always, normal MLA format is required. We will conclude the essay with an annotated
bibliography, so please allow yourself the time to put this together as well as to polish your
essay. I will also be looking at the following criteria for your essays:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Research Inquiry
Integration
Argumentative Style and Format
Information Accuracy
The essay is due, via Google Drive, by Friday May 24th. Since grades are due the following
week, and we will have finals the following week, no extensions will be given. We will also be
continuing to use the writing workshops, and as we did with the Animal Farm essay, your
participation in the workshops will be counted toward your participation grade.