Study Guide for “The Guest” by Albert Camus in World Masterpieces p. 1230-1246
1. Make notes on the background information (for the chart on the test). List the title, author, date (1957),
place (Algeria/France), and genre (short story)
2. List the main characters and briefly describe each one.
3. Plot: write a brief summary of the story (a couple of sentences).
4. Focus on the characterization of the Arab and Balducci on page 1236. Consider the following:
a. What does Daru observe about the Arab’s physical features and actions?
b. How does Balducci treat the Arab?
c. How does Balducci address Daru when he speaks to him? What does this reveal about Balducci?
5. Discuss the ending of the story by answering these three questions:
a. What did Daru choose to do to solve his dilemma? Why?
b. What did the Arab choose to do? Why?
c. What are the consequences of both their actions?
6. Compare and contrast Daru and Elisha (from Dawn).
a. What is similar about their situations?
b. How do they respond differently?
7. Explain the role of justice in this story.
8. Explain the role of revenge in this story.
9. Read about existentialism on p. 1231. Record each of the four aspects of existentialism and give an
example from the story for each.
10. Consider these quotations about the environment and answer the questions that follow:
 “This is the way the region was, cruel to live in, even without men—who didn’t help matters either” (Camus
1235).
 “For days, still, the unchanging sky would shed its dry light on the solitary expanse where nothing had any
connection with man” (1237).
 “No one in this desert, neither he nor his guest, mattered” (1240).
a. What do these quotations reveal about the environment?
b. How does this relate to existentialism?
c. If the environment in the story were a character, what kind of character would it be? Describe it.