Karla Hernandez
Period 4A
The title The Stranger is also translated to The Outsider in Europe. Which title is
more appropriate in Mersault's alienation?
Being excluded from the outside world can lead to alienation. The Stranger
by Albert Camus is a very regognized novel in various countries, but in Europe this
novel is translated as The Outsider which the significance of the title changes when
translated. There are various examples of Mersault's alienation towards society
because of his different believes. The title that seams more appropriate for this
novel should be The Outsider; which is more relevant because Mersault is not a
stranger to his community he just doesn’t fit in with society.
Mersault is excluded from society because he has different points of view for
many things; and it makes his personality different than others. Not only did he have
a different point of view but he also had a different point of view towards death. The
novel starts off by stating when his mom died, “Maman died today. Or yesterday
maybe, I don’t know” (3). Mersault doesn’t know exactly when Maman died yet the
reader can assume that her death didn’t matter to Mersault because he doesn’t
know the exact date she died. But, Mersault didn’t cry at the funeral instead he
hesitated when others cried. “Soon one of the women started crying… She was
crying softly, steadily, in little sobs. I thought she’d never stop. “ (10). Mersault
observes a lot of things around him and when he saw his moms friend crying for her
death he was clearly annoyed. When Mersault killed an Arab, and they were going to
analyze his case he explained, “I said I thought my case was pretty simple. He smiled
and said, “That’s your opinion’ “ (63). Mersalut is saying that he did kill the Arab; but
it wasn’t so important. Yet in the court trail he never lied. He didn’t play the game,
he said the truth and didn’t try to lie to get out of jail like others would.
Throughout the book the reader can assume how Mersault is alienated from
the outside world, but in Europe this novel is translated as The Outsider. There are
reasons why this can be an appropriate title because of Mersault’s philosophy.
Karla Hernandez
Period 4A
When his mother died he didn’t show any emotion towards her death. The day of his
execution he says, “So close to death, Maman must have felt free then ready to live it
all again. Nobody, nobody had the right to cry over her.” (122). Mersault knows his
mother is dead but yet again she is ready to live all over again. Even though death
was near for Mersault he was being set free from the rest of the world. Mersault
wasn’t a “stranger” to society because everyone knows who he is and what his
believes are when he says, “ I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of
spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate” (123).
This is when Merciful realizes that in his community didn’t agree with him in his
believes and the day of his execution everyone will be there to see him be released
from society.
This novel is translated differently in many languages, but yet the meaning is
not the same when translated into a different language. Mersault's alienation is
clearly shown through the novel in different cases including death. Yet the title The
Outsider is more appropriate not only because he is not “new” to society but because
his believes for how life should be including death is different from many others
point of view. Therefore; The Outsider is a title that is more appropriate title for the
novel.
Hi Karla,
Good start so far. You’ll need to develop your ideas further to meet the word count.
Spend some time, perhaps in the beginning of the essay, discussing the definitions
and connotations for the two titles—compare/contrast the words stranger and
outsider. Then prove, through examples, the more fitting title.