THE STRANGER IB PANEL DISCUSSION
The Stranger- Title Explanation
·
Meursault is considered to be a stranger to all aspects of society. Throughout the novel Meursault is seen
unable to interact normally with anyone in his society.
·
He sees everything with an air of indifference about him (His mother’s funeral, his activities during the
mourning period and towards the other people mourning the death of his mother)
·
He is unable to react to anything with any emotion or is unable to really express any of the normal human
emotions that should have been felt in certain situations.
1.
“I didn’t have anything to apologize for. He’s the one who should have offered his condolences. But he
probably will day after tomorrow, when he sees I’m in mourning. For now, it’s almost as if Maman weren’t dead.
After the funeral, though, the case will be closed, and everything will have a more official feel to it (3).” – At the
knowledge of the death of a loved one, normally people would be in a state of mourning or shock at hearing the
news. Meursault on the other hand went about his day, not “officially” feeling that anything in his life had changed
and therefore did not express the usual emotions that come with the death of a loved one.
2.
Meursault also does not seem to know how to interact with people in normal society- “When they’d sat
down, most of them looked at me and nodded awkwardly, their lips sucked in by their toothless mouths, so that I
couldn’t tell if they were greeting me. It was then that I realized that they were all sitting across from me, nodding
their heads, grouped around the caretaker. For a second I had the ridiculous feeling that they were there to judge
me (10)”
3.
“Soon one of the women started crying…The woman kept on crying. It surprised me, because I didn’t
know who she was. I wished I didn’t have to listen to her anymore. But I didn’t dare say anything (10).”
4.
“That evening Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn’t make any
difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. Then she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same
way I had the last time, that it didn’t meant anything but that I probably didn’t love her (41).”
5.
It is also seen that Meursault seemed like a stranger to his own mother.
·
Meursault’s role as the stranger to society is more clearly seen throughout his trial, for the murder of the
Arab that he had seemingly killed in cold blood.
·
Throughout the trial:
1.
“I would have liked to have tried explaining to him cordially, almost affectionately, that I had never been
able to truly feel remorse for anything. Mine mind was almost on what was coming next, today or tomorrow
(100)” – His inability to feel remorse seems almost inhuman.
2.
“He stated that I had no place in a society whose fundamental rules I ignored and that I could not appeal
to the same human heart whose elementary response I knew nothing of (102)” –*
3.
“The utter pointlessness of whatever I was doing there seized me by the throat, and all I wanted was to
get it over with and get back to my cell and sleep (105)”·
As he is waiting for his execution:
1.
Seen without much emotion as he patiently awaits his impending death. To him nothing matters and it is
that indifference that makes him the “stranger.”
2.
“I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself- so like a brother
really (122-123).”
·
In conclusion:
1.
Society deems him a stranger for his actions have no meaning to them.
2.
He is cold and indifferent yet at the same time painfully honest.
3.
He does not see the difference between good and bad- When agreeing to helping Raymond get back at
his mistress he merely states that he “has not reason not to” help him in luring his mistress to be beaten by
Raymond.
·
Message: The message of the stranger is that everyone has a search for a meaning to their lives. Meursault
feels that there is no meaning to life and through this indifference he is branded as a “stranger” by the society that
he does not seem to understand in his observations and in return society does not understand him.
Absurdism in The Stranger
(as illustrated by Salamano and Raymond)
Introduction to Camus’ Absurdism
· An extension of the philosophy of existentialism
· It is futile to examine the meaning of life, since life has no meaning
· “Myth of Sisyphus” is mirrored in modern society.
Absurdism in The Stranger
· Camus describes, but does not explain, ordinary events.
· The first part of the novel describes the ordinary events and characters in Meursault’s life.
· For one to obtain any freedom in an absurd world, he must recognize absurdity.
· Individuals create the meaning in those things they enjoy in life, which is what makes life worth living.
· Absurdists do not have hope. They live fully in the present.
Raymond
· Integrity is more important than morality.
· Raymond is Meursault’s neighbor who is known for being a pimp. He is violent and has no respect for women,
and only makes friends with Meursault so that he can write a letter for him. Raymond likes Meursault because he
is the only person that listens to him.
· Raymond is used to emphasize the difference between Meursault and others (he does not have the usual
moral judgements).
· Raymond and Meursault hold similar positions in society. Meursault’s attitudes make him an outsider to
society and Raymond’s actions as a pimp alienate him similarly.
Salamano
· Much of Camus’ work expresses his belief that life is short and mortality is forever.
· All our efforts to live happily and love life will ultimately lead to death.
· Salamano is an old man who lives with his old dog who lives near Meursault. He constantly curses and abuses
his dog.
· He never shows his true feelings for the dog until it disappears from its life.
· Man can get used to anything.
· Animals can operate on an equal level with human beings. Men and creatures are made equal by death.
The Robot-like Woman
●
The robot-like woman represents everything that Meursault is not
○
She called Céleste over and ordered her whole meal all at once, in a voice that was clear and very
fast at the same time. While she was waiting for her first course, she opened her bag, took out a
slip of paper and a pencil, added up the bill in advance, then took the exact amount, plus tip, out
of a vest pocket and set it down on the table in front of her. (43)
■ The woman is completely sure of her motives and strategically plans everything out,
whereas Meursault goes with the flow of life, not really thinking things through. For
example, when Marie asks him to marry her, Meursault agrees to do so but with no true
intentions. He does not care if he gets married or not and to whom he gets married.
● She also represents society’s values
○ The fact that she sits in the audience while Meursault sits in the judgement seat reveals society’s
mentality that those who live life recklessly and without clear direction are bound to destruction.
On the other hand, those who live their lives knowing their exact motives and goals are not
condemned and are free from judgement.
Symbols and Imagery in The Stranger
·
Camus represents much of his absurdist philosophy through symbolism and imagery rather than by direct
explanation
·
Symbols explain the irrationality of life, mankind’s futile attempt at explaining life, absurdity
·
Will not discuss light, heat, the sun
Crucifix (Part II, Chapter 1)
·
Magistrate determines the cause of the delayed shots to be religious and challenges Meursault to repent,
“waving his crucifix almost directly over [Meursault’s] head” (68). Meursault rejects the offer.
·
Crucifix represents:
1.
Rationality by religion; the comfort of a universe controlled by God.
2.
Belief that the non-absurdist adheres to, the personal assignment of life’s meaning.
3.
Meursault rejects religion because of his indifference and disbelief in a defined meaning of life.
·
Magistrate then begins calling Meursault “Monsieur Antichrist”, imposing a personal assumption that
Meursault is against religion when he merely does not care. This assumption shows the flaw in using reason in a
world devoid of it.
Jury and Trial (Part II, Chapter 3, 4)
·
The trial actively seeks to find a reason behind Meursault’s murder. Both the prosecutor and lawyer make
assumptions about Meursault. The prosecutor accuses him of being soulless and cold, while the lawyer
characterizes him as a good man. The trial shifts to a debate critical of Meursault’s reticence rather than of the
murder itself.
·
Jury represents:
1.
“…they were after but a crime” (83). The jury believed there was a purpose for the murder.
2.
This is the flaw of living in an irrational world; there is no meaning. Human’s obsession with using reasoning
and rational thinking is made irrational and is Camus’s reason to criticize law and order.
3.
For this reason, Meursault is doomed to failure, because no one else is able to empathize an absurdist
mindset.
·
Trial represents:
1.
Trials are meant to provide truth, but since there is no actual truth, the trial is left to false assumptions.
2.
This effort to find meaning estranges Meursault as his meaningless identity is filled by judgment.
Salamano and his Dog (Book I, Chapter 3-5)
·
Salamano and his dog are scabby, old, and uncooperative of one another (27). In chapter 4, the dog runs
away. Salamano looks for the dog but is unable to find him. He disregard’s Meursault’s suggestion to go to the
pound to find the dog but later is heard crying implicitly about the dog (39). In chapter 5, Salamano expresses his
feeling of loss, realizing that “His life had changed now and he wasn’t too sure what he was going to do” (46).
·
Salamano/Dog relationship:
1.
Although the reader expects Meursault to have some personal input on the relationship, Meursault limits
himself to only explaining the situation. His indifference adheres to the absurdist philosophy that such judgment
does not matter.
2.
Relationship depicts an absurd love-hate relationship between man and dog. When the source of meaning
(the dog) is around, man fails to value it. Only after it is too late does Salamano realize what he has missed and is
lost. Absurdity.
3.
Disillusionment is difficult.
4.
In terms of death, humans and animals are all alike. There is no heightened meaning in one over the other.
5.
Love of a wife is replaced by an animal. Emotion is superficial and does not matter. (Similar to Meursault’s
feelings toward Marie)
Prison (Book II, Chapter 2)
·
Meursault is imprisoned, restricted from his cigarettes, swimming, and physical interests. He entertains
himself by remembering minute details in his room and with the story he found about the Czechoslovakian
murder.
·
Prison:
1.
Meursault is a prisoner of the absurd world. There is no definite reason as to why he ended up in a cell, only
how. Unable to find meaning in life, he attempts to establish meaning by memorizing physical details.
2.
As he comes to accept that life is devoid of meaning, he becomes content with living in prison as it makes no
difference. Eventually, he is content with the execution decision with the argument that all men inevitably die.
Other Symbols/Images:
·
Raymond slaps his mistress and is seen as immoral while the policeman slaps Raymond and is seen as just.
·
In the gun scene, “It was then that I realized you could either shoot or not shoot.” Meursault’s realization
that there was no difference. Others’ life and death had no meaning.
·
Czechoslovakian story highlights an absurd situation; there was no reason for the son to die. The events of
life are irrational.
·
Looking in the plate’s reflection in jail, Meursault smiles but only sees a “sad, stern expression” (81). No
matter what emotion he wanted to show, it always was one of indifference.
Meursault as a Representative of Absurdism
·
Absurdism says the world is devoid of rational meaning.
·
Meursault has a lack of sentimentality, and focuses on life in a physical sense rather than a moral or
emotional sense and so this separates him from society
o Detached, unaffected by what happens around him, lacks ambition (e.g. when he’s talking to his boss
about Paris) or interest in why things happen, does not have moral distinction
o His explanation for doing or not doing something is frequently that he likes it does not like it.
o Feelings are meaningless, there is no greater explanation, because that is meaningless as well
o He is detached at the funeral of his mother, and his primary concern when he receives the telegram of
his mother’s death is the day she died, not her actual death
o He is indifferent in his attitude
§ He does not try to apply a rational order to the events going on around him and is indifferent
to others, so for example, because he does not see Maman’s death as a part of a larger scope of human
existence, he easily moves on, preventing him from showing remorse.
o When describing something social or emotional, his sentences are short, and precise, without much
detail. Thus he’s indifferent to society and the people around him
§ Indifferent to people
·
When asked if he loves his mother “Yes, the same as anyone”
·
Marie, when she asks if he loves her “I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I
didn’t think so.”
o When describing physical condition, Meursault is much more detailed
§ Example: Focuses much on his physical interaction with Marie rather than the emotional
relationship
§ Enthusiasm for sensory perception
·
Use of figurative language
·
Sun/Heat, it’s always unbearable
o At the beach when he murders the Arab
o His mother’s funeral
o During the trial
o Depending on its intensity, the sun has a huge impact on his thoughts and
actions
o His "physical needs often [get] in the way of [his] feelings."
·
Sea/Nature
o For Meursault, it is easier to step towards cool water and away from the
intensity of the sun
o Meursault is part of nature
§ All living beings made equal by inevitable death
·
Subject to his physical surroundings
·
Not some higher being, but like an animal with physical
needs
· Light, glaring
§ E.g. In the mortuary, against the whitewashed walls, the white of
the nurse’s clothes
§ E.g. white of Raymond’s arms
§ Makes him feel repulsed
§ Emptiness, meaninglessness
o When describing the killing
§ Nothing in Meursault’s narrative answers why he does it
§ Absurdism emphasizes the pointlessness of man’s inevitable attempts to find meaning and
order in life and society
·
Man feels absurd when trying to find order in an irrational world
·
Meursault has no reason for killing
·
Any reason we try to offer for why he kills the Arab man is something we impose
onto Meursault and is not actually the case- this is exactly what the prosecutors do
o When in prison, guilt or regret are not apparent
§ There is no reason for them
§ On what is potentially his last dawn before the execution, he empties himself of all hope and
frees himself completely from society and attempts to be free of any worries
·
He is at odds with society
o Society always asks why, wants an explanation, wants morality but Meursault never has the answer to
these things because it’s not significant to him in the scope of everything else in life
o At the end, he no longer views his execution with hope or despair – just accepts it as inevitable, death
will come at some point for everyone anyways
o This realization of death’s inevitability is his triumph over society
o Understands that his views make him an enemy and stranger to society- no one can understand his
viewpoint, whether it be the chaplain, the magistrate, Marie, etc…
o His position in relation to society will be confirmed when the crowds cheer during his execution
§ “For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, 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”
●
Religion in Camus’s The Stranger
Throughout The Stranger, Camus criticizes the inconsistencies of religion. This is seen in two places:
○ First, criticism of religion can be seen in the seen in Meursault’s conversation with the
magistrate.
■ The magistrate’s argument is based on faith in the existence of Gd. However, it is
already evident that Meursault has no faith, and no connections. We see as much at the
funeral; how can a man who does not feel emotion before a silver crucifix?
■ Meursault’s philosophy is absurdist; he does not see any meaning to life. Yet the
magistrate attempts to convince Meursault to repent for his sins, and attempts to instill
a belief in Gd. Yet Gd would add a sense of meaning to the world, which Meursault
refuses to accept.
■ The characterization of the two characters cannot be more stark. While the magistrate
is arguing “passionately”, “irrationally”, and “in a cracked voice”, Meursault is concerns
himself with the big flies flying about the office that land on his face.
■ Camus shows that religion in this context is simply abstract nonsense; it’s adherents are
blind to the truth, and rely on pompous proclamations and the like to bellow their
philosophy.
■ This loneliness, not being able to find faith in Gd makes him an atheistic stranger
surrounded by the devout
○ Secondly, Meursault reveals his religious philosophy in his final meeting with the chaplain
■ Meursault states that he is an atheist in part because the subject of Gd does not interest
him. We have seen what interests him already. What interests him is how he should
meet the end. Like most existentialists, Meursault cares solely for his present life. He is
not taken in by the Chaplain’s mentions of the afterlife first because he does not believe
in it, and second that he is focused on how he will leave the life he is in; since that is
what counts.
■ Man is the sum of his actions, and to Meursault the actions he takes in this world mean
much more than any religious and insincere conversion he would make hours before his
execution.
■ By contrast, the chaplain and religion are the the opposites of this thought. The chaplain
is incredulous that Meursault remains attached to the earth. Since we are looking
■
through Meursault’s eyes; we see a man blinded by faith, much as the chaplain charges
that Meursault is blind.
The chaplain hides behind the divine. “Human justice is nothing; divine justice is
everything”.
Love, as represented in The Stranger
Types of love/relationships
● Familial
○ Maman & Meursault
■ “Maman” is a childish word (“Mama”); spiritual and moral guidance to him as a traditional role of the
mother; deep affection; connection to innocent/simple/unconditional love of the inner child
■ She, on the other hand, was lonely; Monsieur Perez was her solace; her son was outwardly cold to her,
though the relationship is described as mutually understanding and internally affectionate
■ Meursault had no other intimate connections to beings before her death; he made friends after; while
he is criticized, her love is not expressed outwardly (so far as we know) either, thus he is raised
likewise
■ Implications of the influence their relationship had on his trial: he remembered more her wisdom in
the jail cell; it all came down to proving his compassion; societal hypocrisy and judgement put him in
an awkward situation of moral relativism (justified in sending her to the home for elderly)
○ Salamano & his dog
■ The dog relies on Salamano; a manifestation of the man; a family unit of two with their priorities on
each other; the dog replaced his wife, thus is his “other half” (he takes out his anger on the dog
because the dog is like him, reminding of his frustrations with his lot in life); embarrassed by his
connection to the dog
■ The dog is Salamano’s only true comfort and, though he rages against the canine outwardly, clearly
expresses that this anger is misdirected and/or minor frustrations; this is true for relationships with
many people in our own lives and particularly in relation to ourselves
● Friendship
○ Raymond & Meursault
■ Raymond is clingy and needy and scared; constantly needs reassurance that they are “pals,” rooted in
insecurities; takes advantage of Meursault’s apathy as a moral justification or permission for his
actions
■ Meursault does not seem to care, making no real effort to: defend Raymond, search for friendship,
stop Raymond’s questionable thought processes, or express an opinion (other than his dislike of cops)
○ Celeste & Meursault
■ Two men that understand each other without having to speak, thus Meursault’s comfort/hiding
■ Classic dynamic of the existentialist and the cafe owner is a symbolic dichotomy of somber, thinking
men
● Romantic
○ Raymond’s violent relationship
■ Paradoxical “love” as there is no trust and only violence in the relationship; Raymond’s passions are
channeled poorly, causing strife for both him and his girl; further, violence begets violence and
Meursault falls as a result of being dragged into the rash, inconclusive assumptions/actions of
Raymond’s situation
■ Heartbreak plays a major role in amplifying emotional reactions (not just with Raymond, but others
too)
○ Marie & Meursault
■ She is devoted and wants to marry him, even visiting the jail and crying; she accepts his nature and
does not push him to act any otherwise; the only true representation of outwardly expressed love in
the novel
■ Initially he is uncertain about her, merely taking in what he can and happy with it; his feelings toward
her are much more complicated and evolve throughout the novel; he cares about her, but the lust is
still a primary factor; difficult for him to express (or define) resolute emotions; mostly a healthy
relationship
The human need for love
● On the final scene
○ mortal passions outweigh: faces death with dignity; remembers Marie as a light and a lust; no divine power
○ existential nihilism: the sense of living was worthwhile and Marie was the representation of a passionate
life; be not ashamed of base desires, for that is what gives life color and death meaning; not much else for
living
● On need and desire of love
○ sexually: when he looked at Marie and was overwhelmed with passion, it was not “I love her,” but “I want
her,” thus lustful; charged throughout with stifling, frustrating heat; punishment in jail of “desire of a
woman”
○ healthy to love/be loved (potentially life-saving, but at least sanity-saving for Meursault); all can be
deserving of love (religion is the cheat of this), but restrained love can be expressed; there is both a light
and a dark side to the presence/absence of love in a relationship, including to oneself; love can come in
many forms and times
What’s the significance of Meursault’s epiphany at the end of the novel? How might the novel’s end be
considered triumphant?
●
●
●
●
●
●
Rapidly goes through change due to his imminent death
Although originally uncaring of his situation as his responses stayed apathetic, Meursault finally realizes
that there was no meaning in life.
Compared to the earlier parts of the novel where Meursault is normally neutral towards every aspect of
his life, he develops this ability to self analyze that stemmed from the inevitable death that awaited him.
He begins to see his life only as past, present, and future. Whether he died at that moment, or whether he
died later , it did not matter whatsoever, as there is no purpose in life. Everyone would eventually die.
○ Although he is getting executed, this is no different from natural death because death is simply
an inevitable fact
Because Meursault no longer faces his execution as a negative consequence, he overcomes the
punishment society tried to place on him throughout his stay at the prison. The freedom taken away from
him during his 5 month stay at the prison did not faze him, and he does not express any remorse.
○ The lack of remorse and apathy towards his “deserved” punishment makes society’s efforts to
cleanse him completely futile. Because of this, he triumphs in victory as he is able to supercede
society’s restrictions.
The last few lines of the novel also show Meursaults anticipation of being an outcast. He awaits the
moment that he marches up the scaffold to get beheaded happily, knowing that people there would
resent him for his deed.
○
●
“I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for
me to feel less alone, 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” (Camus 123)
By freeing himself from society’s restrictions, Meursault becomes at peace. He grows a courage to face his
imminent death, because it utlimately did not matter.
Symbolism of Light and Intense Heat in The Stranger
·
A prevailing element of The Stranger is the Algerian climate, and the intense impact it has on Meursault’s
behavior and actions. At pivotal points in The Stranger, Meursault becomes hypersensitive to the heat and light of
his surroundings, blinding him, permeating his thoughts, and causing him a great deal of discomfort.
·
These bouts of photosensitivity are important because they highlight his dearth of conventional emotions, as
his thoughts and actions are driven with the sole intent of relieving the discomfort he feels.
·
The sun and light are oppressive and frustrating to Meursault, as opposed to the conventional connotation
that sunshine has as being good and well-liked, and his negative relationship with sun and light further solidifies his
alienation from society.
·
The oppressive and recurring nature of the extreme discomfort Meursault feels on account of the Sun, can
symbolize societal norms and expectations bearing down on Meursault, who does not adhere to these principles.
·
Notable Instances:
o The weather was described as being very hot when the story opens with Maman’s death. Meursault is
unremorseful and does not even bother to ask what day she dies. In contrast, his friends and neighbors offer their
condolences; to which Meursault does not know how to respond, contradicting societal norms for grieving.
o Similarly, Meursault comments on the brightness of the room in which the vigil is being conducted. He
asks to have the lights turned off after he makes the decision to smoke in the room, again contradiction societal
values. When his mother’s friends arrive to mourn her death, Meursault says that “the whiteness of the room
seemed even brighter than before… every angle and curve stood out so sharply that it made my eyes hurt” (9).
This line perhaps references the strict conformity of the guests to traditional mourning-practices, which are
uncomfortable for Meursault.
o The burial of Maman is filled with imagery regarding the sun and heat, which emphasizes Meursault’s
lack of traditional sentiments, as he becomes so preoccupied by the heat that he almost forgets where he is, and
does not remember the ceremony well.
§ “But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat, it was
inhuman and oppressive.” (15).
§ “She said, ‘If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a
sweat and then catch a chill inside the church.’ She was right. There was no way out.” (17).
o Over time, societal pressures continued to assail Meursault, who at the time of the trip to the beach,
has a severe headache, a “funeral face,” and looks out the window, only to be “slapped in the face” by the sunlight
(47).
o While swimming and laughing with Marie, Meursault is unaffected by societal burdens and becomes
“absorbed by the feeling that the sun was doing [him] a lot of good” (50). However, life seems to catch up with
him; as he Masson and Raymond go to confront the Arabs: “The sun was shining almost directly overhead onto the
sand, and the glare on the water was unbearable…It was hard to break in the rocky heat rising from the ground”
(52). The subsequent scenes are filled with more intense heat and imagery, culminating in Meursault shooting the
Arab.
§ “I wasn’t thinking about anything, because I was half-asleep from the sun beating down on my
bare head.” (53).
§ “By now the sun was overpowering. It shattered into little pieces on the sand and water.” (55).
§ “The whole time there was nothing but the sun and the silence,” (55).
§ “The sun was the same as it had been the day I’d buried Maman, and like then, my forehead
especially was hurting me, all the veins in it throbbing under the skin. It was this burning I couldn’t stand
anymore, that made me move forward…All I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my
forehead” (59).
o When he is first questioned, the room he is in is also very hot, symbolizing the societal norms that have
finally caught up to him, so to speak. In addition, when the magistrate is yelling religious banter at Meursault and
shoving a crucifix in his face, Meursault remarks: “It was getting hotter and hotter.” (69).
o The trial also has some imagery regarding the pressure of society and its correlation to light and heat
within the novel.
§ “The trial opened with the sun glaring outside.” (82).
§ “Despite the blinds, the sun flickered through in places and the air was already stifling.” (83).
§ “Only it was much hotter, and as if by some miracle, each member of the jury, the prosecutor,
my lawyer, and some of the reporters, too, had been provided with straw fans.” (88).
§ “When the prosecutor returned to his seat, there was a long silence. My head was spinning
with heat and astonishment…Fumbling a little with my words and realizing how ridiculous I sounded, I
blurted out that it was because of the sun. People laughed.” (102-3).
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The Setting: French Algiers
Algeria was under French control from 1830-1962
The Stranger was first published in 1942
June 22, 1940 - Nazi invasion -> armistice signed between France and Germany
○ Naturally, the loyal French in Algeria felt “sold out”; their country had just fallen
○ However, life went on in French Algeria
■ May have contributed to the feeling of indifference and the “it doesn’t matter anyway”
attitude so prominent in the novel
■ Living in Algeria, Camus possibly felt lost at first merely because his home country had
been destroyed, but came to the realization that nothing had really changed; the war
didn’t come over to Algerian soil, and in a way the French in Algeria separated from
those in France
● This may have influenced the recurring theme of indifference that Meursault
seems to display towards most aspects of life
Native Algerians (i.e. Muslims/Arabs) were resentful towards the French. After all, the French had taken
over the country.
○ Raymond vs. his woman’s brother
At the same time, the French didn’t accept the natives into their own society
○ When Meursault corroborates Raymond’s claim that his woman was cheating on him, the police
do not look into the matter; in fact, they accept his statement at face value
○ Meursault is arrested for killing the Arab, but after that the murder is left out of the picture
■ He is convicted for not showing proper remorse towards his mother’s passing, i.e. going
to the beach and the movies the day after the funeral
What aspects of Camus’ technique do you find interesting in the work?
·
Use of language
-depicts meticulous details
-reveals indifference, detached from the world that Meursault sees (absurdist world)
-writing limits Meursault to respond only to physical individual experiences
·
Novel structure
3 major points
-Act 1- everyday life, introduction of characters, drawn into conflict
-Act 2- taken furthest away from goals, nightmare
-Act 3- resolution, transcendence or triumph
·
Point of View
st
-1 person (Meursault)
-observant in details and limited to individual thoughts and perceptions
-subjective description of characters
-introspective recounting in combination with description
-part 1 is narrated almost as the events happen
-part 2 is a narration of the trial from jail
·
Writing Style
-meticulous descriptions
-adapted to reflect Meursault’s unique personality and specific themes of the novel
-sentences are short and simple, reflective of Meursault’s simple rational thought process
-moments of profound clarity and expressiveness
·
Tone
-detached, sober, plain, ironic
·
Themes
-inevitable demise
-absurdist view/ indifference
-meaninglessness of human existence
-ignorance/ unwillingness to conform or hide
Absurdism In Reality
Absurdism In Our World
1.
Camus states – “the absurd is born out of this confrontation between the human need and the
unreasonable silence of the world”.
a.
Camus’s view is that humanity will always live in a world that is hostile and indifferent to it.
i. The idea of absurdism stems from the contrast of human existence to the
empty vast universe that contains it.
ii. It is contradictory how humanity attempts to find meaning and value in life in
a world that lacks just that.
iii. The fact that both the vast, empty universe and humanity exist at the same
time is primarily absurd. Why are we here? What purpose does humanity have?
b. Absurdists would answer this question by stating that humanity really has no purpose in the universe.
i. So called “normal people” attempt to avoid the void(which is ironic in itself) of
meaninglessness in life, and they create a rational society where everything has meaning, and people have
purposes in life.
1. These so called normal people view themselves as pragmatic, but are perceived by absurdists as
strange, as depicted in the Stranger.
a. Mersalt is confused with the court when they judge him based on his qualities, instead of his
wrongdoings.
b. On page 100, Mersault says, “I couldn’t quite understand how an ordinary man’s good qualities could
become crushing accusations against a guilty man”
i. Mersault is confused with the court – isn’t the
court supposed to be a place of fairness? Instead, it is a place where people, for no reason, think they have the
authority over poor old Mersault, and think that they have the right to determine his fate.
c. Camus criticizes the court system of being too subjective and skewed.
d. It is absurd how the court system, something so commonly skewed, can determine life or death of a
human.
i. For example, it is absurd and contrary how O.J.
Simpson, a man who EVERYBODY knows had killed a man, was not convicted as guilty and was let off court, while
Alger Hiss, a man who was most likely not guilty, was executed for espionage.
1. This is only one instance of the failure of mankind to implicate rationale into society; This failure is
due to the inability of man to be authoritative figures for man himself, because a man is simply a unit of humanity
in a vast universe of emptiness.
2. Humanity is defiant against absurdity – we are afraid of what will become of us when we
acknowledge the meaninglessness of our existence.
i. To keep us from accepting the purposelessness of
life, humans are trained from day 1 of their life to have purpose in life.
1. We are told to always set goals, and we are chastised for being lazy. Despite the possibility of
truthfulness in these accusations, we are
ii. The general belief of humanity in modern society is that the purpose of life is
to succeed, to love, to get rich.
1. However, these so called “purposes” are really just facades of our own nature in order to hide from
the underlying concept that the universe is indifferent to humanity, and that when we leave the world, we become
particles of dust and do not take anything tangible with us into the afterlife, if there is one.
2. Humanity is driven by the search for meaning in life. This search can prove that either life is
meaningless, or that life is the result of a God, or a higher power.
a. Religion
i. Absurdists regard religion and the belief in a God as irrelavent to humanity.
1. To absurdists, because humans cannot comprehend the purpose of God, faith in God is absurd.
2. Faith in God brings instant purpose into a person’s life, as many people live for God. However, how
can one believe in something that they cannot know for certain exists?
a. This is the reason why many people reject religion as a whole. How can humanity have such a strong
conviction towards a God that a simple book, the Bible, says is true?
i. It is absurd how people can destroy themselves,
as certain members of the al Qaeda do in jihadist suicide bombings, in response to faith in God.
b. In the novel on page 119, Meursault had searched for the face of God. However, he found nothing
there, and simply moved on.
i. He states that religion “didn’t mean any more
than wishing to be rich, to be able to swim faster, or to have a more nicely shaped mouth. It was all the same”
b. So if life itself is meaningless, what is the purpose of our existence?
i. According to absurdists, life is only worth living to experience the beauty of
the world.
ii. In the novel, Meursault is somewhat emotionally and physically distanced
from people. He is aloof and indifferent to the matters of others – he is not sociable at all.
1. Meursault feels happiness when he is with Marie.
a. On page 35, Meursault describes his experience: “I’d left my window open, and the summer night air
flowing over our brown bodies felt good”
i. He was enjoying the essence of the moment;
which is what absurdists generally attempt to seek out in the world.
2. Americans are attracted to the beauty of life – most of the things we do are ultimately driven by
personal happiness which results from beauty.
a. In the film American Beauty, it is the pure attraction to beauty that gives meaning to Lester Burnham,
the main character. He develops an infatuation for his daughter’s attractive friend, and completely turns his life
around when attempting to attain this beauty.
b. Beauty gives meaning to Lester Burnham, and gives him a purpose to live, and something to strive for.
3.
Absurdism is dangerous to our world in that it can shatter all order and pragmatic sense.
a.
If everybody were absurdists, the world would be in complete chaos. There would be no order and every
government would be anarchy.