Camus focuses on the topic of existentialism, which is the philosophical theory that focuses on the fact that everyone is responsible for developing their own actions, in his novel The Stranger. Key contributions: Writing the greatest and most accessible of all existential novels, The Stranger; developing existentialism as a philosophy of absurdity; infusing existential philosophy with compassion and genuine humanity. Existentialism In The Stranger, By Albert Camus 843 Words4 Pages The novel, The Stranger, by Albert Camus, illustrates the main character, Meursault with traits of an existential individual. Camus conveys this by making Meursault feel out of place at his own trail and rushing it along as if it is a minor insignificance. In the end, he opens himself “to the gentle indifference of the world,” and “finding it so much like myself,” he feels he has been happy, and is again. He cannot perceive any right or wrong in killing the Arab. Through this thinking Meursault displays Existence and Passion. A majority of the book made me feel like the rest of society, which was not accepting Meursault’s behavior. 89 [ 7 ] Sartre. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? The lack of compassion and refusal to behave the way society expects him to act are what essentially make him an existentialist. The five kinds of self-knowledge, according to Ulric Neisser, are: the […], The passage taken from “The Comfort of Strangers “by Ian McEwan essentially describes the want of two sisters Eva and Maria to look beautiful and furthermore the denial of their […], During the interactive oral, we discussed the main theme of the meaninglessness of human life that is present in The Stranger by Albert Camus. However, due to the existentialism, the character stands out in a way unique to the characters in that work. There is no inherent meaning in life – its entire value lies in living itself. Get tips and ideas in OUTLINE. In fact, I have never heard of existentialism or absurd philosophy until I researched the author to see what he wanted to tell us. Meursault feels he has been happy, and longs to live. His ideas and beliefs seem wrong but are very right. ), URL = http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2010/entries/existentialism/, “Existentialism Philosophy: Discussion of Existentialist Quotes, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus”, http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Existentialism.htm/, “New World Encyclopedia, Existentialism” http://HYPERLINK “http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Existentialism/”www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/HYPERLINK “http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Existentialism/”Existentialism/, Solomon, Robert C. Wyatt, C. S. (1999). Some things are irrational or absurd, without explanation. Meursault lives out his individuality. Throughout Camus’s The Stranger there are references to an event that occurs at the outset of the novel and exhibits ideals inherent to existentialism: the death of Meursault’s mother. This is perfectly shown in both The Guest and The Stranger. These opening lines of the novel serve not only to introduce the novel but to summarize it as well. This idea that the world is meaningless developed in Europe around the time of World War II. Rather than being on trial for the crime, he is on trial for his values, like the lack of grievance of his mother’s death. He is considered the personification of existentialism, the existential hero if you will. Reason is incapable of explaining human nature. Meursault is the absurdist, explaining the philosophy of existentialism: Man’s isolation among an indifferent universe. Lessons from The Stranger, by Albert Camus. He meets a woman named Marie while swimming the day following Maman’s funeral. Nov. 21, 2020. Meursault displays both of these themes at the end of the novel. What is visual communication and why it matters; Nov. 20, 2020 This is a question that naturally protrudes throughout the novel, as it is not abundantly clear […], Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice […], Existentialism is often defined as a philosophical movement or tendency, emphasizing individual existence, freedom and choice. In making Meursault a stranger from society and the legal system, Camus reveals his philosophy of existentialism. To sum up, Albert Camus’ first novel The Stranger is devoted to the themes of social alienation, racism and sexism. share. Was 10th grade required reading for me. Key works: The Myth of Sisyphus (1942), The Stranger (1942), The Plague (1947), The Rebel (1951) Society had declared Meursault absurd because of his unrelenting uniqueness and through this, the title of the book may be derived. In his closing arguments, the prosecutor says, “But here in the wholly negative virtue of tolerance must give way to the sterner but loftier virtue of justice. Mersault shoots the Arab because of his physical discomfort with his surroundings, but in any case he consciously makes the decision to shoot the Arab. They believed in an afterlife and a heaven while Meursault did not, since he was an atheist. He lives a life that he controls and accepts all his actions that he does. When he is taken into police custody and is asked if he would need an attorney, he is genuinely confused. When he must die, he wants a crowd to greet him “with cries of hate”; they are screaming because they want life and the world to have meaning; they need this because that is what their entire existence is built upon. The decisions you make are whom you are, so decide accordingly. An individual is a single unique member of a collectivity. Meursault is the major character in The Stranger. Maybe it was yesterday.” He is more concerned with the time of the death rather than the fact that he has just lost a loved one. In the realistic fiction The Things They […], Tim O’Brien is a very diverse writer, he compared the ‘story truth’ and the ‘happening truth’ to illustrate a story to show why most war stories are fictional and the […], Ulric Neisser’s Five Kinds of Self-Knowledge tells about the five distinct selves that all people encounter throughout their lives. Few decisions are without any negative consequences. Nothing discussed in the trial had anything to do with the murder. It is a paragraph that shocks and sets the tone for the rest of the story: “Mother died today. They force us to think about our relation to such topics as the existence and nature of God, what it is to be Christian, the nature of values, and the fact of one’s own death. His insensitivity is introduced through the emotions, or lack thereof, that he displays upon news of the death of Maman. You too? He is emotionally indifferent to others and, as the prosecutor of his case words it, "a coolly calculating monster." Meursault is an anomaly in society; he cannot relate directly to others because he does not live as they do. It was all about the way he acted and how different he was. For the first time, the sun and his sensual pleasures begin to act against him, and cause him to lose control. I do feel, however, that the second part dragged on and got a bit dull. “I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I’d been happy.” The fifth theme is individuality. There are, however, basic themes common in existentialist beliefs. Meursault is the major character in The Stranger. The Stranger:Random House. Albert Camus believed that to be a true existentialist you had to remove yourself from society as much as possible since a belief in the foundation of government was to conform. The concept of existentialism is reflected through Mersault’s experiences with his mother’s death, his relationship with Marie, the killing of the Arab, and his own trial and execution. It is shown by Meursault, his acceptance, when he Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. He did not make any personal connections to the things he has done, only indifferent observations. The second half of the book begins after Meursault is put in jail and is awaiting his trial. The boss was upset at this turn of events and Meursault simply returned to work stating, “I would rather not have upset him, but I couldn’t see any reason to change my life.” He gives no rational explanation as to why he would want to change his life or not, only that it was not important and one life was just the same as another, showcasing another basic standard of existential belief. The Stranger is often referred to as an existential novel, but this description is not necessarily accurate. Until the conclusion, he was a stranger to himself as well as to the rest of the world. Meursault was an interesting character to read about. A key idea in Existentialism is that we are all responsible for our own actions, which is shown in everyday life. Man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. Later on, Marie inquires as to whether Meursault would be interested in marrying her. The fact that Meursault is not sure exactly when his mother died introduces his differences from society. Start studying existentialism and the stranger. In society, the common idea is that light is good and evil grows in the darkest of places, but in Albert Camus’ novel, evil is good and the light is bad. He does not cry or behave the way that society expects him to. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. 5 5. comments. The absurdity of the murder is what makes it a good portrayal of the concept of existentialism. The final theme is reflection. “Camus tells the story of a man who, without any heroic pretensions, agrees to die for the truth” (Lazere, 68). He is considered the personification of existentialism, the existential hero if you will. In the second half, it is mainly of his self-realization about society and life, which I feel, could have been approached another way by the author, like being shortened. The chaplain had his empty prayers but Meursault was sure of himself; his life and his death. He realizes that one can truly enjoy their lives when they approach and accept death. What seems to be the only thing motivating Meursault in his daily life? At the beginning of the novel, Meursault sits at his mother’s funeral, quietly analyzing details of the scene. October 20, 2019 Nathan Wong Leave a comment. At the end of the novel Meursault is able to understand the meaning of life. Despite the death that had just occurred, he finds joy in her company and does not let his loss bother him. He begins to become aware of what he was unaware of. ” Meursault is alienated from society throughout the tale as he accepts individual responsibility for his unique progression. Meursault’s entire being is unemotional. Another meaning of the title is that he is also a stranger to himself. We emphasized mainly on Meursault’s detached […], Is there truly any justice in the novel The Stranger, written by Albert Camus? The term existentialism is a broad and far-reaching classification that means many different things to many different people, and is often misapplied or overapplied. Conforming to society norms is considered bad, it doesn’t allow the individual to progress and reach his own decisions Camus realized, however, that restricting himself from all social conformity was impossible. Inc. (Translated by Stuart Gilbert. The Stranger, by Albert Camus is fiction novel that encompasses his absurdity and notion. Meursault is the major character in The Stranger. As it is most commonly used, existentialism refers to the idea that there is no higher meaning to the universe or to mans existence, and no rational order to the events of the world. I had to go back a few times to re-read it to understand it better and every time I re-read it, I got a different message. He goes through his daily events and is so absorbed in each moment that he never reflects on them. "She was wearing a pair of my pajamas with the sleeves rolled up. Existentialism, what it represents, the results of its embodiment in a person, and the validity of the doctrine altogether are all important aspects explored in The Stranger by Albert Campus. While attending his mother’s funeral, Meursault decides to smoke cigarettes, drink a cup of coffee, and he fails to show emotion. Andrew Irvine, “Basic Themes of existentialism”, http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/wphil/lectures/wphil_theme20.htm, Crowell, Steven, “Existentialism”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. Existentialism In Albert Camus's The Stranger 830 Words | 4 Pages. Looking for a flexible role? LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Stranger, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. As is evident through the root of the word, exist, there is a stress on definite individual existence and freedom of choice. The discussion of Meursault’s responsibility takes place at the end of the novel. Meursault is found guilty and he is convicted and sentenced because of his lack of moral feeling. In The Things They Carried, as the title indicates author and Vietnam war veteran Tim O’Brien carefully describes all of the necessities of warfare carried by the men with whom […], Most veterans of the Vietnam War will remember a land that was radically different from what they knew and were used to, a country that was hot and humid, full […], Violent movies can transform a calm person’s personality to brutal. As the caretaker asks just why he requests the casket left closed the only reason Meursault can give is, “I don’t know.” During the funeral procession he seems much more alert to the suns rays beating down on him, choosing to forget where he is and the task at hand. This suddenly makes him happy and he accepts his death. The character expresses no feeling about anything except that light is a sign of evil or annoyance, while the dark becomes a place of calm and seriousness. The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Meaninglessness of Life and the Absurd appears in each chapter of The Stranger. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! The character of Meursault exhibits a bold existentialist attitude throughout the story that, on several occasions, explodes forth in a sharp contrast to his normal submissive personality; a most noticeable occasion being his outburst during his episode with the chaplain when he snapped after having an epiphany. He seemed unaffected by his mother’s death, the killing of the Arab, and his trial. Meursault’s true undoing comes from his lack of emotion. Meursault does this until he looks at a reflection of himself for the first time in prison. Before, when his mother died or when he killed the Arab, he did not have any feelings. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. This corporal representation of existentialism is what makes The Stranger the unique book it is. Several mundane yet life altering events are also taken into account by Meursault in an existential attitude. Review for the Mid-book Quiz. The meaninglessness implies absence of any obvious meaning to our life. According to this common definition of existentialism, hum… VAT Registration No: 842417633. As the caretaker proceeds to approach the casket so as to give Meursault a last look at his mother, Meursault himself stops him. In The Stranger, Albert Camus uses Mersault and his experiences to convey the philosophy that man is full of anxiety and despair with no meaning in his life except for simple existence. This conflict portrays the stark contrast between the morals of society and Meursault’s evident lack of them; he is condemned to death, less for the Arab’s murder, than for refusing to conform to society’s standards. In existentialism, you believe that there are some things that cannot be rationally explained and just happen out of your control. However, the ending changed all of that and further analyzing gave me the real reasons for his actions. Meursault is able to accept the fact that everyone dies and realizing this allows you to live a better life. Funeral tomorrow. Although not strictly an existentialist novel, "The Stranger" delves into the philosophies of life and meaning, concluding that there is no rhyme or reason or higher plan for human life. Freedom means that whatever happened prior to now do not influence what your next choice in life will be, we are free to make any choice we want. The Stranger was an unusually good book, which made me think. The word existentialism means that there is no “higher” meaning to the universe or even man’s own existence (Howard). As the magistrate asked of Meursault, “Do you want my life to be meaningless?” Meursault understands how estranged the individual truly is from society. They force us to think about our relation to such topics as the existence and nature of God, what it is to be Christian, the nature of … Meursault sees the outcome as inevitable. Blog. The existentialism within his works shapes his characters, by determining how they will act and respond to what is going on around them. He seemingly cares not for his own mother as is shown in his opening statements: “Maman died today. Copyright © 2003 - 2021 - UKEssays is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. Special offer for LiteratureEssaySamples.com readers. Despite encompassing a staggering range of philosophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. The prosecutor says, “I look into a man’s face and all I see is a monster.” What Meursault has realized, by the end of the book, is that any meaning he finds in life he must create. Meursault never really takes responsibility for his actions, all Meursault does is wish that his life could go back to the way it used to be. In part one of the novel Maman dies so he attends the funeral, nothing out of the ordinary. Log in or sign up to leave a comment Log In Sign Up. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Likewise, the war has a similar effect, but a much more powerful impact. He no longer had anyone or thing to worry about but himself. Category: Existentialism Climate Change: A Loss Of Secular Hope? The first existential theme is freedom. He was able to do so because he was approaching death, which is an existentialist principle; death is the one certainty of life. Existentialists attempt to direct our attention to ourselves as individuals. In other words, the title means that Meursault is a stranger to society. Close. For example if a person commits armed robbery his punishment will be prison, as that is the result of the action he chose to perform. Once in a while he shows a bit of heart, but for the most part, he gives a robotic appearance. 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