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Albert camus: the outsider analysis
Albert camus: the outsider analysis
Albert camus: the outsider analysis
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Through psychological realism in Equus and The Stranger, Peter Shaffer and Albert Camus alienate both characters to show the power of religion through their perceived personal realities.
Through the setting, Shaffer emphasizes Alan’s accepted reality. Worshipping a horse in your room seems very insane to most people, but to Alan it changes his life. This quote needs to be incorporated. “I look through the door, and he was standing in the moonlight in his pajamas, right in front of that big photograph….then suddenly he knelt down….and he said ‘Behold – I give you Equus, my only begotten son’” (Shaffer 46). This point demonstrates that Alan is not part of the “normal” society but in his own world worshipping Equus, who he considers a god. The way that Alan bows in front of the poster represents his escape from society which shows his reliance on his god, Equus. He tries to stay away from the problems that society throws at him as a teenager, but as he continues through the night, his constant problems hit him in the face, interrupting his ideal reality with his god, Equus. This setting displays that at one point in Alan’s life, worshipping Equus was ideal, but the reality of teenage problems that Alan faces kills his idealistic views, forcing him to look further into his own reality.
On the other hand, Camus’s use of setting paints Mersault’s lack of understanding the concept of religion. “After them, the street slowly emptied out. The matinees had all started I guess. It was Sunday all right,” (Camus 22). This quote demonstrates Mersault’s lack of understanding religion. The setting paints of picture of people scattering out of town on the streetcars on a Sunday afternoon. Mersault believes that it is because the matinees are ...
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In conclusion, the authors of both Equus and The Stranger express several aspects of psychological realism. Although both texts have different takes on the power of religion, they both have one thing in common: the rage about religion in reality. Despite the fact that the authors incorporate the theme of religion differently, it seems very apparent and both novels. As aforementioned, the two texts differ tremendously, as well. The clarity of this statement comes largely from the uncommon personalities of the main characters in both novels. However, in the end, both characters see how powerful religion becomes in their lives, especially at the point where they go into a rage about the validity of it. In the end both characters acknowledge the power of religion and that it plays a drastic role in their lives, giving the characters their final reality.
The Stranger written by Albert Camus is an absurdist novel revolving around the protagonist, Meursault. A major motif in the novel is violence. There are various places where violence takes place and they lead to the major violent act, which relates directly to the theme of the book. The major violent act of killing an Arab committed by Meursault leads to the complete metamorphosis of his character and he realizes the absurdity of life.
It seems strange that H.P. Lovecraft, who made his fortune from stories about the supernatural, would be seen as not believing in the subject which made him famous. This may subtract from Mosig’s arguments. Also, other sources suggest that this should be read as a horror story; not just for the people who saw the outsider, but also for himself, when he realized his own fate and past. Dirk Mosig’s arguments are convincing however, and his interpretation makes good sense with the complex story that is “The Outsider.”
In The Stranger, Albert Camus describes the life of the protagonist, Meursault, through life changing events. The passage chosen illustrates Meursault’s view during his time in prison for killing the Arab. In prison, one can see the shifts in Meursault’s character and the acceptance of this new lifestyle. Camus manipulates diction to indicate the changes in Meursault caused by time thinking of memories in prison and realization of his pointless life. Because Camus published this book at the beginning of World War II, people at this time period also questions life and death similar to how Meursault does.
In Albert Camus’s The Stranger, Meursault, the protagonist, could be seen as immoral if he were judged on the basis of his actions alone. However, through Camus’s use of a first person narrative, we begin to understand Meursault as not an immoral man, but simply an indifferent one. Meursault is a symbol of the universe, and so in understanding him we understand that the universe is also not evil, but instead a place of gentle indifference.
“All experiences shone differently because a God glowed from them; all decisions and prospects concerning the different as well, for one had oracles and secret signs and believed in prophecy. ‘Truth’ was formerly experienced differently because the lunatic could be considered its mouthpiece”
Albert Camus’ The Stranger offers one man’s incite into the justice of society. Monsieur Meursault, the main protagonist in the novel, believes that morals and the concept of right and wrong possess no importance. This idea influences him to act distinctively in situations that require emotion and just decision, including feeling sadness over his mother’s death, the abuse of a woman, and his killing of an innocent man. In these situations Meursault apathetically devoids himself of all emotion and abstains from dealing with the reality in front of him. When confronted by the court over his murder, he reiterates his habitual motto on life that nothing matters anyways, so why care? His uncaring response inflames the people working within the
Albert Camus is a skillful writer noted for showing aspects of culture and society through the depiction of his characters. In The Stranger, Camus illustrates the existentialism culture and how that comes into play in the life of the protagonist Meursault. The Stranger, as suggested by the title, is a novel revolving around the protagonist, Meursault, who is a stranger to the French-Algerian society as he challenges its values. Camus vividly portrays Meursault’s journey through the use of imagery, irony, and symbolism. In The Stranger, Albert Camus uses the minor character, Raymond Sintes, to illustrate the contrasting nature of Meursault and how his friendship with Raymond leads to his downfall.
In Part One of The Stranger, Albert Camus avoids religious confrontations with Meursault in order to subconsciously place blame on Christ for his criminal actions. Camus restricts Meursault’s relationships to further distance him from his mother. Meursault then alienates himself from the typical spiritual ceremonies and actions to demonstrate his distrust of religion. Simultaneously, Camus uses diction of clear and bright elements to characterize people in the novel, excluding Meursault. Camus associates dark colors with Meursault to depict a sadistic persona. To conclude, Camus places Meursault in recurring situations which result in him being distracted by “the light”. Camus uses these literary techniques in The Stranger to demonstrate man’s condemnation of God.
Camus and Shaffer both implement physical actions and settings to imply judgment of the main characters. The two authors use images of eyes and the action of staring in different ways to cause a feeling of judgment to well up in the reader. In Equus, Equus himself often watches or sees Alan, his actions, and his faults. Alan stabs out the eyes of the horses in the barn because Equus’ gaze and mockery has finally driven him past the point of no return. The use of Equus as a judge of Alan implies internal conflict and criticism.
...able option. Camus’s main character, Meursault, embodies this third option; by accepting his circumstances and being indifferent to them, Meursault is able to break free of all possible causes of anxiety and find happiness. Furthermore, Meursault’s rejection of religion as belief, his acceptance of the “benign indifference of the universe”, and his acceptance of his circumstances all leading to happiness personifies Camus’s take on Absurdism, the philosophy that Camus is trying to depict in The Stranger (76). By using foil characters to contrast Meursault in actions or personality, Camus creates several polarizing situations, making Meursault the extreme epitome of Absurdism in every contrasting relationship and thus, shining light on his ideology in the process.
Often times an author incorporates a thought or philosophy into a work that can shape or reshape the attitude emitted from the novel. In Albert Camus', The Stranger, the Existential philosophy that the author fills into the work give an aura of apathy. With the opening lines of "Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure," Camus immediately sets a tone of indifference (1). Though the protagonist, Mersault, is not completely without cares, the overall attitude of passiveness he has toward himself, as well as toward others, give the entire novel a tone of apathy.
The thought of Albert Camus creating a character like Meursault is absurd because ‘The Outsider’ was published in 1942, midway through the Second World War. Also with economies falling and poverty reigning, people turned to God for hope and it took everything they had to hold onto that faith. Amidst thi...
Paris, Bernard J. Imagined Human Beings: A Psychological Approach to Character and Conflict in Literature. New York: New York University Press. 1997.
Within the Stranger, Albert Camus brought up many questions and a few answers. He created an outsider to society and showed us how he lived, Meursault.
Albert Camus wrote The Stranger during the Existentialist movement, which explains why the main character in the novel, Meursault, is characterized as detached and emotionless, two of the aspects of existentialism. In Meursault, Camus creates a character he intends his readers to relate to, because he creates characters placed in realistic situations. He wants the reader to form a changing, ambiguous opinion of Meursault. From what Meursault narrates to the reader in the novel, the reader can understand why he attempts to find order and understanding in a confused and mystifying world.