Albert Camus View On Religion

381 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Meursault changes in the stranger

The most prominent part of this discussion was the talk on religion and the bigger meaning behind Camus's input on religion and philosophy. I found this discussion quiet interesting and enlightening because I thought deeply about several ideas that never occurred to me such as why Meursault rejects religion and how does that reflect what Camus is vocalizing about religion? Meursault rejects religion because he doesn't want to use it as a way to hide from his behavior. He just accepts his fate and doesn't question it. Although his religious beliefs are not directly stated, I feel as though he's character is leaning toward the absurdist direction. What I thought Camus was trying to say about religion is that if you find religion fills a void

Show More
Related

  • The Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief as Applied to L'Étranger, by Albert Camus.

    1641 Words  | 4 Pages

    Through the use of first person narrative however, Camus makes it quite clear that Meursault is indeed human – deeply so in fact. As Meursault is forced to wait in the harsh, glaring light of the morgue for the others who might wish to view the body of his mother, he displays a conscience disregard for the “la politesse” that accompanies such a formal situation; he gives in to his desire to light up a cigarette in front of his late maman. He hesitates first but quickly shrugs off potential...

    Read More

  • The Stranger: Changes in Meursault

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...iod when Camus writes this novel. Camus obviously knew the time period and explored different ideas and philosophies about pointless of life in people which comes out in his character, Meursault. In prison Meursualt also realizes that he’s trapped, and there’s no way out as he remembers what the nurse once said to him. His growth in self reflection results in unimportance of emotional values of life and help focus what’s directly ahead of him. This significant change results him in understanding himself and his voice, and figuring out his capabilities and philosophies. Time spent in prison helps Meursault finally understands himself, the meaninglessness of life, and the unimportance of time which shows the shift in the character after sent to prison.

    Read More

  • The Stranger a Novel by Albert Camus

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    The protagonist, Meursault, was interesting character. His ideas and beliefs seem to point to a time when there is no hope to be had. Although he is able to accept the fact that everyone dies and in so doing realizes that you can live better. He lives a controlled life in which he takes responsibility for all of his actions. This is a direct reflect of Camus personal beliefs about absurdism.

    Read More

  • Existentialism And Symbolism In The Stranger By Albert Camus

    1438 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Czechoslovakian Man and Meursault in The Stranger, by Albert Camus

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    Firstly, Camus juxtaposes the stories of Meursault and the Czechoslovakian man to create a presage of the denouement of Meursault. The Czechoslovakian man undergoes major life changes, and this ultimately leads to his demise. He goes to make a better life for himself, and he returns to his village with riches in wealth and in family. Unrecognizable to them, the Czechoslovakian man returns to his mother and sister, and he decides to play a simple joke “of taking a room” and “he had shown off his money” (80). This trick ends when “during the night his mother and sister had beaten him to death…in order to rob him” (80). The Czechoslovakian man’s newfound courage results in obstinacy. Contrastingly, until Meursault commits his crime of murder, his life appears nearly painfully simple. ...

    Read More

  • The Stranger Perspective

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Understanding that Camus allows Meursault to express the thoughts through his mind to explain his personal belief on what is right from wrong in the book. Interpreting and understanding Meursault we can clearly see that Meursault is rather indifferent and detached from life. Using first person Meursault is clearer to read and understand as a person, taking life as it comes and not worrying about emotions, and relationships with those around Meursault. Becoming friends with Raymond and marrying Marie, we can visualize due to first person as to how little remorse Meursault has for the decisions taken in The Stranger. In first person Meursault shows how indifferent and detached he is with the decisions taken by Meursault. Meursault answers Marie very bluntly and is brutally honest when asked about love; “A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so. She looked sad.” (Camus 35). Meursault does not understand the emotional side to Marie’s question. Detached from life brings the discovery personally for Meursault of how meaningless human life truly is. Throughout the story with the first person perspective the concept of how detached Meursault truly is, is discovered and explained as Meursault evaluates life as it develops throughout the story. Examples such as marrying Marie because there is not any reason present not to exemplifies how simple

    Read More

  • Essay on Camus’ The Stranger (The Outsider): Finding a Rational God through Nature

    3485 Words  | 7 Pages

    Icons and stereotypes accompany this enigmatic, suggestive natural imagery and are employed by Camus to show the irrationality in both society’s and Meursault’s assumptions of religion and of Christianity. One is left with the question of Meursault’s acceptance of death; is Meursault’s embracing of his fate representative of his fall into the abyss of traditional Christian faith or indeed a turn towards a happy medium in nature?... ... middle of paper ... ...

    Read More

  • The Importance of Religion in The Stranger by Albert Camus

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...everyone is surrounded by death. Camus explains that life isn’t about what is not envisioned, but it’s about what is evident. Meursault’s feeling of apathy is directly related to his conviction that life lacks necessary order and meaning, “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope…I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world,” as he awaits his impending death, he finally recognizes that life is the most complex entity in the universe and one only has one life to live, so live it wisely (122). In the end, Meursault changed spiritually because he didn’t concentrate as much on the physical world because while he was in prison, he thought about life’s gifts and (although still atheist) realizes that faith in yourself and life is very important. There is also some irony here; he finally realizes the meaning of live just as he awaits his death.

    Read More

  • The Meaning Of Life Death And The Universe

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...he world, which causes him to encounter a form of enlightenment that makes him come to realization of the true world. The realization of the world sprouts the idea that the universe is indifferent and life has no true meaning. Because Meursault realizes that the universe is indifferent to people and that he makes no importance to the world, he is reborn to a life that makes sense to him. The nonexistent emotions from the first part and the outburst of emotions from the second part cause a juxtaposition of Meursault as a character in the two sections. Camus uses elemental diction and sentence structure to portray this change in character and his acceptance of the universe around him. He accepts his death, finding that his life is truly meaningless, and believes that his life is a model for the philosophical ideas that he has come in terms with.

    Read More

  • The Stranger and The Guest

    1889 Words  | 4 Pages

    Meursault and Daru are both “strangers” because they are not able to understand the other characters, which are each indirectly associated with an aspect of society. Camus uses the actions and words of seemingly unimportant characters to allude to the shortcomings of society. In both texts the protagonists view the other characters in the story from an outsider view, allowing for a new perspective in which society and its problems can be assessed. By making the protagonists detached from society, the underlying issues within society can be explored from an objective viewpoint.

    Read More

  • Themes On Freedom And Death In Camus's The Stranger

    625 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Stranger as in all Camus’ works, Camus’ views on freedom and death one reliant on the other are major themes. In the Stranger freedom comes in understanding of one’s life. Death is unjustifiable, silly it’s help into the space for a so called free man. Until a person understands this awareness, life, like death is un-real, life stays strange, throughout each individual’s life can be valuable and meaningful to him. In a sense, The Stranger is a story of Camus’ outlook, with description on that which is needed for someone to be free. Merusault hero of The Stranger, is not what someone would choose to be, Meursault does not get the understanding that is needed to have freedom and to follow Camus’ philosophy until the very end of the book, but he lived his entire life following Camus’ outlook. His equality in the Christian idea would be an un-religious person whose idea has never seen Christianity.

    Read More

  • Albert Camus and his Idea of Religion

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Camus’s book The Outsider, one of the major themes is religion, and the protagonist, Meursault, has unwavering views on religion; he refuses to acknowledge the existence of God even before his death. According to Camus, religion is a failed attempt at giving life meaning. As soon as you know that death waits, you start living to the fullest so as not to waste another day doing something you dislike. But there is no fear of death having an effect on Meursault because he is already doing what he wants to do. Through the book, Camus strives to test the efficiency of religion as an antidote for human mortality.

    Read More

  • The Unemotional Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Albert Camus’ novel, The Stranger, the protagonist Meursault is a character who has definite values and opinions concerning the society in which he lives.  His self-inflicted alienation from society and all its habits and customs is clear throughout the book.  The novel itself is an exercise in absurdity that challenges the reader to face the nagging questions concerning the meaning of human existence. Meursault is an existentialist character who views his life in an unemotional and noncommittal manner, which enhances his obvious opinion that in the end life is utterly meaningless.

    Read More

  • Absurdity: An Essay On The Stranger

    663 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meursault was always indifferent. Meursault accepted death. Why? Meursault saw the purpose of life meaningless. That is “Absurdity”! Absurdity, how does that word sound? Pretty bad, eh? Absurdity when used like “that’s absurd!” gives the feeling of negative judgment and a sense of finality. The idea of the Absurd seems to attach itself with meaningless, pointless and other such words that express a destination but without the means to get there and vice versa means but no destination. So from there I inferred that Camus does not believe in God nor any high law or universal law that are associated with a divinity, which is a path in life (either the means or the destination). So what is Absurd? The Absurd is living, a quest to find the meaning of anything within a reality with no purpose. Reality has no purpose because there is no high law, a universal law nor a God. Therefore this reality must be randomness. I believe that Camus wants us to see this and begin questioning our existence. So he wants he wants us to see the Absurdity and to cope with the Absurdity.

    Read More

  • The Character of Meursault in The Stranger (The Outsider)

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Camus writes in a simple, direct, and uncomplicated style. The choice of language serves well to convey the thoughts of Meursault. The story is told in the first person and traces the development of the narrator's attitude toward himself and the rest of the world. Through this sort of simple grammatical structure, Camus gives the reader the opportunity to become part of the awareness of Meursault. In Part I, what Meursault decides to mention are just concrete facts. He describes objects and people, but makes no attempt to analyze them. Since he makes no effort to analyze things around him, that job is given to the reader. The reader therefore creates his own meaning for Meursault's actions. When he is forced to confront his past and reflect on his experiences, he attempts to understand the reasons for existence. At first, Meursault makes references to his inability to understand what's happening around him, but often what he tells us seems the result of his own indifference or detachment. He is frequently inattentive to his surroundings. His mind wanders in the middle of conversations. Rarely does he make judgments or express opinions about what he or other characters are doing. Meursault walks through life largely unaware of the effect of his actions on others.

    Read More

More about Albert Camus View On Religion

Open Document