Comparing Suicide And Atheism In Albert Camus 'Existentialism'

Existentialism is a philosophy which revolves around the central belief that we create ourselves. External factors are not important. It is the way that we let external factors affect us that determines who we are. As individuals we all have the freedom to choose our own path(this is the meaning and purpose of life). There are many stories that relate to this philosophy. In 1984 by George Orwell, Winston chooses to rebel against the government. In “Antigone” by Jean Anouilh, Antigone buries her brother (though it goes against the law). In The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault does whatever he wants and does not care about the consequences. Richard Barnett explains in "Suicide and Atheism: Camus and the Myth of Sisyphus" explains, “The meaning

She believes that burying her brother is right and wants to show respect to him. She knows what she is standing for and stands her ground. Like what Barnett said the actions in one’s life is the meaning of life. Antigone believes she did the right thing, while she disobeys the law. She knows she is going to die soon. She admitted that she has buried her brother to the king. The king tried everything to cover up what Antigone has done. But she explains that she’ll continue to bury him, if she isn’t killed. Later on she begins to lose confidence on why she did it. She says to the guard, “do you think it hurts to die?”(Anouilh 48). She starts to become scared of dying and ask question about if it hurts to die. Then she says, “Creon was right. It is terrible to die” (Anouilh 50). She believes that dying is the punishment she deserves. She is scared. Antigone was brought to a cave and she hanged herself. Even though Antigone has lost the confidence about why she buried her brother, she stills follow through with it. She doesn’t back out. Instead she hangs herself, so she would suffer the punishment

Meursault is an amoral person. He does not think about the choices he makes, but instead he tries to please people that interests him. He was committed to his actions and did not back out on any of them. He didn’t have second thoughts of what he has done. He has helped a thug.(add more here). He has killed an Arab and goes to jail for it. He says, “At first, I didn’t take him seriously. I was led into a curtained room; there was a single lamp on his desk which was shining on a chair where he had me sit while he remained standing in the shadows. I had read descriptions of scenes like this in books and it all seemed like a game to me”(Camus 78). Meursault does not take the interview seriously. He believes he has done nothing wrong. It proves difficult for him to view himself as a criminal because he truly believes in the simplicity of this case---he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and it was all a matter of absurd luck. He does not believe there is a God in this world. He is now sentenced with the death penalty. Before he died he says, “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself—so like a brother, really—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