The Stranger

740 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Literary analysis of the stranger albert camus

The stranger by Albert Camus is a novel that illuminates absurdism in the 19th century. Through the main character Meursault, the author enforced the idea that there is no purpose or importance in all the living things around him or even relatives. Due to his unreasonable action at the beach, he became "exile" from society, and was punish to death sentence. Even before he committed his murder he was not a people person at all, he would not talk about his emotions or even show them. Taking this into consideration, Meursault basically "exile" himself away from society, due to his isolation from normal person's affections; however, his experienced in jail made him realized many things.

Meursault was never in reality forced into exile from …show more content…

Albert states " I got her letter telling me they wouldn't let her come to see me anymore, because she wasn't my wife, it was from that day that I realized that this cell was my last home, a dead end, so to speak." By this quote, we can denote that at the end of the day she was the only person that actually showed him "love" throughout the whole novel and the one that try to understand the way he was. He realized that he did indeed felt emotions towards a person and was no longer a cold, unemotional person that did not care about the things that would happen around him. After this later, he soon had to face the idea that prison was becoming his home, through this time, Meursault refers back to many of his mother’s anecdotes, which tell us that he is now starting to get adjusted or familiar with his mother’s ideas now that she is …show more content…

Meursault stated, "And the more I thought about it, the more I dug out my memory things I had overlooked or forgotten. I realized then that a man who had lived only one day could easily live for a hundred years in prison. He would have enough memories to keep him from being bored. In a way, it was an advantage" (Camus, 79). As it is clearly seen in this quote from the novel, Meursault has very little to observe so he decides to go back in time and remember the slightest details of the things that he would do. He will recount the things that he did not give any type of importance, which are now very important because he without them he will not have that "advantage” to kill time. For instance, there is a time when he recounts back to beautiful sunny days on the beach and his apartment and realizes that these memories can keep him satisfied for years in prison because if his sexual interactions with

Show More
Related

  • The Stranger

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “The Stranger”, the protagonist, Monsieur Meursault, is characterized as cold, uncaring, and emotionally detached. Throughout the novel, Meursault expresses no emotions toward the death of his very own mother, the proposed marriage between the woman, Marie Cardona, who became his lover, and to the actual murder of a man he didn’t know. While the jury at his trial sees him guilty because his uncommon and disassociated demeanor shows that he willfully intended to murder the Arab on the beach, a variety of psychologists would instead diagnose Meursault with Major Depressive Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Asperger’s Syndrome in order to characterize his indifferent thought patterns. If Meursault is suffering from Major Depressive Disorder, he is unable to function as a normal person would which ultimately leads the jury to believe that he is actually a cold blooded killer. Antisocial Personality disorder, like Major Depressive Disorder, causes Meursault to communicate a disregard for the lives of others and lacks remorse when he harms and even kills the Arab.

    Read More

  • Meursault Investigation

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    He, however, seemed question his presence because the death of his mom or even from the absence of his father—the fairly dynamic that every child should have (both parents present). In chapter two Meursault found himself alone in his apartment as Marie had left for work earlier that morning. In this section he explains that, “After lunch I was a little bored and I wandered around the apartment” (21). In this quote, Meursault demonstrates just how meaningless is life is. To have nothing more to do with his time than walk around his apartment shows that Meursault is questioning his place in this world. He is a man with virtually only two friends—Raymond and Marie—and a neighbor that he associates with on occasion about his dog. As he wanders the apartment he explains that he lives, “in just one room now” (21), one that he literally put his dining table in so that he could eat in his room. This quote symbolizes his loneliness as a person. Not only is the apartment too big for him, the world is too, and his is basically alone in both. For some reason—maybe a tragedy or trauma that he faced in earlier years—Meursault has closed himself off from the world and does not express love for anyone or anything. In fact, Meursault made a statement about the death of his mother saying that, “at one time or another, all normal people have wished their loved ones were dead" (65). At this point in the story, I think that Meursault may not have had the best family dynamic. He does not speak of anyone else but Maman, and mentions a father that he does not know. So, he may not feel like he belongs or does not know how to. He also explains that, “it was one of Maman’s ideas, and she often repeated it, that after a while you could get used to anything” (77). This quote could explain the fact that Meursault is closed off—he has gotten so used to not having anyone around that truly cares for him (his

    Read More

  • Motif of Violence in The Stranger by Albert Camus

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every character that revolves around Meursault seems to be in direct contrast to him. Meursault is an amoral person who does not seem to care passionately about anything. He acts in accordance with physical desires. In other words, Meursault is a sensualist person. At this particular time in his life, his path crosses with his neighbor, Raymond, who feels as though his girlfriend is cheating on him. He decides to take revenge with minor aid form Meursault. Meursault helps him only because he thinks he has nothing to lose if he does. As things lead into one another, the first major violent act of the book is committed.

    Read More

  • Meursault Isolation Quotes

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    “All I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. I stood there motionless” (Camus, 124). Meursault was at a party-like function, and once again he became disconnected to human interaction. The quote adds to the book as a whole because it shows one of the many times he becomes disconnected from normal human

    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, by Albert Camus

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meursault in the book tries to overcome his emotional indifference within himself. One example shows Meursault emotional indifference against Marie. In this quote, “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.” The quote explains how Meursault doesn’t really think about the consequences of other people’s emotions.

    Read More

  • The Stranger by Albert Camus

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...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.

    Read More

  • The Nonconformist: Albert Camus's The Stranger

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the eyes of Meursault he lived a pleasant and satisfying life; however society considered him as a monster for not caring about anything in life, not even for his mother. Different people tried to change the meaning to his life, at the end this people just wasted time. He did not bother to think about the consequences for the choices he made. He was always true to himself and to the society he is in which demonstrate that he had a worthwhile life. As hard as people try to confirm him to their daily activities he would not give in and pretend to be like the rest of the people found in society.

    Read More

  • Meursault's Absurd In The Stranger, By Albert Camus

    768 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meursault’s boss offers him a position in a new office he plans to open in Paris. Meursault replies that it is all the same to him, and his boss becomes angry at his lack of ambition. Meursault muses that he used to have ambition as a student, but then realized that none of it really mattered. Meursault lives his life almost unconsciously, nearly sleepwalking through a ready-made structure that his society provides him.

    Read More

  • Comparing Existentialist Values in The Metamorphosis and The Stranger (The Outsider)

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...immediately gives an impression of a lack of emotion towards the demise of his mother. This lack of emotion highlights the existentialist ideal that we all die, so it doesn't matter what life we have while we are alive. We simply exist, as did Meursault. It becomes apparent, as the novella unfolds, that Meursault has acquired an animal like indifference towards society. His interactions with his neighbour Raymond are an example of his indifferences. It never dawns upon Meursault that society does not condone his interactions with the pimp, avoided by his community. Meursault simply acts to fill his time. Being a single man, he has a lot of time to fill, and finds the weekends passing particularly slowly.

    Read More

  • The Stranger by Albert Camus

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meursault lives an average life, but one important factor in the story is that he does not seem to express his emotions. Some of his character traits could label Meursault as an existentialist because he does not care about anything except physical things. When his mother died, many other people were crying, but all Meursault worried about was the heat. He is very honest as well, and he does not try to cover up the fact that he did not cry during his mother’s funeral.... ...

    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

  • The Myth Of Sisyphus Analysis

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    Meursault's final lines are paramount to the meaning of the novel. Just before his execution, Meursault finds grace in the vast, uncaring universe, and is prepared to go to his execution and relish the hatred poured upon him. This is maybe my favourite part of the novel: Meursault's death is a metaphor for life. In the end, Meursault becomes Sisyphus, and as Camus says in MoS, "we must imagine Sisyphus happy."

    Read More

  • The Mysterious Stranger

    1992 Words  | 4 Pages

    It was 1590 in Austria, still in its Age of Belief, and also still in the Middle Ages.

    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 The Stranger

Open Document