The pointlessness of existence is uncovered and expounded upon with an approach such that the foundation of spirituality is disturbed in Albert Camus’ existential novel “The Stranger”. The conception that compels this novel is one Albert Camus named himself, the “absurd”. An absurd person lives simply to fulfill the obligation of existence. In addition, static tools of chance and coincidence govern all action. Camus uses Mersault, as the primary vehicle to relate this concept. Mersault, lives out a seemingly normal life of indifference until the central climax of the novel changes him. Here he concedes to the absurdity and begins the necessary acceptance of his own futile existence in order to find contentedness with his life before his death.
The conflict between the human tendency to seek and inability to find meaning is referred to as the “Absurd”. Camus’ character Mersault, in the stranger varies on this continuum.
Starting as a theme in existentialist works, the absurd branched out to form its own to stand alone as its own philosophy. Absurdism addresses the fact that huma...
In The Stranger by Albert Camus, the main character, Meursault, is an absurdist who lives in the moment and refuses to be distracted by societal norms. He views the world as random and is indifferent to it. But to many French people living in Algeria, religion, social order and character are intertwined and are imperative to human life. Camus uses the crucifix and the courtroom to convey the idea that religion is man’s desperate attempt to create meaning in life where there is none.
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.
In Albert Camus’ novel The Stranger, a young man named Mersault lives his life differently than the expectations of society and does not seem to see a purpose in life. His character implies that life is meaningless and living just like everyone else in society prevents individuals from discovering the true meaning of life. Camus famously stated: “You will never be able to be happy if you continue to search what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of lie. Most readers of the novel immediately misjudge Mersaults’ character as they begin to read the first paragraph of the novel, which begins with his being informed about his mother’s death and funeral. Due to the fact that Mersaults’ character seems unaffected emotionally by his mother’s death, he is immediately looked negatively by readers. There are possibilities that Mersault reacts this way such as him not seeing the point in life or death. He does not seem to care about anything around him and has not yet discovered the purpose in his life. Mersault’s indifference from the people around him makes him seem like a guilty man under certain circumstances. Because of his carelessness he ends up killing an Arab man for no reason and finding himself in jail. His character does not regret his actions and is immediately seen as a greater victim when the judge and jury hear witnesses testify about how he reacted to the death of his mother. After he is found guilty he spends the last few months of his life locked behind bars and surrounded by nothing but four walls. Camus is conveying that Mersault finally discovers his purpose in life right before it is about to end along with discovering his true self when he is isolated in the jail cell and away...
Camus’ philosophy of absurdism states that life has no inherent meaning, and that search for meaning will only result in confrontation with the absurd. His quote, “[life] will be lived all the better if it has no meaning”, perfectly exemplifies the meaning behind his philosophy. I believe this quote is describing what happens when one confronts the absurd head-on and embrace it, rather than evade it. This idea
Albert Camus is a widely renowned author and existentialist philosopher from the 1950s. He believed in a concept called “The Absurd” which he described as the notion that our universe is completely irrational, yet people continue to try and give order and meaning to it. For most normal human beings, this is an extremely difficult concept to accept, including the main character from the novel “The Stranger”, Meursault. Meursault does not express and ignores his emotions, even though it is evident in the book that he does experience them. However, once Meursault falls into a blind rage with the chaplain, the universe begins to make more sense to him. In order to come to an acceptance of the indifference of the universe, one must have an emotional breakthrough, which Camus shows through differences in sentence structure and elemental imagery between parts one and two.
In Camus there is a precise use of the word "absurd". "Absurd" comes from the Latin surdis and in surdis we have a dual definition: it means irrational, insensible (from that side of it we still use the word in mathematics; a 'surd' is an irrational number). But Camus concentrates on the other meaning which comes from the root. That is, "deaf, silent". There are many examples in literature of this particular kind of silence. I think of Romeo and Juliet when Juliet has been ordered by her parents to marry the County Paris, and in one of Shakespeare's best scenes in that play, he has Juliet's father talking...
Ross, Kelly L. "Existentialism." The Proceedings of the Friesian School, Fourth Series. Kelly L. Ross, Ph.D., 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
Originally released in French, The Stranger by Albert Camus (published in 1942) follows the story of Meursault whom is a French man living in Algeria prior to the 2nd World War and gives his own unique perspective of the events between when he receives a telegram stating that his mother had recently pass away to when he is executed for the murder of a man only referred to as “The Arab” whom he had shot. Meursault had an interesting outlook on life and it is unclear why he feels the way he does but his tone is constantly detached, plain, and at times subtly ironic. That is the key reason this book is referred to as a panicle example of existentialism and also corresponds with the quote;
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.
He has said that “ ….[I]n a man’s attachment to life there is something stronger than all the ills in the world. The body’s judgement is as good as the mind’s, and the body shrinks from annihilation…. (An Absurd Reasoning, Albert Camus, pg. 8). What he means in this passage, is that we find meaning in life, an attachment to living by neglecting the suffering in the world. Rather, we hide from things that can harm us physically, yet we acknowledge our mental suffering in hopes to overcome it. Camus, in my opinion, believes in the meaning of life being derived from overcoming personal issues. For him, the suffering of the world is pointless, and there is no reason for us to acknowledge it for it is beyond our control. Rather we should become like Sisyphus, the “absurd hero”, and acknowledge our own demons whilst living the roles with which we have been dealt. This situation is ideal, for we are in a situation where we have full
Existentialism is defined as "a philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining his or her own development through acts of the will”. In other words, existentialism it emphasizes individual freedom. Throughout The Stranger, the amount of existentialism views is abundant. The use of Mersault’s experiences covey the idea that human life has no meaning except for simple existence. The idea of existentialism in Albert Camus' The Stranger reflects through Mersault's life experiences with his relationship with Marie, the death of his mother Maman, the murdering of the Arab, and Mersault's trial and execution, all these events show that Mersault’s life of no meaning.
The Stranger by Albert Camus focuses largely on the concept of absurdism. Camus uses family and personal relationships, or the lack of it thereof, to show the isolation that the main character, Meursault, undergoes in the novel and it’s effect on him overall. Camus utilizes the protagonists’ character development as a tool to further his plot of the novel. The absence of family and personal relationships tied in with the particular recurring topics of the novel are crucial in both the development of the protagonists’ characters as well as the plot as it affects the portrayal of the main character.
In The Stranger, Albert Camus misleadingly portrays his existentialistic views of life, death, and the world. Camus portrays the world as absurd or without purpose Meaursalt, who, as a reflection of Camus, is foreign and indifferent to his own life and death. Meaursalt eventually senses guilt for his crime, not because of the remorse of taking someone else’s life, but because it means he would lose the little things that he considers important in his life. Meaursalt is a puzzling character, who leaves readers to be uncertain about Camus’ views of life.
Within the Stranger, Albert Camus brought up many questions and, on most cases, did not answer them. He designed a different character to society and showed us how he lived. His name, Meursault. His ideas on absurdism are shown many times in part one of The Stranger. In class, we had explored the idea of absurdism and had gone over examples in the story of it. Absurdism is definitely a theme in this novel.
Camus showcased to his readers the 4 examples of an Absurd Life. He begins with The Seducer, who lives his life in pursuit of evanescent passion. The one next in line is The Actor, who always assumes new roles, he has an awareness of his act and knows that it is all for the “show”.