The Stranger By Albert Camus Essay

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As a whole humanity goes through life experiencing it day by day. By seeking the importance of life many are able to see that being a part of society can come with great value. With actions being the way we gear our paths, the main character Meursault took a huge step in importance of life as he confronted the chaplain. In “The Stranger” by Albert Camus, Meursault takes on the phenomenological approach to personality through the catharsis of suppressed anger towards the chaplain, an impactful stranger. Upon Camus’ selection of a stranger to display Meursault’s realization to the existentialist concern of revolt, readers cease to believe human interchangeability is possible.
An aspect of existentialism is that life has no inherent meaning, it has to be constructed through the justification of one’s actions. The realization of temporary existence treads on through human evolution. Humans try to gain contact with experiences to be alive and aware. Meursault went through his days absentmindedly, even through the most impactful events such as his mother’s death. The novel continued to have the same pace going about Meursault’s unemotional reactions, …show more content…

This notion disagrees with the idea of revolt which sees life as hopeless and vain, “Actually, I was sure of myself, sure about everything, far surer than he; sure of my present life and of the death that was coming. That, no doubt, was all I had;” (Camus 74). Meursault realizes that his life meant something despite the uninvolved way he lived it. The hope of human interchangeability is pathetic as Meursault argues in this scene. Having his life planned out for the remainder of his existence made him all the more appreciate and see that it was all he had to look forward to. Arguing that to live for some meaning in some other supposed life is to not live at

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