The Stranger (The Outsider), Nausea, and Death on the Installment Plan

2503 Words6 Pages

The Stranger (The Outsider), Nausea, and Death on the Installment Plan

The Stranger, by Albert Camus, Nausea, by Jean-Paul Sartre, and Death on the Installment Plan, by Louis-Ferdinand Celine, all contrast themselves with internal texts that fail to represent the world competently. The Stranger includes the prosecutor's narrative of the murders as an incompetent text by refusing to support the motives he assigns. It contrasts itself with the prosecutor's narrative in view of the excessive language of the prosecutor versus the simple reporting of Meursault. The Stranger similarly positions comments by Marie and Raymond as incompetent by contrasting their pity with the text's own view that no event is truly pitiable. Nausea positions a text by Balzac as incompetent because it assigns cause to events by using psychology and past time. The novel includes paintings of a wayward bachelor and bourgeois grandfather as incompetent texts. Nausea also positions the Self-Taught Man's description of adventure as incompetent by arguing that adventure is a social construct. Death on the Installment Plan marks an effusive letter to Courtial as incompetent, in contrast with Ferdinand's stance of reporting. It also positions Courtial's pamphlets promoting an outdoor education as incompetent by showing that they misrepresent Courtial's intentions and ability. Death also uses Auguste's letter to Ferdinand as an attempt to bend Ferdinand to the values of the bourgeoisie, which he questions. Each of the three texts increase its own verisimilitude through its implicit comparison with inadequate internal texts.

The Stranger contrasts its narrative of the murder of the Arab with the prosecutor's narrative, in terms of the faulty motives that the prosecutor ascribes to Meursault. The prosecutor provides a cause for each of Meursault's actions. Meursault summarizes the prosecutor's case: "I had asked [Raymond] to give me his gun. I had gone back alone intending to use it. I had shot the Arab as I planned . . . And to make sure I had done the job right, I fired four more shots" (99). However, the text does not assign these causes to the murder. As Meursault approaches the Arab, he realizes that "[as] far as I was concerned, the whole thing was over, and I'd gone there without even thinking about it" (58).

Show More
Related

  • The Stranger Dialectical Journal Chapter 6

    315 Words  | 1 Pages

    Chapter 6 of part I of The Stranger concluded with Meursault’s conscious decision to shoot an Arab because of the physical discomfort the Arab’s knife caused him. The significance of the ending of part I is that it was the first demonstration of Meursault’s awareness of the possible consequences of the act that he committed. This awareness continues into the second part of the novel as he is arrested and trialed. The reason for Meursault’s trial is the murder of the Arab. His insensitivity towards Maman’s death and lack of a social conscientious are factors that contributed to support further investigations, but are not reasons to trial him because they have not ‘harmed’ society on a way that he could be arrested for. For example, if Meursault

    Read More

  • Existentialism And Symbolism In The Stranger By Albert Camus

    1438 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Camus’ The Stranger, the use of the minor character Raymond helps illustrate the absurd nature of Meursault. Through imagery, dialogue, and irony, the novel investigates the moral decisions Meursault makes under Raymond’s influence. The constant tactical bribery and other forms of manipulation steer Meursault’s writing of the letter that leads to him killing the Arab and ultimately receiving the death penalty. Camus uses Raymond to highlight the cultural and societal values. In addition, through Raymond’s help, Meursault ends up in jail where he finally realizes the theme that life is

    Read More

  • Meursault’s Subconscious Mind in Albert Camus’ The Stranger

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Part One of The Stranger, Albert Camus avoids religious confrontations with Meursault in order to subconsciously place blame on Christ for his criminal actions. Camus restricts Meursault’s relationships to further distance him from his mother. Meursault then alienates himself from the typical spiritual ceremonies and actions to demonstrate his distrust of religion. Simultaneously, Camus uses diction of clear and bright elements to characterize people in the novel, excluding Meursault. Camus associates dark colors with Meursault to depict a sadistic persona. To conclude, Camus places Meursault in recurring situations which result in him being distracted by “the light”. Camus uses these literary techniques in The Stranger to demonstrate man’s condemnation of God.

    Read More

  • Meursault Justifies Murder

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    The emotionless anti-hero, Monsieur Meursault, embarks on a distinct philosophical journey through The Stranger. Confident in his ideas about the world, Meursault is an unemotional protagonist who survives without expectations or even aspirations. Because of his constant indifference and lack of opinions about the world, it can be denoted that he undergoes a psychological detachment from the world and society. It is through these characteristics that exist in Meursault that Camus expresses the absurd. Starting from the very first sentence of the book, “Maman died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know.” (Camus 1) The indifferent tone from these short sentences convey a rather apathetic attitude from Meursault’s part. Not only does he not feel any sorrow, he also “felt like having a smoke.” (Camus 4) Communicating perfectly Meursault’s disinterest, “[he] hesitate, [he] didn’t know if [he] could do it with Maman right there. [He] thought it over; it really didn’t matter.” (Camus 4) The death of his mother prompts an absurdist philosophy in which he experiences a psychological awakening and begins to place no real emphasis on emotions, but rather on the physical aspect of life.

    Read More

  • Jane Austen Pride And Pride Analysis Essay

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to author Jane Austen, “Vanity and pride are diverse things; however the words are frequently utilized synonymously. A man might be pleased without being vain. “Pride relates more to our sentiment of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others consider us.” Who was Jane Austen? What kind of woman was she in the world she lived in? Did she ever find love so indefinable in her own novel? Jane Austen appeared on the scene on December sixteenth, 1775. Jane was born to Reverend George Austen of the Steventon parsonage and Cassandra Austen of the Leigh family. She was to be their seventh youngster and just the second girl to the couple. Her kin were made up to a great extent of siblings,

    Read More

  • Explain Why It Is Important To Take Care Of Pets Essay

    1423 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people consider animals as a part of the family. Pets are fun and can be a great addition to many homes. Although, owning an animal can come with many added benefits other than just having a cute and furry friend to play with. People who own pets, may see an increase in their overall quality of life compared to non-pet owners. Pets are a great way to improve the physical, social, and mental health of their owners.

    Read More

  • 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

  • Dogs Should Not Be Allowed In The Workplace Essay

    458 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dogs should not be allowed in the workplace because they might potentially cause distress and be harmful to some employees. Many people are afraid of dogs. Even the most calm, harmless-seeming dogs have the potential to bite somebody or otherwise misbehave. As Response #2 noted, “Companies are legally required to provide a safe, healthy work environment for their employees.” Some may argue that “when pet

    Read More

  • Maman’s Funeral Characterises Meursault And the World of The Stranger

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the experimental novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, he explores the concept of existentialism and the idea that humans are born into nothing and descend into nothingness after death. The novel takes place in the French colony of Algiers where the French-Algerians working-class colonists live in an urban setting where simple life pleasures are of the upmost importance in the lives of working class people like the protagonist of the novel Meursault. What is fascinating about this novel is that it opens up with a scene of perpetual misfortune for him through the death of his mother although he seems to express otherwise. The reader perceives this nonchalance as a lack of care. Maman’s death and its impact on Meursault appear in both the very beginning and very end of the two-part novel, suggesting a cyclical pattern in the structure. This cyclical pattern suggests not a change in the moral beliefs of Meursault but rather his registering society’s systems and beliefs and craft meaning in his own life despite the fact that he meets his demise in the end. Camus uses Maman’s funeral to characterise both Meursault and the society and customs created by the society Meursault lives in in order to contrast the two while at the same time reveal how while society changes, Meursault does not. Rather, Maman’s funeral becomes of unprecedented importance in Meursault’s life and allows him to find that nothing means anything in his meaningless world at the time of his death. He finds peace in that.

    Read More

  • The Stranger: Changes in Meursault

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Stranger, Albert Camus describes the life of the protagonist, Meursault, through life changing events. The passage chosen illustrates Meursault’s view during his time in prison for killing the Arab. In prison, one can see the shifts in Meursault’s character and the acceptance of this new lifestyle. Camus manipulates diction to indicate the changes in Meursault caused by time thinking of memories in prison and realization of his pointless life. Because Camus published this book at the beginning of World War II, people at this time period also questions life and death similar to how Meursault does.

    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 Stranger" - Meursault's Trial

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    After only a few days of trial, the jury in The Stranger declares that the main character, Meursault, is to be executed by guillotine in the town square. The trial and its verdict are one of the important parts of the novel, as Albert Camus uses them as a metaphor to summarize the two main tenets of absurdism. Camus uses the trial and persecution of Meursault to express his belief that the justice system is flawed because of his absurdist ideals that truth does not exist, and human life is precious. In order to reform the justice system, Albert Camus believes that capital punishment needs to be abolished.

    Read More

  • Independent Novel Essay on Pride and Prejudice

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    “It is truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

    Read More

  • Essay On Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jane Austen is known for her never ending satirical criticism towards England’s social stratification in “Pride and Prejudice” along with her other works. We see the difficulties Elizabeth Bennet faces with the marriage system and her social class rank that was faced by women all over the world. Elizabeth Bennet’s personality complexity breaks the women stereotype in this novel, showing how independent and logical they could be. “Pride and Prejudice” is a reflection of gender oppression and social roles influenced by Jane Austen’s life during eighteenth century England.

    Read More

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

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Albert Camus wrote The Stranger during the Existentialist movement, which explains why the main character in the novel, Meursault, is characterized as detached and emotionless, two of the aspects of existentialism. In Meursault, Camus creates a character he intends his readers to relate to, because he creates characters placed in realistic situations. He wants the reader to form a changing, ambiguous opinion of Meursault. From what Meursault narrates to the reader in the novel, the reader can understand why he attempts to find order and understanding in a confused and mystifying world.

    Read More

More about The Stranger (The Outsider), Nausea, and Death on the Installment Plan

Open Document