The stranger

A detailed Summary of The stranger

"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." --Albert Camus

Life. This little four-letter word is so perplexing and difficult to define. Sure, Webster has its own definition. Yet, scholars and philosophers continue to search for its meaning and purpose. Others look towards religion and faith to guide them. Then on the other side there are existentialists. They believe in individual existence, freedom and choice. Because humans can make their own choices, existentialists think humans create their own nature. Likewise, the literary works of Albert Camus reflect this idea of existentialism. He shows how a man can accept the choices he made, appreciate the life he is given, realize the absurdity of life, keep his beliefs and prepare for death. In his novel, The Stranger, the protagonist, Meursault, experiences more freedom when confined in a prison than when he was living in the outside world.

While awaiting death in a prison, the main character, Meursault took responsibility for the choices he made in life. As we know, throughout the novel, Meursault was passive; he was like a leaf being blown in different directions. For e

After being imprisoned, Meursault recognized the absurdity of the world. It is clear the Meursault killed a man and consequences will follow. However, his sentencing and punishment weren't entirely due to this. For instance, the magistrate examined him. This magistrate was interested and fascinated by Meursault and his crime. "He asked me if he could say that that day I had held back my natural feelings. I said, "No, because it's not true." He gave me a strange look, as if he found me slightly disgusting" (65). The magistrate was perplexed by Meursault's case. In a way, he represented society. Society needed a rational answer as to why Meursault killed a man. That is why Meursault agitated the magistrate; Meursault couldn't give him an answer. To society, that was not acceptable. It needed an answer to everything because it was founded on that principle. Also, the magistrate was dumbfounded about the fact that Meursault didn't believe in God; the reality disturbed also him. It didn't make sense to the magistrate that a man can live his life without a god. Moreover, society and the magistrate refused to accept the fact that Meursault didn't have an answer. In fact, they have the needed to give it a reason, to justify it somehow. This shows the absurd thinking of the world. Similarly, whole trial was ridiculous. His trial was covered by the media who need to entertain people with their news. " " You know, we've blown up your case a little. Summer is the slow season for the news. And your story and the parricide are the only ones worth bothering about" " (84). Meursault also realized the preposterousness of this; people liked to watch his case to be entertained. The people didn't know him or really care about his case, they wanted news. Furthermore, Meursault was given the death penalty because he didn't grieve at his mother's funeral. Throughout the trial, the main topic of discussion was the death of his mother, not the killing of the Arab. "And also according to him, a man who is morally guilty of killing his mother severs himself from society in the same way as the man who raises a murderous hand against the father who begat him" (102). In his closing statements, the prosecutor stated that because Meursault neglected his mother, he was as bad as the man who killed his father. This speech was irrelevant because Meursault didn't kill his mother, he killed an Arab. However, society looked down on this kind of behavoir and was repelled with it. They were so repulsed that they were willing to sentence him to death because of it. In the end, Meursault comprehended the senselessness of the world and felt more free when isolated from it in prison.

xample, he made the conscious choice not to see his mother's body in the casket. Most people would want to pay their respects and see the body of their loved one for a last time. This wasn't the case with Meursault. The reason wasn't because he was too shocked or upset; he just didn't feel like it. This indifferent attitude was common in Meursault. "Then I felt like having a smoke. But I hesitated, because I didn't know if I could do it with Maman right there. I thought about it; it didn't matter" (8). Not only did h

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Approximate Word count = 2145
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels