Meursault's Actions In The Stranger, By Albert Camus
Did my Actions Hurt Someone?
Thousands of individuals live their lives the way they want to everyday, however, very few think of how their actions may be affecting other. Albert Camus and Søren Kierkegaard use their main characters to illustrate how one’s actions affect many other individuals. In The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault was used to show the consequences of killing and how Meursault was not the only one affect by his actions. Meursault’s actions not only landed him in jail but caused his girlfriend, Marie, to suffer. Søren Kierkegaard used the story of Abraham and Isaac in Fear and Trembling to show how Abraham’s decision could affect his son and wife. These two philosophers use their works to highlight the fact that every action …show more content…
The Stranger begins with Meursault at the funeral of his Maman and it is soon seen that Meursault lacks emotions. The death of Maman starts Meursault’s rash decision making. A few days after the funeral, Meursault visits his neighbor Raymond. Raymond soon was asking Meursault to write a letter to his, Raymond’s, girlfriend telling her that he wants her back, “Raymond told me he didn't think he could write the kind of letter it would take and that he’d thought of asking me to write it for him. Since I didn't say anything, he asked me if I'd mind doing it right then and I said, no” (Camus 32). Meursault knew that the intent of the letter was to get the girlfriend back so that Raymond could beat her up. Meursault’s decision to help Raymond write this letter for Raymond shows that he, Meursault, does not worry about other people. Raymond’s ex-girlfriend soon shows up at Raymond’s apartment and “There were some thuds and the woman screamed, but in such a terrifying away that the landing immediately filled with people. Marie and I went to see, too” (Camus 35-36). Meursault is the reason that the women was beaten up and he feels no remorse for his actions, instead he testifies on behalf of Raymond. Meursault does not seem to realize that his actions directly caused the harm of another human being. This is not the only time that Meursault harms other with his action, he also ends up killing an Arab because of the letter Raymond convinced him to
Thousands of individuals live their lives the way they want to everyday, however, very few think of how their actions may be affecting other. Albert Camus and Søren Kierkegaard use their main characters to illustrate how one’s actions affect many other individuals. In The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault was used to show the consequences of killing and how Meursault was not the only one affect by his actions. Meursault’s actions not only landed him in jail but caused his girlfriend, Marie, to suffer. Søren Kierkegaard used the story of Abraham and Isaac in Fear and Trembling to show how Abraham’s decision could affect his son and wife. These two philosophers use their works to highlight the fact that every action …show more content…
The Stranger begins with Meursault at the funeral of his Maman and it is soon seen that Meursault lacks emotions. The death of Maman starts Meursault’s rash decision making. A few days after the funeral, Meursault visits his neighbor Raymond. Raymond soon was asking Meursault to write a letter to his, Raymond’s, girlfriend telling her that he wants her back, “Raymond told me he didn't think he could write the kind of letter it would take and that he’d thought of asking me to write it for him. Since I didn't say anything, he asked me if I'd mind doing it right then and I said, no” (Camus 32). Meursault knew that the intent of the letter was to get the girlfriend back so that Raymond could beat her up. Meursault’s decision to help Raymond write this letter for Raymond shows that he, Meursault, does not worry about other people. Raymond’s ex-girlfriend soon shows up at Raymond’s apartment and “There were some thuds and the woman screamed, but in such a terrifying away that the landing immediately filled with people. Marie and I went to see, too” (Camus 35-36). Meursault is the reason that the women was beaten up and he feels no remorse for his actions, instead he testifies on behalf of Raymond. Meursault does not seem to realize that his actions directly caused the harm of another human being. This is not the only time that Meursault harms other with his action, he also ends up killing an Arab because of the letter Raymond convinced him to