The Stranger Ambiguity
Albert Camus, a well renowned existentialist author wrote many novels unlike others of his time. In his book “The Stranger” the role of ambiguity is seen throughout the books entirety. The title of the book is based off of the main character, Meursault, a French man, who seems to be an outsider to the world around him. Meursault’s actions mean nothing to him, and he is completely opposed to agreeing to social standards nor does seem to care about those around him. Albert Camus uses Meursault’s relationships with those around him to help portray his ambiguous meaning to life. The death of Maman in the first chapter shows how detached Meursault is from those around him. Right when he was informed of her death, he is unsure of when she passed
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Although Meursault knows what society thinks about Raymond, he still befriends him. He even says, “The word around the neighborhood is that he lives off women… Generally speaking he’s not very popular”(page 28). Knowing that Raymond isn’t a well-loved person, Meursault allots his time to hang out with him. It appears that Raymond only befriends Meursault to use him. Raymond asks him to write a threatening letter to his girlfriend for him, he doesn’t seem to give it much thought in the decency of it; Nor does is he opposed to it, “Since I didn’t say anything, he asked if id mind doing it right then and I said no”(Page 32). Even though he does not know this woman, he agrees to help his somewhat friend sabotage someone who is a stranger to him. When Raymond needs Meursault to testify for him at the police station, he matches his answer to what Raymond needs him to say, “It didn’t matter to me, but I didn’t know what I was suppose to say. According to Raymond, all I had to state was the girl had cheated on him. I agreed to act as a witness”(page 37). The event that changed Meursault’s life forever occurred because of Raymond. Meursault would have never murdered the Arab if Raymond had not put him in the position to be around the men. Raymond knows that Meursault would have never killed him if it wasn’t for him, and he states his innocence saying that it was a coincidence he was involved in the situation. This friendship is filled with uncertainty, but both Raymond and Meursault stand by each
Although Meursault knows what society thinks about Raymond, he still befriends him. He even says, “The word around the neighborhood is that he lives off women… Generally speaking he’s not very popular”(page 28). Knowing that Raymond isn’t a well-loved person, Meursault allots his time to hang out with him. It appears that Raymond only befriends Meursault to use him. Raymond asks him to write a threatening letter to his girlfriend for him, he doesn’t seem to give it much thought in the decency of it; Nor does is he opposed to it, “Since I didn’t say anything, he asked if id mind doing it right then and I said no”(Page 32). Even though he does not know this woman, he agrees to help his somewhat friend sabotage someone who is a stranger to him. When Raymond needs Meursault to testify for him at the police station, he matches his answer to what Raymond needs him to say, “It didn’t matter to me, but I didn’t know what I was suppose to say. According to Raymond, all I had to state was the girl had cheated on him. I agreed to act as a witness”(page 37). The event that changed Meursault’s life forever occurred because of Raymond. Meursault would have never murdered the Arab if Raymond had not put him in the position to be around the men. Raymond knows that Meursault would have never killed him if it wasn’t for him, and he states his innocence saying that it was a coincidence he was involved in the situation. This friendship is filled with uncertainty, but both Raymond and Meursault stand by each