“Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe‚ I don’t know.” (Camus‚ 3). These opening lines of The Stranger by Albert Camus gives a feeling for how the rest of the novel will continue to go. The reader’s initial reaction may be shocked. How does someone not know when their mother died and why do they not care? Albert Camus was an existentialist and wrote in such a way. Existentialism is a philosophy that focuses on the ideas of existence and not believing in a God‚ the freedom of choice and responsibility
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In his Novel The Stranger‚ Albert Camus tells the story of a man‚ Meursault‚ a character who shows almost no emotions‚ even though he lives an ordinary life. He has a job‚ a girl who loves him‚ and a life full or purpose‚ yet he still acts as a stranger in his work life‚ social life‚ and love life. From the first line of the story Meursault was strange‚ “Mother died today. Or‚ maybe‚ yesterday; I can’t be sure.” The telegram from the Home says: “Your mother passed away. Funeral tomorrow. Deep sympathy
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destiny‚ but to forge our own collective meaning. Independently‚ walking down the path to find your meaning is daunting and baffling‚ so‚ the idea of forming relationships helps ease the pathway to find happiness and a meaningful life. In The Stranger‚ Albert Camus illustrates the importance of relationships‚ as they help provide meaning but also the realization to cherish and hold life with significant value. The ideals of an existentialist philosophy reveal that there is no coherent
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In Albert Camus’ novel‚ The Stranger‚ Meursault represents an existentialist character. Most may believe him to be immoral‚ and in some cases they are almost correct. Contrary to that belief‚ just because Meursault is an emotionless silhouette of a man doesn’t mean he is immoral or evil. One cannot condemn him for being this way because he is simply misunderstood. Meursault does not make moral or immoral decisions‚ he is just completely indifferent to the matter. Readers are able to sympathize with
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humans are transparent and simple; we have needs and simply seek to fulfill them. There is a specific order to our behavior and that behavior is being driven by a need or desire. Camus challenged this notion with The Stranger. In one sense he upheld the idea that we simply strive to fulfill needs. In another sense‚ Camus forced us to understand that sometimes there is no reason‚ no need being met; simply an organism reacting to stimuli. He highlighted the contradictory nature of humans with his main
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When you are having a conversation with someone what do you do? Do you listen to them or do you take notes on the dark purple flowers planted in the background? Attention to detail is a main theme in The Stranger. Camus uses this to display how Meursault choses to put off the real world and study the small things. Meursault notices the nature around him‚ colors‚ and temperature. You see he is more fascinated in the physicality of the world around him rather than the emotional and social elements
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Albert Camus’ The Stranger revolves around an ordinary man‚ Mersault‚ living in French Algiers in the 1940s. Narrated in first person point of view through Mersault’s eyes‚ the novel is about his life and his physical and emotional relationships around him. Beginning with the death of Mersault’s mother‚ the novel offers an existential point of view on life and is an exemplar of Camus’ philosophy of the absurd. Mersault’s character is initially nihilist and this novel is a narrative of how Mersault
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The Itinerant One The Stranger by Albert Camus starts off with Meursault‚ who is the narrator of the story (in first person)‚ getting him a sad telegraph that tells him about the death of his beloved mom. Meursault then with no emotion goes to Marengo to see his mother’s body. The director of the assisted living home told him that he could see his mother. When Meursault found out that she was in her coffin‚ he declined the offer to take a look at her with disgust on his face. In the night‚
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The Stranger by Albert Camus was published in 1946. The novel begins with Meursault receiving a telegram informing him of his mother’s death. Over the next two weeks after the funeral‚ Meursault carries on like nothing tragic happened. He gets a girlfriend‚ befriends a pimp‚ and goes on a beach vacation with both. During the vacation‚ he and Raymond‚ the pimp‚ get into a fight with the Arabs and Meursault kills one without an explanation for the crime. At the murder trial‚ the court said he was cold-hearted
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Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.” In the story The Stranger by Albert Camus we are introduced to Meursault‚ a psychologically detached character who at first seems indifferent and apathetic which at first is very frustrating to the reader. However‚ through multiple readings‚ you understand the character is almost a mirrored reflection of the author. The author Albert Camus‚ tells us his views on society and the justice through his character Meursault. His views
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