Albert Camus used his debut novel, The Stranger (1942), as a platform to explore absurdity , a concept central to his writings and at the core of his treatment of questions about the meaning of life. In his work, Camus addressed topics ranging from alienation to the inadequacy of traditional values.
What is the main idea of The Stranger?
Major themes of The Stranger include alienation, absurdity, and French colonialism . Meursault is the titular stranger, a young shipping clerk living in Algiers in the 1940s, when it was still a French colony. Meursault’s life is dull and empty, and Meursault takes little pleasure in living.
What is the message given in The Stranger?
The message of The Stranger relates to Albert Camus’ beliefs that humans must make their own meaning out of life because the world basically has no ...
What is the meaning behind The Stranger?
The Stranger, by Albert Camus, is a novel about Meursault and how he is a “stranger” to society . ... Meursault is a “stranger” and an absurdity to society because he does not show any emotions, he has no meaning for life, and his only certainty and guarantee is death.
Is Meursault an existentialist?
Meursault is the absurdist , explaining the philosophy of existentialism: Man’s isolation among an indifferent universe. There is no inherent meaning in life – its entire value lies in living itself. Meursault feels he has been happy, and longs to live.
What does Meursault realize at the end of the stranger?
At the end of The Stranger, Meursault realizes that death is inevitable and the universe is indifferent to humanity .
What does Meursault symbolize?
The crucifix that the examining magistrate waves at Meursault symbolizes Christianity , which stands in opposition to Camus’s absurdist world view. ... When Meursault defies the magistrate by rejecting Christianity, he implicitly rejects all systems that seek to define a rational order within human existence.
What does the sun symbolize in The Stranger?
In The Stranger, the sun represents the indifference of the universe . It is the sun shining in his eyes that allegedly motivates Meursault to murder the Arab man.
What themes are in The Stranger?
- Meaninglessness of Life and the Absurd. From Meursault’s perspective the world is meaningless, and he repeatedly dismisses other characters’ attempts to make sense of human. ...
- Chance and Interchangeability. ...
- Indifference and Passivity. ...
- Importance of Physical Experience. ...
- Relationships.
Is Meursault good or bad?
Meursault is neither moral nor immoral. Rather, he is amoral—he simply does not make the distinction between good and bad in his own mind.
Does Meursault regret killing the Arab?
Meursault admits to himself that he feels little regret ; after all, the man whom he shot was a stranger; he was only an Arab, and, to Meursault, the prosecutor is overdoing the emphasis on Meursault’s regret.
Why is the novel called The Stranger?
The book is called The Stranger in reference to the protagonist, Meursault . He is estranged from society because he does not adhere to its expectations or belief systems, as he believes that life has no reason or meaning.
Is Meursault an existentialist or a nihilist?
In The Stranger, the main character Meursault is a nihilist who believes that life has no meaning. Instead of searching for meaning, Meursault lives detached from the people around him and does not care about his life, family, or friends.
How does Meursault truly embody an existentialist mentality?
As an existentialist, Meursault believes that life is inherently meaningless , and so all that’s left is for the individual to impose meaning on his or her life through the free choices that they make. By most people’s standards, Meursault makes some incredibly bad choices in life.
Is the stranger existentialist or absurdist?
The Stranger is often referred to as an “existential” novel , but this description is not necessarily accurate. The term “existentialism” is a broad and far-reaching classification that means many different things to many different people, and is often misapplied or overapplied.
How does Meursault view death?
After speaking with the chaplain, Meursault no longer views his impending execution with hope or despair. He accepts death as an inevitable fact and looks forward to it with peace. This realization of death’s inevitability constitutes Meursault’s triumph over society.
