The stranger themes. Themes of The Stranger 2022-12-26
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The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, is a novel that explores the theme of absurdity and its effects on the human condition. The novel's protagonist, Meursault, is a man who is completely detached from the world around him and seems to have no concern for societal norms or values. This detachment leads to his eventual demise, as he is unable to connect with others or understand their motivations.
One of the main themes in The Stranger is the idea of the Absurd, which is defined as the conflict between the human desire for meaning and the inability to find it in the world. Camus believed that life is inherently meaningless and that individuals must create their own meaning in order to cope with this fact. Meursault, however, is unable to do this and instead lives in a state of constant detachment and indifference. He is unable to form meaningful relationships with others and is unable to understand their emotions or motivations. This leads to his eventual execution, as he is unable to understand or defend himself against the charges brought against him.
Another important theme in The Stranger is the idea of morality and its relationship to society. Meursault is a man who seems to have no sense of right or wrong, and he is able to commit a murder without any remorse or guilt. This lack of morality is seen as a threat to society, and Meursault is punished accordingly. However, Camus suggests that this punishment is not justifiable, as it is based on societal norms and values that Meursault does not understand or value. This highlights the idea that society's definitions of right and wrong are arbitrary and that individuals should not be punished for failing to conform to these norms.
The theme of death is also prominent in The Stranger, as Meursault's detachment from the world leads him to view death as a natural and inevitable part of life. He is unable to understand the grief of others when his mother dies and is indifferent to his own impending execution. This highlights the idea that death is a fundamental part of the human experience and that it is ultimately meaningless.
Overall, The Stranger is a powerful exploration of the theme of absurdity and its effects on the human condition. Through the character of Meursault, Camus illustrates the dangers of detachment and the importance of creating meaning in an otherwise meaningless world. The novel also highlights the arbitrary nature of societal norms and values and the dangers of blindly following them without questioning their validity.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
He looked upset and told me that I never gave him a straight answer, that I had no ambition, and that that was disastrous in business. I know that at one time or another you've wished for another life. But from across the table he had already thrust the crucifix in my face and was screaming irrationally… Of course I had read that eventually you wind up losing track of time in prison. The events of his story only make sense that way. And he would be condemned, too. Meursault begins and ends the novel in a state of indifference, yet his indifference at novel's end is achieved after enduring the grueling frustration he experiences in prison trying to outsmart "the machinery of justice. He embraces indifference as an active choice, opening himself to the indifference of the world itself.
He just reflects upon the mob looking at his execution. These are important considerations to Meursault, and they pass the time. L'Étranger and Sartre's L'Étranger and Terry Otten has studied in detail the relationship between Meursault and his mother. Irrationality The irrationality of human actions and decisions is one of the major themes of The Stranger. Salamano loves his decaying, scab-covered dog and he values its companionship, even though most people find it disgusting.
That evening, Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. The sun on the beach torments Meursault, and during his trial Meursault even identifies his suffering under the sun as the reason he killed the Arab. One member of the group is found by Meursault alone and is shot. Also, Salamano, Meursault and Raymond's curmudgeonly old neighbor, loses his abused and diseased dog and, though he mostly outwardly maintains his usual spiteful and uncaring attitude toward the creature, he goes to Meursault for comfort and advice a few times. There were about ten in all, and they floated into the blinding light without a sound. Albert Camus the Algerian: Colonialism, Terrorism, Justice. Even the crucial act of his murder is described in passive terms: "the trigger gave.
In 2012, Ryan Bloom argued that it should be translated as 'Today, Maman died. When one is truly willing to face this Truth, one can be happy. He is called to testify at Meursault's trial. Meursault initially… Throughout the novel, Meursault remains unable to experience deep, complex relationships to the people in his life. But when the magistrate asks if Meursault is suggesting he should be without belief, Meursault replies that it has nothing to do with him one way or the other.
He testifies at Meursault's trial. He feels alienated from others as his mother has left him, and he has no sadness about the event. Camus presents the In the same way, whether Meursault speaks during his trial or not, he is to be condemned to death as the world is entirely indifferent to his plight. Because of his indifference, he does meaninglessness acts. But when I had to give up my studies I learned very quickly that none of it really mattered.
He brings up the rear in the funeral procession for Meursault's mother, and Meursault describes in a great amount of detail the old man's struggle to keep up. What did other people's deaths or a mother's love matter to me; what did his God or the lives people choose or the fate they think they elect matter to me when we're all elected by the same fate, me and billions of privileged people like him who also called themselves my brother?. The English translations of the novel differ critically in their characterization of this larger indifference. All of his relationships — from the filial relationship he had with his mother to his friendship with Raymond to his romantic relationship with Marie — are passionless, determined much more by incidental, superficial impressions than by deep-felt emotional bonds. He said it was impossible; all men believed in God, even those who turn their backs on him. Marie, like Meursault, enjoys sex.
I said, "No, because it's not true. . I would rather not have upset him, but I couldn't see any reason to change my life. He testifies at Meursault's trial. For almost a year, he sleeps, looks out the small window of his cell, and mentally lists the objects in his old apartment while he waits for his day in court.
During one of these conversations, Salamano, who says he adopted the dog as a companion shortly after his wife's death, mentions that some neighbors had 'said nasty things' about Meursault after he sent his mother to a retirement home. He asks Meursault to testify that the girlfriend had been unfaithful when he is called to the police station, to which Meursault agrees. Yelling at the chaplain had emptied him of all hope or thoughts of escape or a successful appeal, so he is able to open his heart 'to the benign indifference of the universe,' after which he decides that he has been, and still is, happy. In addition, the narrator hints at the racial tension by telling the story as if it took place solely among some French people who happened to live in Algeria. That's when Maman's friends came in.
