The Stranger by Albert Camus
Please use the comment tile to respond to the following two questions in an informal yet academic tone. All responses must include quotes and correct citations (Camus 45) as support for any of your subjective assertions. Quality responses will likely fall in the 2-3 paragraph range; however, I will not penalize short responses provided that they are complete and meet my expectations for content and form.
You must also respond to a classmate's post in an insightful way, expanding on, supporting, or disagreeing with what he or she has already written. Whether this is done before or after you've posted your response is up to you, but I expect an astute and well-crafted reply. Quality responses here will likely be in the 1-2 paragraph range; however, I will not penalize short responses provided that they meet the criteria of the assignment.
Once again, I expect you to use your full name in the author section for all responses. If this is problematic, include your name at the end of your actual post.
Question 1:
Camus opens The Stranger stating, "Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I Received a telegram from the retirement home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.' That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday".
Describe the tone that the narrator embodies in this passage and explain how it is significant to a deeper understanding of the novel as a whole.
Question 2:
Consider Meursault's mother, the Arab, and Meursault himself. As a work, The Stranger is organized around death, yet maintains a unique, somewhat macrocosmic perspective of death. While considering tone and point of view, explain specifically what Camus is articulating about the relationship between humanity and death.
101 comments:
1. Through this specific passage, Camus developes a careless and relaxed tone. By starting the story off in such a way, the reader gets the idea that the protagonist, Meursault, was not close with his mother and was not fully acquainted with her whereabouts. If he had been, he would've taken more interest in the matter to figure out more specific information regarding his mother's death. Instead he simply says "I don't know" (Camus 3).
However, the assumption based off the first paragraph is not completely accurate to the rest of the story. The reader later finds out that Meursault is not only not close with his own mother, but not close with anyone-- including friends, girlfriends, relatives, and so on. Part of it is that he is not interested in anyone else's daily life. For example, after Marie and Meursault decide that they are going to get married, he invites Marie out to dinner at Célesties. She tells him that she can not because she has something to do and then says "Don't you want to know what I have to do?" Meursault then thinks "I did, but I hadn't thought to ask, and she seemed to be scolding me" (42). This is a particularly common thing for Meursault throughout the story. He doesn't always care enough to get involved in people's business. This is also seen earlier in the story, when he converses with Raymond about the trouble with his "mistress." Meursault only gets involved simply because Raymond asks him too. He chooses to write the letter for Raymond for the same reason. He doesn't truly care about the situation that his "friend" is in nor does he find it important to ask questions. He thinks "Since I didn't say anything, he asked if I'd mind doing [the letter] right then and I said no" (32). He does not question Raymond at all and he does what is asked of him without gaining further knowledge. These two examples portray the carless and relaxed tone seen in the thought process of Meursault. The read can see that there is evidence that it is expressed other times rather than when just talking about his mother.
Furthermore, the tone of this passage is significant because it helps reveal the dramatic change in Meursault's feelings by the end of the novel. As previously mentioned, he is careless, relaxed, and slightly absentminded. By the time death begins to creep up on him, he starts to realize the values of life and begins to wish that he would have a chance to escape the execution. He thinks "What really counted was a possibility of escape, a leap to freedom, out of the implacable ritual, a wild run for it that would give whatever chance for hope there was" (109). For the first time, Meursault begins to care about the events in his own life. He no longer presents the carless and relaxed attitude that he shows in the beginning of the story.
Will Alpaugh
2. Through the course of the novel, Meursault is exposed to death, causes death, and eventually, faces death. The point of view being first person gives the reader the direct perspective of Meursault's view on death. It also helps emphasize the initial tone conveyed by Meursault. Meursault expresses a very indifferent and nonchalant tone when he finds out about his mom's death and even when he shoots and kills the Arab. It is as if he does not fully at first understand the values of life and ethics of a human being; all negative aspects of death seem to merely escape his mental grasp. However, it is not until chapter 5 of part two when Camus puts death's unimaginable pressure on the protagonist thus allowing the reader to experience the thought process of a character on death row, in first person point of view.
Ultimately, Camus develops the idea that while a person is alive death itself seems insignificant, but while in the unforgiving eyes of death it consumes an individual's every waking moment. The reader sees this in the first chapter when Meursault learns of his mother's death. There are many occurrences where the reader can tell that Meursault is more preoccupied with other things rather than his mother's death. For instance, he is worried about how his boss will react to his request for taking a couple days off. He thinks "I asked my boss for two days off and there was no way he was going to refuse me with an excuse like that" (Camus 3). This gives the reader the feel that Meursault is more concerned with keeping his job and is not as concerned about losing his mother. Furthermore, he continues to be worried about things such as clothing. After leaving Céleste's he writes "I was a little distracted because I still had to go up to Emmanuel's place to borrow a black tie and an arm band" (4). In the following chapter, Meursault seems to forget all about his dead mother and moves on with his life. Instead of thinking about his mother, he goes on a date with Marie.
When Meursault goes to Masson's house with Raymond, he antagonizes the Arabs for no specific reason. There is a small clash between Raymond and the other Arab, however Meursault does not choose to get involved. Meanwhile, after walking with Raymond, he chooses to return to the spot where they first approached the Arabs. This is where Meursault, acting alone and without a purpose, shoots the Arab. The chapter ends with Meursault thinking "And it was like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness" (59). This quote expresses the fact that Meursault did not find shooting another human being consequential or immoral whatsoever. Once again, he does not seem to understand the concept of death.
Meursault does however change his idea of death towards the conclusion of the story. The jury decides that Meursault will be executed by decapitation, and it hits him that there is no avoiding the final verdict. He thinks "I was forced to admit, however, that from the moment it had been passed its consequences became as real and as serious as the all against which I pressed the length of my body" (110). The rest of the chapter is formed of his thoughts leading up to the execution. He tries to convince himself of the unfairness due to the guillotine as well as how he can make himself feel better with the little time that he has left. This is when he finally realizes the vast difference between humanity and death and the reader can begin to understand Camus's intention.
Will Alpaugh
1.) In this beginning passage, Camus develops a depressing, and careless tone. The main character, Meursault seems to not be close with his mother, as he is unsure when she actually died, and doesn't seem to care that much about her death. If he was affected at all, it was hidden quite well. Overall, it is to be believed that Meursault was not close with his mother, which could be considered normal for one to not be close after sending his mother off to an old folks home.
This beginning statement though, is significant as we later learn that Meursault is amoral, as he doesn't understand the distinction between good and bad, and seems to not care about anyone around him. He isn't close to anyone, and doesn't even attempt to create any personal bonds with any friends, lovers, and family. He seems unsure of how to respond to sympathy. "When I left, they walked me to the door. I was a little distracted because i still had to go up to Emmanuels place to borrow a black tie and armband" (Camus, 4) Instead of accepting condolences, he seems to focus on trivial matters, as possibly a means of coping, or simply because he cant understand the concept of death, and emotions. Another occurrence of Meursaults lack of morality and emotion is at the end of the funeral, and while Meursault returns home, instead of feeling sad, or mournful, he instead looks forward too having a good nights sleep. The quote "..and my joy when the bus entered the nest of lights that was Algiers and I knew i was going to go to bed and sleep for 12 hours" (18) This further proves the point shown in the beginning of the novel that Meursault simply did not care about anyone around him, even his mother. He is detached from everyone. If anything, he is more concerned about the physical state of his life, rather than emotional and social concepts of his life. Earlier in the novel, he was focused on the weather "But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat.." (15) instead of feeling sad about his mothers death. When Raymond wants him to write the letter to his mistress, Meursault agrees simply because he has the time to. "Since I didn't say anything, he asked if I'd mind doing [the letter] right then and I said no" (32) He doesn't question why hes doing this, or the consequences of getting involved with this, he just does it. This further shows his carelessness first introduced in the beginning of the novel. In conclusion, the tone in the beginning of the novel is significant to the novel as a whole because it introduces Meursault as an emotionless, amoral, careless individual detached from his emotional surroundings.
DeAnna Stocker
2.) Throughout the novel, the relationship between humanity and death is that death is always present, and that and humanity dance around each other. Meursault, who seems very nonchalant about death, first observes it, as he attends his mother's funeral. “Mama died today.Or, yesterday, I do not know. I got a telegram from the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours” (Camus 1)He then causes death by shooting an Arab.“My whole being tensed and i squeezed my hand around the revolver. the trigger gave….then i fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace” (59)
He then faces his own inevitable death, as he is to be executed by beheading. “But the presiding judge asked me if i had anything to say. I thought about it. I said ‘no’. Thats when they took me away. (107) In the beginning, Meursault is not sad about his mother's death, but the world believes that he should be mournful, and socially correct. When he caused a death, he wasn’t thinking of the consequences of killing someone, and also had no motivation behind it- Raymond wasn’t really his friend, and this goes back to Meursaults inability to make close bonds with others, and the fact that he is amoral, and cannot make the distinction between good and bad decisions. He simply shot the Arab because he had a gun in his hand, and had no remorse afterwards, much like he lacked sadness at the funeral of his mother. Once in prison, Meursault misses freedom, and his girlfriend, and daily normal life, but eventually doesn’t notice, instead opting to sleep the days away. When attempted to be convinced to believe in God, Meursault refuses. He sees the world as purely physical, with no social, emotional, or religious ties. Once he receives his death sentence, eventually his thoughts change, and he starts to care about life, and wants to fix his mistakes. “the right to considered an alternative hypothesis: [a] pardon” (114)His opinions about death and the pointlessness of live did not change, until he is faced with death. Death seems to follow him around, and it finally got him, and he then realizes it is too late to change. The theme throughout this, and what Camus articulated was that one does not believe in humanity until one faces death himself
DeAnna Stocker
1. Throughout the novel, Camus illustrates Meursault as an emotionally detached man. Beginning with this passage, Camus introduces Meursault’s nonchalant attitude and therefore begins to develop a careless, emotionless tone. When Meursault states, “That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday,” and neglects to exhibit any concern about how his mother died, the reader can determine that Meursault is more concerned about when his mother died than he is that she died at all (Camus 3). Soon after, it becomes apparent that Meursault not only does not care about his mother’s death, he does not care about anything in general. Even worse, Meursault appears to be incapable of experiencing any emotion, whether it be sorrow or love, and therefore often makes decisions that do not make sense.
For example, when narrating how Marie proclaimed her love for him and then asked if he feels the same, Meursault provides, “I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so” (35). At this point, it may appear that Meursault is simply not in love, not that he is incapable of love, but only a few pages later does he agree to marry Marie despite his lack of love for her. This enforces the careless tone of the novel by displaying how Meursault is willing to marry a woman he does not love for virtually no reason. He does not care that she loves him, and on top of that, he does not care that he would be entering a meaningless marriage that benefits no one. This carelessness he displays is evident once again when he decides to kill the Arab. When interrogated later on, the investigator asks him why he shot again at a body that was on the ground. Meursault states that, “Once again I didn’t know how to answer” (68). At this point, Meursault is coming to the realization that his utter lack of emotion appears monstrous to those involved in his trial. He does not know how to explain that he shot the Arab for a reason devoid of emotion. In fact, when he later claims he committed the act because of the sun, everyone laughs at him and it becomes apparent that he killed the Arab in cold blood. This contributes to the emotionless tone of the novel by emphasizing Meursault’s complete lack of emotion even after killing a man.
Overall, the careless and emotionless tone Camus adopts in just the first few sentences of the novel is significant to the story as a whole because it later contributes to Meursault’s realization that he will inevitably die and therefore should not worry about it. The carelessness Meursault displays through his relationship with Marie and murder of the Arab now adds to a higher meaning. It is not until he learns of his own execution that Meursault displays any fear, or any emotion whatsoever. For a while, he dwells on the idea of escaping from prison, and therefore escaping death; however, it soon occurs to him that there is no point in worrying about death because it will come for everyone. At this point, the purpose for the tone Camus adopts becomes clear: it is futile to worry about death when death is inevitable. Although Meursault feels that it is unfair to die by execution, he soon understands that he will die eventually anyway and this is when he learns to accept his impending execution. The careless tone Camus adopts and emphasizes through Meursault’s actions and beliefs enforce the novel’s message by conveying that it is meaningless to care about something one cannot control (death), and therefore should not allow it to consume one’s thoughts.
Christine Wieder
2. Throughout the novel, death remains present. The novel begins with the death of Meursault’s mother, develops with the murder of the Arab, and closes with Meursault’s impending execution. Through these instances, Camus articulates that everyone will die eventually, it is just a matter of when. He suggests that the universe, or a greater being as the chaplain insists, does not care what anyone does during his or her lifetime. Once someone is dead, whatever that person did no longer matters because he or she ceases to exist. The novel’s careless tone once again comes into play here. Like Meursault neglects to care about relationships or consequences, the universe does not care about a person’s life on Earth. This is what Meursault believes and holds firm to, regardless of how much the chaplain attempts to move him towards redemption in order to cleanse his soul for the afterlife Meursault does not believe in. This belief of nothingness after death also comforts him, as he realizes that when he is dead, it will not matter that he was a criminal.
In the final pages of the novel, Meursault states, “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself— so like a brother really— I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again” (Camus 122-123). Meursault earlier claimed that he believed life was meaningless, as it will inevitably end. Here, he’s comforted by the fact that he and the universe are on the same page. When death comes, it will not matter whether someone was a murderer or a saint because nothing of that person will remain, at least in his eyes. This idea comforts Meursault more so than the idea of an afterlife does because he realizes that death is not judgmental; it simply spares no one. Camus is articulating that death does not pick and choose, regardless of how much good or bad someone has done. He thrusts this belief on Meursault as well, comforting him in the days leading up to his execution. While the promise of an afterlife is what comforts many, the lack of one, and therefore the supposed lack of judgement, is exactly what allows Meursault to accept his death with open arms in the end.
Christine Wieder
Expanding on Will Alpaugh's response to the first question, while Meursault does exhibit fear regarding his death and the desire to escape and live his life, this feeling is short-lived. When the idea of death presents itself to him, Meursault obsesses over the possibility of escaping prison to avoid death; however, he soon accepts that it is useless because whether it be by execution or by natural causes, he will die eventually. In fact, he soon confesses, “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter,” emphasizing this acceptance (Camus 114). While he may no longer be careless and relaxed, he does display acceptance. He accepts that death is inevitable and that the actions he carried out in his life will not matter in the end. When he comes to this realization, it seems he reverts back to his previous careless mindset. However, it is not that he does not care about his life or what he’s done, it is that he realizes that he should not dwell on what he did or did not do, because once he is gone, it will not matter. Meursault’s time in prison and exposure to death are the one implement Camus employs to fully develop Meursault’s character. It is this experience that forces Meursault to consider his emotions and his actions, but it is also exactly what helps him accept that these things will not matter once he’s gone, allowing him to come to peace with his execution based on the idea that he will no longer be judged.
Christine Wieder
Meagan Ryer
1. The tone from the beginning of the story is nonchalant. To the reader, this appears to be odd because most people would not be calm after they just found out their mother passed away. Throughout the rest of the book, the narrator is extraordinarily relaxed in even the most stressful situations. It shows that overall, he is a relaxed, careless man who does not have strong feelings towards anything. Because of this, people do not understand him. The characters around him do not understand how he could not be affected by his mother’s death or how he is so accepting of it. In a way, it is taboo. For example, when Meursault was describing what he did not feel at his mother's funeral, the lawyer “found [him] slightly disgusting” (Camus 65).
The first few sentences set the tone for the whole novel. It illustrates the author was not emotionally attached to his mother. This is shocking to the reader, most people would be concerned about what day their mother died. Instead, the narrator just simply states he does not know. The lack of interest shows that he feels as if it is not worth finding out. It also conveys that he is not concerned with the details. He will settle with the bare minimum of information. Throughout the book, the narrator does not have any deep feelings towards anything or anyone. It is clear even from the first sentence that he is not emotional. For example, he states “By my heart felt nothing, and I couldn’t even return her smile” (Camus 105). Characters die, they love him, they try to make him happy or feel any type of emotion, but he is unable to feel anything towards them in return.
Furthermore, the first paragraph represents one of the themes throughout the book. The theme that human lives are meaningless. Throughout the book, the author states that all humans die at one time or another, it is just a matter of when. Life continues on even after a loved one dies. The quote from page 24 shows the outlook that Meursault has on life “...Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that really, nothing had changed” (Camus 24). To him, the day of his mother’s funeral was just another day. Now, he will go back to his everyday life. He does not feel emotionally different and his life is the same as it was before her death. Rather than death being treated like a tragedy, it is accepted as an unavoidable event.
Meagan Ryer
2. Camus follows several themes throughout the book that revolve around death. First, no matter whatever lifestyle someone lives, they will die. Whether one believes in God, if one is a killer, old, or young, death will happen eventually. Each one of these deaths is represented in the book. Meursault’s mother was old, he was young and the Arab who believed in God. Death is unavoidable and should be accepted as so. Second, there is no purpose in mourning over death. Meursault does not fret over the death of his mother, the killing of the Arab, or even his own execution. It is unique because not many people feel this way about death. Death is a word that sparks sad emotions. Most people are not accepting of death and would be deeply impacted by any type of death. Lastly, the book shows how random and unexpected death can be. None of the deaths in the book were expected. Meursault’s mother’s death was not expected because he did not talk to her often and did not even know how old she was. Meursault was not expecting to kill the Arab either. Meursault was also not expecting to be sentenced to death, but once he was he knew how to accept it.
Meursault states “But everybody knows life isn’t worth living. Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn’t much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living--and for thousands of years” (Camus 114). This quote illustrates how Meursault justifies death. Again, just as he did after his mother’s death, he refers to the fact that life still goes on. Only a few people are affected by a person's death, the others continue their everyday life and never even know of the death. As a whole, Meursault does not see the purpose in life. Perhaps this is why it so easy for him to see his loved ones die and for him to face death.
1. Initially, readers are able to perceive an indifferent and composed tone in this specific passage. As the passage continues, it becomes apparent the little remorse or connection the main character, Meursault, feels towards his mother’s death. For example, Meursault states “After all, I didn’t have anything to apologize for,” (Camus 3). This quote ties back to the tone by proving Meursault’s apathetic personality as he stares at his mother’s lifeless body. This tone set in the particular passage ultimately remains constant throughout the novel as Meursault interacts with other characters. For example, Meursault states “It didn’t mean anything, but I didn’t think so,” (Camus 35) when he is asked by Marie if he loves her. Once again the indifference Meursault portrays to other characters becomes distinguishable. Meursault does not show compassion or consideration towards to his own mother or even his so called wife to be.
The detached tone that unfolds beginning with the specific passage transitions at the end of the novel. Meursault is unfortunately faced with an inevitable death sentence after committing murder. For example, Meursault says “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world,” (Camus 122). The previous stated quote displays the newly developed insightful tone. Meursault starts to reflect back on his life and frets about death approaching him. He only hopes there would be someway to eliminate his death sentence. Additionally, the tone is conceivable when Meursault states “For the first time in a long time I thought about Maman,” (Camus 122). This quote represents the change in Meursault’s perception to others. He becomes aware of affection thrown his way. Overall, this realization changes the tone that was previously developed.
The tone is significant to the deeper meaning of the novel because it exhibits the change in Meursault’s values throughout the story. At first, Meursault does not connect with any character, which is shown in the specific passage mentioned. Meursault is speculated as a withdrawn character who misses life’s rapid change around him. His values are revolved around his day, not the people in his life or his future. However, once death is closer than he had ever expected, Meursault’s personality and values change. He begins to reflect back on past and look to what his future could have been. The switch in values produces the change in tone in the novel. This change is the important detail that lets readers experience the true meaning of the novel: death can change anyone.
Kristen Schmidt
2. Throughout the course of the novel, Camus uses humanity and death to reflect off of each other. Both elements play a major factor in novel including the point of view and tone. The first person point of view, given on account of Meursault, let’s readers step into his world. Meursault does not fully understand death nor does he grasp the beauty of humanity. He lives his life without compassion or ideas towards his future. The tone becomes apparent due to Meursault’s point of view. In the beginning of the novel, the tone is set as indifferent and detached. Meursault does not seem affected when his mother passes away and he kills the Arab. Overall, Meursault’s perspective displays to readers the connection of life with inevitable death.
Once Meursault hears the tragic news about his mother’s death, Meursault goes on with his life. For example, Meursault states “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed,” (Camus 24). The previous quote represents the tone of the story given in first person point of view. Meursault reveals his true feelings of little to no anguish about his mother’s death. Once again the tone of a nonchalant attitude towards others is shown. In addition, Meursault ignores death again when he worries about his job. For example, Meursault states “And, naturally, my boss thought about the fact that I’d be getting four days’ vacation that way, including Sunday, and he couldn’t have been happy about that,” (Camus 19). He is not thinking about the reason he had to take off days, for his mother’s funeral, or in the moment grieving his mother’s death.
Unfortunately, death strikes in Meursault’s life again. This time however, it is Meursault who commits murder. Meursault makes the irrational decision to fight the Arab who was hostile towards his friend Raymond. For example, Meursault says “Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving trace,” (Camus 59). This quote shows how Meursault responds to killing the Arab. He does not think about the consequences of killing a man. Not to mention he didn’t even think about how he took life away from a man who did not do anything to him. Again the tone of no remorse in first person point of view is seen just like when Meursault’s mother died. Meursault does not consider the true meaning of death or how he has changed humanity by taking a life.
Consequently, Meursault changes his perspective of death just as it looks him in the eye. Meursault begins to understand the importance of humanity and the unfortunate event of death. For example, Meursault states “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world,” (Camus 122). This quote is the point at which Meursault makes a realization of the connection of humanity and death. Camus uses the factor that humanity and death lay hand and hand with each other to propose the idea that no matter what life we live, death is inevitable. It may take death staring you in the eyes to appreciate what life has been to you like Meursault, but either way humanity is built on the fact death will soon come.
Kristen Schmidt
Replying to Christine Wieder’s first post, it is clear that he does not love Marie. There were several instances throughout the book where it was evident he does not love her. Specifically, on page 77 when he states “... I was tormented by my desire for a woman. It was only natural; I was young. I never thought specifically of Marie”. He thought about other women often which proves he did not love her. He barely thought or felt anything for her. As for why he would want to marry her, maybe he feels as if he will never come across something better. Meursault has a tendency to say yes in the moment, but overall it might have not been the right decision. He thinks she is beautiful, perhaps that is enough for him to marry a woman. The narrator never mentions his past lovers, so perhaps Marie is his first. At times, it seems as if he cares for Marie, other times, it seems he does not care about her at all. In some ways, he objectifies her by always talking about her breasts. Although she clearly knows he does not love her, she still wants to marry him. None of the characters understand Meursault, but she has learned to accept him. Acceptance could also be another reason why he wanted to marry her. Overall, they got along well for the little time they were dating, but as they saw each other less, he began to forget about her. On the outside of the prison walls, she was yearning for him.
Meagan Ryer
1
The way Albert Camus begins the novel is interesting, but very telling, and it sets a tone for the remainder of the novel. A short telegram from a retirement home stating that the main character, Meursault, had died - and all he shows even a little concern for is if it had been the day before or the current day. And even then, the concern is dismal. He'll attend the funeral, but not because he wants to - because it's the thing that makes sense in this context. A shallow look, a furtive glance, at this beginning passage reveals that Meursault was not close with his mother - a thorough read through of the novel reveals something more disturbing about our main character. The first thing to note is the detached tone that is displayed. "Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I Received a telegram from the retirement home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.' That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday" (Camus 1). All he does is give a description of what happened, a mere narration, not an ounce of emotion is portrayed in his reflection on what would be shocking news to most people. The detached tone carries through the rest of the novel as well. During the funeral process, things get more disturbing as the narration remains distant during such an emotionally pivotal experience. When he is asked if he wants to see his mother one last time, he refuses, only able to offer "I don't know" as an excuse (Camus 6). And he truly doesn't know - to him, seeing the corpse of his departed mother doesn't make any sense. Other actions by Meursault at the funeral which might seem odd to others include smoking with the caretaker, having coffee, falling asleep at vigil, and leaving immediately after burial. At the funeral we meet an old man named Thomas who seemed more emotionally attached to Meursault's mother than Meursault - he fights through his old age and pains to walk to the village to the point of collapse and cries profusely to the point where he doesn't even take notice of Meursault's presence (Camus 18).
The next case of emotional detachment can be seen with Marie, a woman he claims to have had "a thing" for (Camus 19). He meets her the day after the funeral at the beach, where he is spending his free time off of work. There they spend time together, and he keeps close physical contact with her the whole time, and even after telling her that his mother had died, going to see a movie with her, touching her and kissing her throughout (Camus 20). He does not state to have feelings for her, and the objectification of Marie is clear in his mind. She's attractive to him, and he wants her, but it's not love. The only way she is described as is beautiful, with "full breasts." The detached narration continues through the entire novel when recalling Maman or describing Marie or talking with supposed friends or even killing an Arab man on the beach. The lack of care given by Meursault towards everything is astounding and disturbing, as he repeats the line "it doesn't matter" to describe practically everything in the novel (Camus).
Throughout Camus' novel, the tone and point of view can be considered closely the same thing - detached. Never has a first person view point focused so little on what the narrator feels and instead the cracks and details in the world around them. IT's almost possible to forget that the novel is centered around death, as the narrator, Meursault, sees this phenomenon as simultaneously inescapable and insignificant to him. In he beginning, Meursault's mother is announced dead via telegram - yet his reaction is completely logical and dispassionate. "Maybe it was yesterday" (Camus 1). Meursault simply doesn't care - she's gone, she's been gone since he sent her to the retirement home, and even then he had ran out of things to say to her (Camus). This is the first case of Meursault simply not caring that another individual had died.
The second case is perhaps even more disturbing. It comes when he kills the Arab man on the beach. He takes a life and doesn't seem to care that he did it afterwards, or even offer an excuse other than the sun glaring in his eyes (Camus 103) as to why he shot a man five times while he was laying on the beach. Meursault had no reason to return to that spot on the beach, he had no personal quarrel with the Arab man laying there, it wasn't even his gun. But the sun bothered him, and he wanted the Arab to put down the knife that cast the bothersome glare, so he shot him. He reflects no remorse, no regret, for killing the man - only annoyance that he was confined.
The view of death, however, changes dramatically when Meursault himself is confronted with it. The prosecutor for his trial pushes very passionately that he is a deranged monster who needs to be killed for his crime. Meursault remains calm throughout the trial process, but when he learns he is condemned to death, he panics - searches for ways to escape death (Camus 108). Before now, he had looked at death as something inevitable that happened to other people - it didn't make a difference if they were thirty or seventy, the rest of the world kept on living (Camus). However, he has difficulty accepting this for himself at first - for once it seemed like a real, tangible thing he was going to meet with. He went as far as to point out the injustice of the justice system before finally accepting the penalty. The radical hatred of death can be best displayed in his emotional outburst on the Chaplain at the end of the novel - he displays emotion here for the very first time, raging and yelling in an outburst against death, against God, and the very concept of a deity, showing that once confronted with his own death, Meursault is finally able to care about something (Camus 120). The idea of dying disgusted him and repulsed him so much that he was able to break personality and display an emotion, even ones of hatred an disgust, and his thoughts at the closing of the novel reflect this; he only wished that the crowds hated him, and he acknowledged that he would be forgotten like he had forgotten Marie (Camus 123).
1. In the opening statement the narrator (first person narration by The Stranger’s main character Meursault) embodies a tone of indifference to his mother’s passing which highlights the arguably near sociopathic lack of empathy and emotion that characterizes him and develops the plot. Meursault tends to focus on physical and tangible details such as which day his mother died rather than the emotions or meanings such as her death itself. The opening statement also manages to highlight Meursault’s view of death as inevitable and trivial which shows up throughout the book. “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed.” (Camus 24) This quotation is another example of the detached mature in Meursault’s character and his indifferent and simple view of death.
In response to Meagan Ryer's second post, it's clear that Meursault did not accept his own death. While he did easily move past his mother's passing and his victim's murder, he couldn't stand the thought of dying. He hated it, he despised it, he wanted to escape from the cell that would hold him to the day the guillotine would fall. Not once anywhere else in the novel is he portrayed as even caring about his whereabouts, or how to leave them. he stays on a beach, knowing there are hostile, armed Arabs there to greet him. His mother dies, and he goes to the beach. But he's sentenced to death, and he snaps. He cries out against the injustice of the steel blade that would behead him, he rebels and refuses to see the Chaplain, a figure that could very well help him deal with the concept of death as he states having done for many others. And when finally confronted with the chaplain and therefore even the very idea of accepting death, he rages and screams and assaults the holy man, claiming that he knew just as much as Meursault himself that nothing mattered. It didn't matter if he repented now, it didn't matter if he died tomorrow. he would have died anyways. And while it may sound that here he accepts his own death as inevitable, it's that frustrating inevitability that leads him to the madness of yelling at the Chaplain, possibly throwing his last chance at life out the window, because the fact that nothing had mattered all along the way actually disgusts Meursault to the point of rage. He doesn't accept that, at least not in a healthy way - he hates his own death, presumably to the very end.
In the passage stated above, a reader may consider the tone to be dispassionate. Despite the sudden news about his deceased mother, the narrator was more thoughtful about the actual day of his mother’s death and funeral due to limited information: he openly states” It could have been yesterday” (Camus 3). According to the passage, the narrator has yet to show any emotion after reading the telegram. In the tragic event of a passed love one, one would be greatly affected by the situation; not only would a person be distraught to hear about the death, but also wanting to know how it happened.
Although such a tone would be taken as emotionless to a reader, it actually brings life to the character. It is demonstrated repeatedly that Mr. Meursault, the narrator and protagonist, has always been careless with each situation and person he involves himself with. One of the very few characteristics of him is the unenthused behavior towards anyone or anything because of his lack of interest. For example, the day after the funeral, the protagonist enjoys a swim at the public beach where he met Marie Cardona, a former co-worker he admires. Later that evening, they went to the movies and the topic of his deceased mother surfaced when Marie asked about his black tie. The narrator answers,”Maman had died”. She asked how long ago and he says “Yesterday” (20). Mr. Meursault quickly averted the conversation to continue the date, which eventually concluded at his home. A normal grief-stricken person would have stayed at home, reminiscing the memories of their passed loved one. Here, the reader notices an apathetic streak in the narrator, which continues throughout the course of the novel. Another example of the narrator’s shallow attitude for anyone takes place in a meeting with his lawyer. They were analyzing what causes might have influences him to kill the Arab which led to the question of a sign of grief for his deceased mother. At that time, the narrator responses thoughtfully, “I probably loved Maman, but that didn’t mean anything. At one time or another all normal people have wished their loved ones were dead” (65). It is very troubling to know that the narrator is very detached from anyone, including his girlfriend and mother, which ultimately enhances the drab mood of the novel. Another reason why the tone is important to understanding the novel is the distinction it adds to the series of drab events in the narrator’s life. Therefore the reader realizes a difference in the plot. Specifically towards the end of the novel when Mr. Meursault rages out on the chaplain: “Then, I don’t know why, but something inside me snapped. I started yelling at the top of my lungs, and I insulted him and told him not to waste his prayers on me” (120). This sudden outburst would not have been perceived as abnormal if the tone was not as consistent or tired throughout the novel. The reader now has a true sense the narrator’s dispassionate view on life.
Through the eyes of the narrator, there have been many deaths. The death of his mother, the death of an Arab by his hands, and the narrator’s own inevitable death. It seems as though Camus created this conflict to give the audience an unsettling vibe, which creates a depressing tone as the story progresses. In the narrator’s point of view, it is very difficult to visualize how he perceives the idea of death because he avoids being sentimental; however, Camus later reveals the strong connection of humanity and death.
In the beginning, the novel introduces the death of the narrator’s mother. Although he disregards any feelings, there is a constant reminder of his loss. For example, when Raymond had invited Mr. Meursault over for dinner to discuss matters concerning his mistress, the conversation veered to his mother’s demise. Raymond comments where that, “…he’d heard about Maman’s death but that it was one of those things that was bound to happen sooner or later.” to which the narrator replies, “I thought so too” (33). Here, Camus reveals someone else’s point of view on the matter of death. Raymond had found sympathy for Mr. Meursault and tries to cheer him up although the narrator has yet to express any deep feelings of loss. Another example of the narrator being reminded of his lost occurred while having an uninteresting talk with Salamano: “He said he supposed I must be very sad since Maman died, and I didn’t say anything” (45). Again, Camus introduces another friend offering condolence to the narrator. The point that Camus was establishing is that Mr. Meursault does not find great importance in the idea of death; he was indifferent to whether one lives or dies. It was not until later that he discovered that death was the end of all humanity. When the judge declared the narrator be executed, Mr. Meursault had much time to think alone. In his ifinal moments, he exclaims, “Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why. So did he … What did other people’s deaths or a mother’s love matter to me … The others would all be condemned one day. And he would be condemned, too” (121). The narrator grasps the concept that all of humanity are bound to one fate and that is death. He explains that whatever life style was chosen, we’d end up in the same way in the end.
2. In Meursault, his mother, and the Arab’s death, the tone plays between different tones, reactions, and views. The community around Meursault responds with emotion and represents a microcosmic view. Meursault himself sees death as inevitable and along with the idea that a single human life is trivial, views death around him and his own impending death in a more macrocosmic view. ‘She said, "If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church." She was right. There was no way out.’ (Camus 17) This statement “There is no way out” parallels Meursault’s view on death and it’s indubitablement. This underlying message mixed with a tone of absurdity reveals Camus’ existentialist beliefs and his simple and unemotional view of mortality.
1.) Through the unmoved demeanor and the apathy of the narrator, Meursault, he derives a very insensitive and detached tone for the start of the novel. The author, Albert Camus, use of short and simple sentence structures contribute to the apathetic tone, which creates a pessimistic mood for the reader. For what seemed like a very traumatic event, Meursault does not inject any emotion or remorse for the death of his own mother. After the passing of his mother he stated, "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing has changed." (Camus 24). This quote reveals that Meursault really has no grief, sadness, or disappointment of the passing of his mother, reactions that are, by society, characterized as normal towards this tragic event. He clearly and easily moved on. It is later understood that this is simply his personality. The narrator's disconnected tone is maintained throughout the entire novel. He is completely distant and impassive towards everyone he comes in contact with, even those who are recognized as close figures to Meursault. He fails to share any type of deep connection, reaction, understanding, or relation with anyone, and his indifference in the society's eyes, characterizes him as inhuman or a "stranger" of the human race. This contributes to the big idea and questioning of what truly defines humanity.
Throughout the course of the novel, Meursault's general passivity is revealed through his emotional detachment. It is apparent that he lacks goals or desires of his own. He lives life day by day, obtaining only his needs. Meursault acts, but without any reasoning or care behind his actions. Part two of the novel focuses on Meursault's trial after he is convicted of killing an Arab. Due to Meursault's lack of emotion the odds are not in his favor which is presented in the following quote, "...'Gentlemen of the jury, the day after his mother's death, this man was out swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, going to the movies, a comedy, for laughs. I have nothing further to say.'" (Camus 94). During the trial, he is constantly accused of not showing any remorse or sadness and therefore he is portrayed as cold-hearted and cruel. Also, in the following quote, "'Especially when the emptiness of a man's heart becomes, as we find it has in this man, an abyss threatening to swallow up society.'"(Camus 101), It is apparent that his abnormal behavior is posed as a threat to society, because he is viewed as "a monster, a man without morals." This again touches upon the true essence of what it means to be a part of humanity. Constantly Meursault is forced to by society to identify,interact, or express basic human emotions and behavior, but once he doesn't conform to these measures he is "inhuman". No one can accept that his view on the world is so radically different from everyone else's. Because his actions cannot be assimilated into social life, he is feared and labeled a stranger to society.
Sierra Jefferson
In repsonse to Kristen's post, as Meursault approached death it is not specifically pointed out that he understood the importance of humanity. Throughout the novel he remains the same detached standpoint even before jumping into death's arms. He understands and makes peace with death, but humanity he never truly accepted.
2.) In the novel, The Stranger, it revolves around the protagonist, Meursault, in the first person point of view to grasp a deeper understanding of the underlying theme of novel through his character. With his mother's death, he attends the funeral, but seems unmoved of the traumatic experience. Instead of displaying sadness or any sign of grief, Meursault takes more interest in his surroundings, expressing everything with great detail. It is evident that he is unmoved by the death of his own mother, and her death has little to no true significance for him. When on the beach with his friends, Raymond and Masson, it is apparent that Meursault doesn't actually have any motive behind his actions or any care of the outcome. When Raymond gives him the gun he comes to the understanding that "you could either shoot or not shoot." (Camus 56), it wouldn't really make a difference in his eyes. He offers to kill so nonchalantly which shows no sense of morals or stability. The loss of a life has no significance to him, which is also apparent when he actually kills an Arab. He passively describes the shooting saying, "the trigger gave;" (Camus 59). Meursault has taken away a life and still showed no sense of remorse or regret and still "knocks" four more times. He's so detached that the violent act of murder triggers no change in his emotion. It is clear that his failure to determine good choices from bad, without any care of consequences characterizes him as amoral, drawing him away from humanity.
It is during his trial that we pick up on a slight change in tone and mental perspective of Meursault as the conditions of his life are altered. During the trial, he is convicted of murder and sentenced to execution, but only briskly longs for his freedom. He then brings light of his situation realizing and expressing that at some point everyone faces the inevitability of death and states, "Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter...I had to accept the rejection of my appeal." (Camus 114). It is understood that Meursault is fed up with trying to exist in terms of society's ways of "fitting in". To end the novel, "..I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate."(Camus 123), it blatantly reveals Meursault's new view of freedom with a tone of acceptance and fulfillment. By facing the world's "cries of hate" and judgement, he realizes he will be realeased from their boundaries and will no longer have to live to their standards. Meursault comes to the understanding that life, for everyone, is meaningless. He later comes to the acceptance of his circumstances and he opened himself to "the gentle indifference of the world" (Camus 122), and gives up on hope. To Meursault, it is understood that humanity ,or life, is absurd due to the fact that society seeks rational structure when honestly, in his eyes, is nonexistent. Through Meursault, Albert Camus reveals the absurdity of humanity, or life, and Meursault, who comes to the understanding that after humanity, or the end of one's life, they will have no further signifigance, passively accepts death, rather it be of others or his own.
Sierra Jefferson
In response to Sierra's first question, I agree with your point about Meursault's "label" in society. It is very evident that Meursault is an outcast. He appears distant in the rapid moving world around him and once his trial comes, we see Meursault is not accepted. He is accused for not showing any emotion as stated above. This label Meursault is given leads me to question at what point do we as a society write people off as "outcasts". It seems that Meursault is written off for not being emotional, but is he really the murderer people claim him to be? I believe Meursault is a lost man who has a hard time expressing himself. Of course committing murder was wrong, but I think the only reason the crime occurred was because Meursault is an unstable man who felt threatened. Beside the murder, we see Meursault at his lowest point: right before his death. In this time of despair, Meursault shows his true feelings about death and his life. He thinks about the "what ifs" with Marie and wishes for one last chance. Unfortunately, Meursault's last chance does not come, but Meursault accepts his death. Overall, society might have been quick to right Meursault off as "inhumane" as Sierra stated, but I disagree with society's label, I believe his true label is "lost".
Kristen Schmidt
In response to Kristen's first post, it is clearly understandable that at the funeral, Meursault is physically there, but not mentally. He is plainly unaffected and numb to the fact that his mother, someone viewed as a significant figure to one's life, has died. By coming to the understanding that he's unmoved by the death of his own mother, doesn't bring that much surprise to me that he is completely detached from everyone. He lacks the ability to sustain strong bonds or relations with others, which is understood to be natural behavior for him. Through this behavior, Camus immediately reveals his indifference towards others and emotions, and when looking at the big picture, to society. Meursault's inability to display emotion or any type of natural social behavior draws him away from people. It is apparent that Meursault's indifference to society is viewed as a threat, because he doesn't intertwine with the fabrication of society. Meursault simply lives life day by day without any goals, accomplishments, or anything to actually look forward to. People cannot accept the fact that he may simply just be detached and expect from him to display certain reactions or characteristics in specific situations to maintain a society of structure and stability.
Sierra Jefferson
1. By opening with this passage, Meursault, a nonchalant, hopeless, simply uninterested character is established. Through the use of short syntax, and abrupt thoughts, the narrator embodies a callous, insensitive tone towards what should be an incredibly emotional moment for any consious human being, As the narrator goes on presenting the story with a straightforward attitude, it is apparent to the reader that Meursault is a matter-of-fact man who only seems to think about the exact details of events, while completely disregarding any actual feelings he may have. Following the opening passage, Meursault thinks, "The old people's home is at Marengo, about eighty kilometers from Algiers, I'll take the two o'clock bus and get there in the afternoon. That way I can be there for the vigil and come back tomorrow night" (Camus 3). These details that the narrator focuses on are minute in the reality of what just happened in the life of the main character, the loss of his own mother. Although this seems like it would be an unforgettable moment for any other person, Meursault seems to think of it as any other day. This is quite alarming to the reader, and in fact, reveals Meursault's true character that is present throughout the remainder of the novel, and the life-altering events that follow.
Similar to his emotionless demeanor presented after the death of his mother, Meursault feels no remorse after taking another man's life, even in the midst of his trial. In the second part of the novel, Meursault seems distant as the court decides his fate, often zoning out in the middle of the winded discussions between his lawyer and the prosecutor. Only for a short while does Meursault get annoyed by the arrogance of the prosecutor in the assumptions of his character when the lawyer states,"'But here in this court the wholly negative virtue of tolerance must give way to the sterner but loftier virtue of justice. Especially when the emptiness of a man's heart becomes, as we find it has in this man, an abyss threatening to swallow up society'" (Camus 101). This statement of the prosecutor eloquently provides insight into what has been troubling the narrator from the beginning, his own detachment from the rest of the world, and the overwhelming feeling that he is all alone in a society that doesn't understand him at all. This is evident when Meursault hears the lawyer referring to him in the first person, as Meursault says,"I thought it was a way to exclude me even further from the case, reduce me to nothing, and, in a sense, substitute himself for me" (Camus 103). Just as the reader believes Meursault will break his carelessness with a feeling of true emotion, he drifts off into his own mind, and commits to his own crippling thoughts.
At the end of the novel, the narrator reflects back on his life, and the events that caused him to be on the death penalty. He continues to believe that nothing matters in the end, and that nothing is significant because we all as humans have the same fate eventually, whether you lived a privileged life or an unlucky one. He comes to the revelation that, "Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why. So did he. Throughout the whole absurd life I'd lived, a dark wind had been rising toward me from somewhere deep in my future, across years that were still to come, and as it passed, this wind leveled whatever was offered to me at the time, in years no more real than the ones I was living" (Camus 120). In this moment, Meursault is in peace with the life he had lived, and accepts the fate he was committed to because in his eyes, everyone was eventually condemned to the same dark fate of death, regardless of how they lived out their own lives.
Cassandra Sedler
1.
In the highly acclaimed novel, “The Strangers,” the protagonist progresses, his thought process and mannerism through his detached, indifferent tone. In the opening line of the prose, the narrator receives the news of his mother’s death. However, unlike other characters introduced during the funeral scenes, he does not express any emotional distress or remorse, a characterization that contributes to his nonchalant tone. As an illustration, Meursault demonstrates his indifference towards his mother’s death by chronicling, “Mama died today.Or, yesterday, I do not know. I got a telegram from the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours” (Camus 1). Through a combinational use of telegraphic and medium sentences, he reports his mother’s death in a straightforward and dull mannerism, expressing a sense of detachment to the passing. Moreover, to further expand upon his impartial attitude towards his mother’s passing, his primary concern is the time in which the telegram was sent. In the opening paragraph, Meursault repeats phrases referring to the ambiguous time the telegram was sent, emphasizing his lack of disinterest. Through the course of the overall novel, he repeats a series of phrases referring to the ambiguous time the telegram was sent, emphasizing his lack of interest in the actual message. As he stated in the latter chapters,” But though I mightn’t be so sure about what interested me, I absolutely was sure about what didn’t interest me”(117). Through the course of the novel, he retains his relatively apathetic tone, causing a degree of alienation from the rest of the character. Because of this factor, he does not have any close relationships-friends, relatives, and lovers. For example, in an interaction between Meursault and Raymond at the beginning of their so-called “friendship”, he unemotionally states, “I said it was fine with me”(29). To the reader, the utter lack of enthusiasm for the association questions the authenticity of the relationship. The protagonist does not accept nor deny the proposal of friendship; rather, he merely allows Raymond to decide for him. Furthermore, when Raymond inquires the Meursault about writing a letter to the Moorish woman, he agrees only based on the request of his so-called “friend.” Uncaring about the reasons behind the letter, Meursault does not ask any questions behind the reasons of the message or about further knowledge. Instead, after Raymond asks “if [he ] mind doing [the letter ],” he states " I said no" (32), indicating a lack of caring for Raymond’s personal business. In conclusion, through the novel, the protagonist develops his apathetic tone through his mannerism and thought processes.
However, during the climax of the plot, there is a significant tonal shift as Meursault becomes more aware of his thoughts and feelings. While still retaining several aspects the original tone, it becomes involved in the overall narrative, emphasizing a significant difference between the two parts of the novel. Through the days leading to his execution, he contemplates the different possible scenarios of his appeal-rejection or pardon. As he stares out into the emptiness of his cell, Meursault permits himself “the right to considered an alternative hypothesis: [a] pardon”(114). Instead of his previously established mannerisms, he is overtaken by a sudden surge of “delirious joy”(114), appearing jocular at the perspective of living. He does not deny the fact of his jocular behavior, but rather acknowledges his feeling of possible freedom. Furthermore, as seen in Part 2, his reasons for formulating such plausible outcomes are that Meursault is genuinely concerned about his future. As he stated later to the Chaplin, he is afraid. In such a situation, where he is isolated from the rest of the world as his impending fate creeps to him, the protagonist imagines possible ways to escape death in a slightly fearful tone.
Megan Schupp
2. A major theme of The Stranger is the apparent notion that human life is meaningless in the end. In Camus' writing, death is not the emotional, unbearably sad event that happens at the end of one's life. Instead, it is presented in an indifferent, detached tone, and seems to have no effect on the lives it leaves behind. Nevertheless, death was the focus of the novel from the very beginning, as seen in the death of Meursault's mother, then Meursault taking the life of the Arab man, his guilty charge, and eventual fate of death in prison. Additionally, each event surrounding death represents a different view behind the meaning of death itself and the afterlife.
Meursalt approaches death with a nonchalant response, void of emotion and grief. It is also evident that he believes death is entirely physical, and is the complete end to one's life when the chaplain asked him, " 'Have you no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?' " (Camus 117). As a result of Meursault's lack of emotion, society rejects him, and treats him as if he has no soul because he fails to convey any form of grief in response to death. Similarly, Meursault feels no remorse after killing the Arab man, further puzzling the lawyers on his trial. Meursault later admitted,"I had waited. And to make sure I had done the job right. I fired four more shots, calmly, point-blank--thoughtfully, as it were" (Camus 99). This reveals that he viewed the death of a man in a chillingly calm manner, and planned in his mind the killing of the Arab, and made sure he had done it carefully. Evidently, he feels no remorse for his actions because he had planned to do it beforehand, and agreed to all of the wrongful things he was convicted of in court.
Finally, the most important event of death in the novel is the narrator's own fate under the death penalty. He wants to avoid his fate at every turn by listening closely for any guards ready to take him away at dawn, the usual time of execution, or refusing to meet with the chaplain. It wasn't until he finally met with the chaplain and went in a blind rage against the man's beliefs that he was at peace with his fate. This can be seen when he says, "But I was sure about me, about everything, surer than he could ever be sure of my life, and sure of the death I had waiting for me"(Camus 120). At the end of the novel, Meursault was finally content with what his life became, and what fate he had waiting for him. He believed death was inevitable, and unavoidable for everyone, and he in turn, accepted his own death. He at last admits to be happy for the first time in as long as he could remember when he says, "As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-- so like a brother, really--I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again" (Camus 123).
As a result, Camus articulates that humans avoid death at every turn, failing to recognize that it is unavoidable and they are all condemned to the same fate eventually. Ultimately, Camus presents an utterly dark philosophy in The Stranger that humanity is meaningless, and human life has no purpose in the end.
Cassandra Sedler
1. Reflecting on his mother’s death, Meursault thinks to himself, “For now, it’s almost as if Maman weren’t dead. After the funeral, though, the case will be closed, and everything will have a more official feel to it” (Camus 3). Meursault compares this event to a court case, which highlights his lack of sentiment with regard to her death. Throughout the entire first chapter of The Stranger, with specific attention to the introductory paragraph, Camus adopts an impassive tone through the use of short, disjointed sentences that convey Meursault’s inability to reflect deeply or exhibit emotions regarding significant events in his life.
The first chapter of the novel is the epitome of indirect characterization. By analyzing his thoughts, speech, and decisions, readers know almost instantaneously how detached Meursault is from other members of society. He consistently disregards society’s accepted norms and values, as seen through his lack of reaction to his mother’s death. For example, Meursault thinks, “That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday,” after reading information sent in a telegram (Camus 3). The sentence ‘That doesn’t mean anything’ stands out more than others surrounding it – taken literally, it is true that the telegram doesn’t provide much information; however, with a deeper interpretation, it represents how Maman’s death doesn’t mean anything to Meursault. It was simply an occurrence that he was informed about, and he feels no sorrow. In addition, as his friends walk him to the door at Céleste’s, he feels distracted because he “still had to go up to Emmanuel’s place to borrow a black tie and an arm band” (Camus 4). This demonstrates how Meursault is more concerned with and distracted by small things like his clothing and asking his boss to take off, and he puts almost no attention toward grieving his mother’s death. Because of his emotionless response to his mother’s death, Meursault embodies an impassive tone.
This sequence of events at the beginning of the novel is essential to a deeper understanding because it establishes the notion that Meursault is an unemotional, apathetic member of society who simply moves through life without thinking of his own or others’ emotions. When he murders the Arab for no apparent reason, or when he is unable to collaborate with his lawyer to yield a favorable verdict, the readers already have a sense of his inability to feel emotions and understand others. This understanding allows readers to better analyze Meursault’s behavior and why he was sentenced to death during the trial. In essence, the first few paragraphs of the novel and Meursault’s attitude toward his loss represent a theme of impassive behavior present throughout the novel.
Alex Thomas
1. This quote is the first demonstration of Meursault's general disinterest toward any issue, which closely ties with his preference for physical comfort over having a clear conscience. He did not know the day his own mother died, and he was annoyed by other people. His lack of emotion and inability to follow the general customs of society was the cause of the story's conflict, and the reason he was to die.
The best example of both his emotional and societal disconnect is when he attended his mother's vigil. "I drank the coffee. Then I felt like having a smoke. But I hesitated, because I didn't know if I could do it with Maman right there. I thought about it; it didn't matter. I offered the caretaker a cigarette and we smoked " (Camus 9). When revisited in the trial, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette next to a coffin is clearly against custom, and a deplorable action. Meursault briefly considered the morality of doing it, but quickly realized "it didn't matter" and he could do anything to be more comfortable. This scene also introduced the theme of Meursault placing his physical desires before anything emotional. Again at the vigil, after the other patients entered, a woman began crying. "The woman kept on crying. It surprised me, because I didn't know who she was. I wished I didn't have to listen to her anymore" (Camus 10). Even after he learned that she was crying because she was now completely alone, he was still annoyed by her overt display of emotion. Both of these scenes had a massive impact on the decision to put Meursault to death.
Now, the death that came about "because of the sun" (Camus 103). Meursault became involved in Raymond's ordeal, simply because he "figured it would save [him] the trouble of having to cook for [himself]" (Camus 28). That was how Meursault officially became Raymond's "pal." The relationship was solidified by Meursault's lack of interference in the "punishment" of Raymond's former girlfriend. Then he and Marie were invited to Masson's beach house, and it all went downhill. After the first confrontation, Meursault still had Raymond's gun when he went for a walk. He returned to where the initial scuffle was and found the man Raymond would have fought. He decided against turning around and going the other direction because "the throbbing sun was pressing on [his] back" (Camus 58). He then moved closer to the Arab, who pulled out a knife, and shot him because his "eyes were blinded behind the curtain of tears and sweat" (Camus 59).
Through the use of dispassionate diction and detached tone, Camus created a character who goes through the motions of life without caring much for anyone or anything, and dying because of it.
Covey Carpenter
2. Camus used the point of view of someone so detached from feeling, facing assured death, to articulate his ideas that nothing matters because everyone will die, and that there is not always a reason for something happening.
The first instance where Camus's ideas come into play is when Meursault must explain why he paused between the first and second shot. Meursault didn't know why he had paused, which was then used against him in the prosecution. The prosecutor claimed that he had fired the extra four as a way "to make sure [he] had done the job right" (Camus 99). Something Meursault had done for no reason, the prosecution convinced the jury that it was premeditated. This follows Camus's idea that man will try to explain something with reason when there is no reason behind it. Later on, Meursault's rant against the chaplain hinted at this idea. The way he said "what did his God... matter to me" (Camus 121) suggests that he sees religions as largely the same: ways to explain the unexplainable. The point of view gave the audience a way to experience the phases of philosophical realization that Camus believes a man on Death Row would go through.
In Meursault's tirade aimed at the chaplain, he launched a barrage of rhetorical questions, asking how anything could possibly matter when everyone is condemned to die eventually. The prevalence of death in Meursault's life, his mother's, the Arab's, and his own impending doom led him to the realization that everyone will die, and ultimately nothing matters.
In response to Alberto LaCava's first post, I agree with your interpretation of Meursaults response to the death of his mother, and also the fact that he is very focused on physical details, and not so much on emotions. However, I would disagree with your interpretation of Meursaults view of death as being trivial, as he seems to fear his own death, and regret his decisions that put him into prison. If his view of death was that it is a trivial thing, he wouldn't care about his own death. I also agree with that Meursault believes that death is inevitable, but that is a fact. Meursault is a very detached (emotionally) from the world, but is fully present, only physically.
In response to Covey Carpenter's second post, it is evident to me as well that Camus' main purpose in writing the novel was to portray his own philosophy of humanity and death through a seemingly emotionless, indifferent character that is facing the ultimate punishment for his wrongful actions: the death penalty. From the start of the story, Meursault searched for an exact date and time of his mother's death when he said, "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know" (Camus 1). He continuously focused on the minute details of an event. This need for planning could also be seen when Meursault paused after shooting the Arab once, and then shot four more times in order to ensure that he had actually killed the man. Like Covey mentioned, Meursault questioned the chaplain mercilessly, perhaps in order to prove to him that most of the time there is no exact explanation for circumstances, but instead, they must be accepted. Camus uses Meursault as the narrator and protagonist to illustrate that human life is meaningless because death awaits every human, and is ultimately inescapable.
Cassandra Sedler
2. The Stranger begins with the death of Meursault’s mother and Meursault's time spent the weekend of her funeral. When he arrives at the old people’s home in Marengo, the caretaker begins to open the casket so Meursault can see his mother one last time; however, he declines seeing his mother and instead is concerned with “beautiful late-afternoon sunlight” and the fact that “two hornets were buzzing against the glass roof” (Camus 7). Later in the novel, when Salamano informs Meursault that he didn’t find his lost dog at the pound, Meursault seems to show no concern for the lost dog, and he simply yawns as Salamano continues to talk about it (Camus 45). Lastly, even after killing an Arab for no apparent reason, Meursault feels no remorse and simply describes the event as “knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness” (Camus 59). Through Meursault’s initial encounters with death throughout Part 1 of the novel, Camus writes with an impassive tone in order to convey Meursault’s indifference toward these deaths.
Despite having frequent encounters with death, Meursault never truly reflects on the meaning of death until he is in prison waiting for his execution. For example, after being in prison for a few weeks, Meursault was “able to sleep during the day,” and had been getting “sixteen to eighteen hours a day.” In addition, he spent time eating meals and reading the story about the Czechoslovakian (Camus 79). He attempted to pass as much time as possible through sleep and distracting himself with meaningless activities; however, after he had been sentenced to death, he experienced a change in his daily routine. He spent countless hours thinking about his verdict; at first he considers trying to break out of the prison, but then he finally understands that death is an inevitable action that will happen to everyone. He decides that “since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter” (Camus 114). For this reason, Meursault denies his right to appeal and realizes that he has always been happy.
Through a first person point of view of Meursault’s life, the readers understand that dramatic change that he undergoes from his former life to his time in prison. Camus uses Meursault’s personal story to demonstrate a relationship between humanity and death. For example, as Meursault is contemplating his death sentence, he decides that the world is indifferent to the lives of humans and that there is not much meaning to life (Camus 123). Camus conveys that because death is inevitable, and it does not matter how or when somebody dies, life does not have meaning and the world is not concerned with the lives of humans. Meursault’s indifference to humans parallels the world’s indifference to humans, which is why he says the world is “like a brother” (Camus 123).
Alex Thomas
Carlie Fox
2. The novel, as a whole, is a symbol of death. Starting with his Maman’s decease and ending with his own obliteration, Meursault is surrounded by the idea of death. The overall nonchalant and sober tone of the novel assists the overall theme of dying and withering away to nothing. The first person point of view carried throughout the novel is a key component to the reader understanding the narrator’s viewpoint of live versus death, and the difference between wanting to live and just living. He never takes into account the serious effects death can have on a person, and he never truly understands what it means to die. When his Maman passes away, he feels indifferent as if nothing had happened. When conversing with his neighbor, Salamano, he is asked about how he feels about his Maman’s passing, “He said he supposed I must be very sad since Maman died, and I didn’t say anything” (Camus 45). This small portion of the lengthy conversation they had shows how he felt nothing towards his Maman’s death, almost as if he were just shoving the idea behind him. His Maman’s death is brought about throughout the whole novel, even towards the end when he is put on trial for murdering the Arab. The prosecutor explains to the jury,”Gentleman of the jury, the day after his mother’s death, this man was out swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, and going to the movies, a comedy for laughs. I have nothing further to say” (Camus 94). This acclamation by the prosecutor further exemplifies the fact that Meursault did not have a mourning bone in his body.
The whole idea of death and the concept of humanity is a shattered concept when it came to the narrator. After his Maman’s death, the narrator broadens his horizon and moves on with his life. When he shoots the Arab on the beach, it is as if he thought his life would go on as normal. He did not think of the consequences of shooting a man, he did not think about him being a cause of death. When Meursault goes to prison, it is as if he had lived there his whole life,"At that time, I often thought that if I had had to live in the trunk of a dead tree, with nothing to do but look up at the sky flowing overhead, little by little I would have gotten used to it” (Camus 77).The imagine the narrator creates of Meursault lying upon a dead tree helps the reader feel that he is gazing upon his life, thinking about his past and not feeling indifferent about it in the slightest bit. When put on trial, Meursault faces the fact that he had become a murderer with ease, as if it did not mean anything. The following quote is spoken as Meursault is leaving his trial, "On my way out, I was even going to shake his [the policeman's] hand, but just in time, I remembered that I had killed a man” (Camus 64). This quote proves that the narrator does not see the difference between humanity and death.
Finally, when the time had come for Meursault to be executed, he finally realizes what the meaning of humanity is. What death is. The narrator demonstrates that he finally realizes his fate when he compares his life to a swirling river. "But all the long speeches, all the interminable days and hours that people had spent talking about my soul, had left me with the impression of a colorless swirling river that was making me dizzy” (Camus 104). He sat for days listening to all the mistakes he had made in his life, and it made him dizzy realizing how he spent his life for the past how many years. When the Chaplain asks him ,”Have you no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?”, Meursault replies. “Yes” (Camus 117). It seems that his whole life was leading up to his execution. When he finally loses it and uncaps the lid on the bottle of his emotions, he proclaims,“ How had I not seen that there was nothing more important than an execution, and that when you come right down to it, it was the only thing a man could truly be interested in?” (Camus 110).The overall nonchalant tone of the novel is torn by the end of the story.
1) Through this passage and throughout the novel, Camus establishes a detached and disconnected tone. The insertion of this passage in the beginning of the novel initiates the tone for the rest of the book. The passage introduces Meursault's emotional indifference. In this example, the reader is led to believe that Meursault was not close with his mother, as the narrator does not show a reaction to his mother's death. Furthermore, when Meursault was in a relationship with Marie, he was unwilling to connect with her, which became a common theme for Meursault. In the quote, "A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that I didn't think so," (Camus 35) this shows Meursault chooses not to commit himself with Marie. Meursault isolates himself and does not allow himself to make an impact on other people's lives. Another quote that represents this is, "I didn't say anything, because I didn't have anything to say." (Camus 42) This quote shows the careless side of Meursault. Often, he was incoherent and did not trouble himself by caring about others and did not desire to make an imprint on anyone's life. Again, the reader is able to see the detached and disconnected tone when Meursault is sentenced to death.
Throughout the novel, the tone leads to a deeper understanding of the novel because it allows the reader to know what Meursault is thinking. The detached, disconnected and careless tone allows the reader to know why Meursault thinks the way he does. Meursault believes that death is inevitable. Due to this type of thinking, the reader understands why he was unaffected or bothered by his mom's death. Again, he was eventually unaffected when he realized he could not avoid the inevitable; his own death.
Carlie Fox
1. Throughout the novel, the narrator fabricates a negligent and nonchalant tone. This becomes evident to the reader within the first few lines. The opening quote portrays the narrator as having a depressing and almost calm attitude. Camus begins the novel in this way to help the reader understand that the protagonist, Meursault, is a very distant and unattached man when it comes to not just his mother, but everyone he meets. The opening statement proves that Meursault was not close with his mother, and that he did not really have any emotion towards her passing. Meursault exclaimed,” "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed” (Camus 24). This quote shows just how nonchalant Meursault’s attitude is and how calm he was about his mother’s death, stating that he felt nothing had changed. This shows how he felt death was almost an ordinary part of his life.
As the novel progresses, Meursault meets new friends and his girlfriend, Marie. His attitude towards his new relationships is similar to his attitude towards his mother in that he shows no emotion towards those he cares about. The opening statement helps prepare the reader to realize that Meursault is a very monotoned and nonchalant man. Much like his relationship with Maman, he keeps himself emotionally detached from Marie. "She was wearing a pair of my pajamas with the sleeves rolled up. When she laughed I wanted her again. A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that I didn't think so. She looked sad. But as we were fixing lunch, and for no apparent reason, she laughed in such a way that I kissed her” (Camus 35). Meursault is depicted as being an almost love deprived predator, wanting her sexually but not mentally. “I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings” (Camus 65). This quote shows how emotionless Meursault is throughout the whole novel, and how incapable he is of loving someone. The narrator seems to show no compassion towards anyone he cares about, starting with his Maman and ending with himself. The negligent tone created by the narrator is essential to the big picture of the novel in that Meursault is not able to feel empathy for anyone or anything, even when he is looking death in the eyes.
All in all, the nonchalant tone is essential in understanding the novel as a whole, as it helps the reader know that the the narrator views life as almost trivial, and the relationships he comes by as unimportant.
Question 1
In the translation by Matthew Ward which I read, the novel begins in a slightly different fashion. The opening paragraph reads, “Maman died today. Or yesterday, maybe, I don’t know. I got a telegram from the home: “Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.” That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday” (Camus 1). While subtle, the difference has a major impact on the way I viewed the story. In the translation given by the question, the narrator appears frustrated with the sympathy and lack of clarity presented by the telegram, whereas in my translation he sounds disconnected and thoughtful. In the question’s quotation, the narrator takes an active interest in the telegram by describing how it impacted him (it “tells him nothing”). My narrator, on the other hand, steps out of the scene by remarking only on the value of the telegram and refraining from describing its impact.
This disconnected, impassive tone continues throughout the novel. When he discusses moments of high tension, the narrator switches between his dazed or dizzy state at the time of the events and an objective hindsight examination of his actions. For example, when describing his murder of the Arab man, Meursault explains that “[he] knew that it was stupid, that [he] knew [he] wouldn’t get the sun off [him] by stepping forward. But [he] took a step, one step, forward” (Camus 59). By giving this context for the subsequent events, the narrator shows that he was fully aware that his actions were nonsensical, yet he proceeded, stating, “All I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead and, indistinctly, the dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of me... That’s when everything began to reel” (Camus 59). The narrator tries to present himself as thoughtful, rational, as a man not given over to impulsive decisions. Yet it becomes apparent in moments such as this that Meursault, like any other mortal, has desires which he fails at times to keep in check.
Thus the reader is presented with the running theme of the book, that is, the impossibility of impassivity. The chaplain’s lecturing and badgering cause Meursault to give “cries of anger and cries of joy” (Camus 120) as he attacks the man because those very admonitions proved to him that the world didn’t care. The chaplain opened the narrator’s mind to “the gentle indifference of the world” (Camus 122) and the narrator found it paralleled his own. As the book concludes, the remote pensivity of the narrator in the introduction is paralleled by the thoughtlessness of fate and circumstance, so that though our narrator cannot disconnect from events of the world, the world can disconnect from events within this: one stranger’s mind.
~Abigail Burnett
Question 2
When examining the ideas of human mortality, Camus presents a harsh reality to his readers: individual deaths have no importance. The novel opens with a short, impersonal telegram which reports the death of Meursault’s mother in much the same way it might have reported the weather forecast. Meursault himself shows as much emotion over the death as that telegram writer, and indeed does not display a particularly loving attitude towards his mother over the duration of the novel. He acknowledges that he “didn’t know the exact number [of his mother’s age]” (Camus 16) and, even during the trial proceedings, admitted that he had behaved indecorously when he “[offered] the caretaker a cigarette” (Camus 90) during the viewing. Two words of that last sentence, “behaved” and “indecorously,” when taken apart, illustrate the conflict between humanity and death that Meursault finds himself confronted with.
During and after his mother’s death, the narrator behaves in a way that he finds pleasurable, with his focus on continuing on with his life rather than properly mourning. Rather than following the strictures of society at the time, which would require him to put his life on hold for a number of days only for the sake of propriety, he considers his position as a whole and concludes that his time would be better spent elsewhere. His cool rationalization of this decision contributes to the impassive tone discussed in the first question; to those about him, Meursault appears to lack empathy for both his mother and the Arab whom he kills.
It appears to me that Meursault is not without human emotion, rather, he prefers to succumb to it honestly rather than within the confines of social norms. Social norms dictated for him a period of mourning, yet he instead went out “swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, and going to the movies... for laughs” (Camus 94). After he murdered the Arab man, he cared only about the heat and, when that issue was alleviated, about his own boredom; never did Meursault take the time to make a dishonest repentance to the judge or the chaplain because he saw no benefits of putting on airs in this fashion. From his perspective, his mother’s death lacked consequence on a cosmic scale, and the death of the Arab mattered only so long as “there [is] a large crowd of spectators the day of [his] execution and... they greet [him] with cries of hate” (Camus 123). Only then will the death have impacted both the way others must behave and the way they must feel, creating a permanent memory to be lost within a generation.
~Abigail Burnett
To comment on Holden Tatlow's post on Meagan's post, yes, at first Muersault did not accept death. He was fearful of dying. He was also hopeful that something might change or that his execution would fail. But ultimately in the end, he learned to accept his death and realize it is apart of life. To provide context for this interpretation, on page 122 Muersault states "As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself—so like a brother, really—I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again" (Camus). Again, this is the time where Muersault had his realization. He was blinded by the rage of being sentenced to death. He did not think it was just and he did not think he deserved it. But after a while, he came to accept that the universe was random, and these things happened without a clear reason. At this time, he fully understands that death is unavoidable. And in his final words, he states he was happy. By stating this, he shows that he was content with his life as a whole, even if it means he must die.
Replying to Will's second answer
While I completely agree with everything leading up to it, I would have to disagree with Will's analysis of Meursault facing his own death. I see Meursault's final thoughts as showing the "rebirth" that he had just gone through instead a delusional attempt at making himself feel better about his final days. The key part of the final chapter is when Meursault snaps at the chaplain and what he thinks afterward, and I believe that the ideas Meursault has in this scene are the reason Camus wrote the book.
In Albert Camus’ book, The Stranger, the first page of the book indirectly details the fate of the story, and subsequently Meursault. The tone the narrator embodies in this passage is a remorseless tone that is used to connect the end of the book to the very beginning. From the dawn of the book, Camus is seeking to illustrate Meursault as a rational mind amid a sea of hypocrites, “I didn’t have anything to apologize for. He’s the one who should have offered his condolences” (Camus 3). This tone has less to do with foreshadowing the fact that people would soon be demanding his condolences for his mother’s death, but the tone clearly points to existentialism. Camus’ end goal in this whole book is to create an existential tone, which fits perfectly with Meursault’s quest to find meaning in life.
Throughout the book and first passage, there was an uncanny relation between the existentialism in The Stranger and For Whom the Bell Tolls. In both books, there is a sense of detachment and mystery regarding life and its meaning. In the beginning this existential tone is used to set up the situation of a person bestowed with personal tragedy, who is then cursed with unseen circumstances, and then finds the worthless, yet abundant meaning in life. “I asked my boss for two days off and there was no way he was going to refuse me with an excuse like that.” (Camus 3). In this quote, Meursault introduces the ironic twist where people would allow him to take liberty with how he mourns his mother’s death though he is later criminalized for not mourning. This irony perplexes Meursault, who is looking for a consistent and apparent explanation for people’s behaviors, only to find that other people live in an absurd world where a meaning of life is unclear, or never sought after due to a satisfaction with religious explanations.
Later in the book this idea is put on trial. “What he read was that I was an honest man, a steadily employed, tireless worker, loyal to the firm that employed him, well liked, and sympathetic to the misfortunes of other.” (Camus 104) This idea of tireless devotion to a meaningless cause is the quintessential point of Camus’ view of existentialism. That with hard enough work and devotion to any task, meaning could be deprived. In the book this existential tone is used to cement this point, it used to clearly point out Meursault’s meaning in life, and it is what classifies Albert Camus as one of the great existential writers, among Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
-Jack Ogozaly
Question 1:
In the opening passage of the novel 'The Stranger', it seems as if the narrator portrays an indifferent and carless tone. The narrator, Meursault, does not necessarily express signs of sympathy or compassion while elaborating on Maman's death. He simply states nothing other than factual information, and expresses how the information confuses him. Due to the lack of emotion that is portrayed in that passage, it becomes apparent that Meursault is in fact a negligent and careless person. This information is significant to the rest of the novel though, for it gives the reader an extensive understanding on Meursaults choices and thoughts.
For example, it is understood that Mersault did not visit Maman at her nursing home very often. He explains "that's partly why I didn't go there much this past year. And also because it took up my Sunday -- not to mention the trouble of getting to the bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling" (Camus 5). This quote is an ideal representation of the tone of the story. It shows how Meursault was being completely self indulgent, for he was only focused on the fact that it would be a detriment to his time and schedule. He did not care about Maman nor did he pay heed to her feelings. The reader can infer that these absentminded tendencies are not temporary, for they flow throughout the whole book. For example, after Maman's funeral, Meursault exclaimed that it occurred to him "that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed" (Camus 24). It is evident that Maman's decease had no effect on Meursault, because he felt no remorse after her funeral. He even claimed himself that everything would have been the same, regardless if she died or not. This is another way the narrator portrays the tone. Furthermore, the indifferent tone is also manifested by the conversations Meursault had with others. For example, when Meursault invites his partner, Marie, out to dinner, she says that she would like to, but is forced to reject for she has something else to do. Meursault then begins to say farewell to her, and that is when she looks at him in a peculiar way. She asks him "don't you want to know what I have to do?" Meursault then says to himself "I did, but I hadn't thought to ask, and she seemed to be scolding me" (Camus 42). Meursault even claims to be confused by all this. He is so self indulged that he never seems to care about what others are doing or what they have in mind, which is why it so hard for other characters in the book to truly understand him. For example, when Meursault expressed his lack of feelings for his mother and her death to his lawyer, Meursalt says that "he gave me a strange look, as if he found me slightly disgusting" (Camus 65).
The novel as a whole is dry and emotionless. At first, it is difficult for the average reader to grasp anything Meursalt is trying to express, due to the indifferent tone he embodies throughout the novel. However, once the tone becomes apparent, it is easier for the reader to understand Meursalt and his careless ways.
1. In the selected passage of the first chapter, Camus develops a carless and detached tone. He displays a lack of emotion regarding the death of his mother and is not even certain what day her death occurred. This is rather shocking because the reader would expect in any other case, a wide range of emotions involving the death of a family member- especially a mother. "The woman kept on crying. It surprised me because I didn't know who she was. I wished I didn't have to listen to her anymore." (Camus 10) Meursault shows no sympathy at the funeral in the diction of the passage and tends to be distracted by irrelevant details instead. His thoughts are abrupt yet straightforward developed through short syntax. He often focuses on small details of events and not the emotional reactions or feelings involved. This develops a careless and detached tone later seen throughout the novel as Meursault's true nature and beliefs are further examined.
Like the emotionless reaction to his mother's death, Meursault has the same mind set after he kills the Arab. "Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace." (Camus 59) He acts irrationally and does not show remorse for what he has done. When the trial begins his carelessness catches up with him, but Meursault still appears detached from reality. "The director then looked down at the tips of his shoes and said that I hadn't wanted to see Maman, that I hadn't cried once, and that I had left right after the funeral without paying my last respects at her grave." (Camus 89) Meursault's actions in the first passage regarding the death of his mother had at last caught up to him. In prison he finally realizes death is inevitable. Death is seen as an unavoidable fate. The careless and detached tone was critical to a deeper understanding of the novel as a whole because it fully displayed Meursault's true nature. Therefore like Meursault, the reader is left to truly question the meaning of life and death.
Carly Pfaff
2) The author has a very unique interpretation of death. Within the novel, the author recognizes death as inevitable and something that should be accepted. Many people see death as a catastrophic event and a complete tragedy. However, in this novel Camus portrays his main character, Muersault, to show that death is something that has little affect on him and he realized that death is something that will come. "Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why. So did he. Throughout the whole absurd life I'd lived, a dark wind had been rising toward me somewhere from deep in my future, across years that were still to come, and it passed, this wind leveled whatever was offered to me at the time, in years no more real then the ones I was leaving." (Camus 121) This speaks to the negative thoughts that Muersault brings to the novel. He sees death as something that is unavoidable.
"Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter." is another quote that shows the unique perception of the author. This quote shows that the author, relaying his message through Muersault, does not care when or how he dies. This goes against what most people are like, which makes the point of view so unique. Overall, tone played a role in these quotes because the novel read as having a very detached and careless attitude. The tone shaped these quotes because the tone stayed the same throughout the novel; death is something that will happen, and you have to accept it.
In reply to Cassy's second response:
While I agree that Camus presents death as an inevitable, hopeless condition to which humanity must eventually succumb, it appears to me that the narrator examined the importance of each death based on how it affected the lives of others. His mother, for example, had few friends, and so he was quick to dismiss the event and to focus on “the fact that {he’d] be getting four days’ vacation that way, including Sunday, and [his boss] couldn’t have been happy about that” (Camus 19), and what he intended to do with said vacation. Conversely, the Arab’s murder creates a stir among the various lawyers and media folk, since the trial occurs right before another particularly dramatic trial. For this reason, the narrator seems less inclined to dismiss the death as irrelevant or meaningless. When finally he must come to terms with his own impending execution, then, Meursault “[opens] himself to the gentle indifference of the world” (Camus 123), not because he cannot evade death but because no one cares whether or not he does so.
~Abigail Burnett
1. In the opening passage, Camus establishes an inattentive and thoughtless tone. When the narrator states that his mother dies, he does not suggest any feelings of sadness, as he simply states in an indifferent manner the message of the telegram. As opposed to showing concern for the fact that his mother died, he is more concerned with the date that she passed. Because of this, the reader can infer that the narrator does not have a deep emotional connection with his mother, and is not greatly affected by her death. It is highly important that the reader understands the detached basis of Meursault’s character, as it contributes to the understanding of the novel as a whole. As the reader continues on throughout the book, he/she discovers that in addition to a lack of emotional connection with his mother, Meursault lacks an emotional connection to anyone and anything. For instance, while Raymond is explaining his problem with his so called “mistress”, he pauses to ask Meursault what his opinion on the matter is. Meursault states that, “I said I didn’t think anything but that it was interesting” (Camus 30). Meursault continuously displays a lack of opinion and he never has anything to say when asked. Until he is put on trial, he seems to have no emotional response to any situation imposed upon him. This includes his relationship with Maria. When she asks Meursault if he loves her he states that, “I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t love her” (Camus 40). The reader is provided with yet another example of the narrator’s inability to display any emotional association, even in an instance when a character is showing a deep connection towards him. In addition, Meursault openly admits to the readers that he does not feel much remorse for killing the Arab (Camus 96). Even when faced with the fact that Meursault himself killed a man in cold blood, he still does not feel any bit of regret or guilt for his actions. He does not feel sorrow or sympathy for the Arab who lost his life.
Meursault’s emotionally detached and distant personality contributes to a major component
of the novel. The indifferent tone that Meursault adopts toward emotion, particularly in the first passage of the book, demonstrates that the narrator sees no value in life. The
fact that the narrator is emotionally unaffected by his very own mother’s passing introduces the idea that life does not have value, as everyone will eventually die and no one will remember them. Meursault’s distant personality reinforces this notion. His inability to show emotional connection towards anyone or anything in the world reflects the idea that it is not worth the time and energy to care towards anything, as death is inevitable and any emotional feelings during life will die with our bodies. Overall, the indifferent and careless tone established in the first passage of the novel reveals Meursault’s emotionally disconnected personality, therefore allowing for an understanding of the widely reinforced notion throughout the novel that life, in essence, has no value.
Kelly Donah
2. Throughout the novel, death continues to play an important role in the plot. The novel begins with Meursault’s mother dying, then Meursault murdering an Arab, and then finally Meursault himself being executed. The narrator views the first two instances of death as though it does not matter. He remains unaffected due to the indifferent tone surrounding his personality. It is not until he himself is sentenced to death, that he expresses any level of opinion or fear upon the matter. As the novel closes with Meursault’s execution, Camus concludes that just as life is normal, death is also. It is inevitable; therefore, life holds no value.
Meursault is unaffected by the first two instances of death as a result of the unemotional tone that is the basis of his personality. However, Meursault’s own experience of his sentence to death reveals the main relationship between humanity and death intended by Camus. Meursault begins his days on Death Row trying to find a way out of death. He states, “All I care about right now is escaping the machinery of justice, seeing if there’s any way out of the inevitable” (Camus 103). It is at this point in the story that the reader discovers the author’s idea that death is inevitable. As Meursault continues to await his death he ponders the idea of the guillotine. He states that he always thought in order to get to the guillotine, you needed to walk up stairs onto a platform. He then goes on to state, “In reality, the machine was set up right on the ground, as simple as you please” (Camus 106). Meursault’s misconception about the guillotine parallels many people’s thoughts toward death. For many, death is seen as a complicated and unordinary, when in reality it is a very simple and normal event throughout the course of humanity. Finally, as the chaplain tries to convince Meursault to believe in God, he comes to the conclusion that as a result of the fact that death is inevitable, life has no value. While yelling at the chaplain Meursault states, “What did other people’s deaths or a mother’s love matter to me; what did his God or the love 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 brothers?” (Camus 115). In other words, Meursault knows that he, along with everyone else in the world, are destined to the same fate: death. As a result he wonders why anything experienced in life matters as long as it is known death will inevitably overcome life. In his final days, Meursault realizes that life is insignificant due to the fact that death is inescapable.
Kelly Donah
2. Throughout the novel death is seen as a reoccurring idea whether it was the death of Maman, the Arab, or even Meursault's inevitable upcoming death. The use of first person point of view is critical to the novel as a whole. It allows the reader to take a direct glance into Meursault's mind set involving life and death. It is through first person point of view that the reader is able to see the lack of emotion and feeling from Meursault. Meursault does not display his emotion clearly to the reader, rather he keeps it hidden. As well as that, the first person point of view contributes to the underlying tone of the novel. An indifferent tone is displayed throughout the progression of the novel as it moves from the first passage to the last. Meursault does not show even the slightest bit of sympathy regarding his mother's death nor the murder of the Arab. It appears to the reader there is something keeping Meursault disconnected from the reality of death and the consequences it has. He does not look to find happiness or better his life. Instead he moves on with life not really paying attention to the big picture.
Through the novel, an important theme is expanded on involving the significance of human life. "Do you want my life to be meaningless? As far as I could see it didn't have anything to do with me, and I told him so." (Camus 69) This quotation clearly states Meursault has no regards in his answer involving the value of life.
Meursault changes his perspective surprisingly just as death appears ever so close. He wants to at first avoid his execution as hope spirals into Meursault's mind. "Despite my willingness to understand, I just couldn't accept such arrogant certainty." (Camus 109) It seems as if Meursault can not come to terms with the decision. Once Meursault meets with the Chaplain however an epiphany occurs. "As if that blind rage had washed me clean, ride me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world."(Camus 122) At last Meursault has come to terms with his fate. He realized death was inevitable. Humans can't avoid their death and it is necessary to come to terms to that inevitable truth. The novel in essence is stating all humans will meet death. This essentially means humanity is meaningless in the novel. It is through first person point of view as well as the indifferent tone of the narrator that the relationship between humanity and death is conveyed to the reader.
Carly Pfaff
1.Camus opens the book with these short sentences and simple diction to create an indifferent tone to develop the characterization of the narrator, Meursault. It is made clear throughout this opening passage that Meursault is not greatly upset by his mother’s passing which indicates to the audience a lack of intimacy. If he was not too attached to his own mother, he probably has a difficult time connecting to people emotionally. Throughout the novel, the readers realize that Meursault can understand the physical aspect of a relationship. His relationship with Marie seems decent because he finds her beautiful and they share physical intimacy, but when she asks him to marry her he replies, “I explained to her that it didn’t really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married” (Camus 41). This distant attitude of the character contrasts the expectations society has of a human being. One of his neighbors mentions that people were starting to think badly of him for sending his mother away and for not appearing sad by the situation. Later on in the story, when Meursault is sentenced to death the chaplain visits Meursault to convince him to turn his life over to God. He says all men in his position do, but Meursault maintains his indifferent attitude even to the end and will not be influenced. The fact that the chaplain responds with, “ ‘No, I refuse to believe you! I know that at one time or another you’ve wished for another life’ ”(Camus 119) shows that he, along with everybody else could not understand someone not having a trace of
sympathy and compassion, and not feeling any regret towards committing a murder.
This theme of society’s expectations of human behavior and emotions is repeatedly introduced throughout the novel, and this is used to foreshadow the result of the main event at the end of the novel. For example, what seemed like unimportant actions were crucial to the plot, “Then I felt like having a smoke. But I hesitated, because I didn’t know if I could do it with Maman right there. I thought about it; it didn’t matter. I offered the caretaker a cigarette and we smoked” (Camuse 8). The verdict most likely would have been different if Meursault showed good morals and more humane characteristics. In the prosecutor’s speech he focused on Meursault’s emotional response to his mother’s death, and how he went out on a date to a comical movie with Marie the next day, instead of the crime itself. To conclude, the tone Camus develops in the beginning passage is extremely significant to the novel because the small details and actions Camus includes to make up Meursault’s personality are what leads to Meursault’s downfall, instead of the major action, the murder, which the audience assumes would be his biggest mistake.
2. In the beginning of the novel, Camus introduces Meursault’s views on death immediately. Meursault is clearly not upset by the death of his mother and the fact that he goes on a date the next day and moves back into his regular routine without grieving shows that he sees no point in dwelling over death. He understands that it is inevitable and it eventually comes to everybody. Later on in the story, when Meursault is making direct eye contact with the Arab on the beach, he has no reason to shoot the gun at him other than the sun being hot. This shows that he is not concerned with the consequences and the fact that a man lost his life because of him, and that others may be affected by that loss. Right after he first pulled the trigger, his response is, “I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I’d been happy. Then I fired four more times at the motionless body” (Camus 59). Even after he killed the Arab, his main concern is himself and what the action did to his happiness. Once again, Camus conveys the theme that death can come at any time and once it comes, it is over, and there is no use thinking about it any longer.
This view is sustained throughout the novel, even when he is in the prison and about to face death himself. The one problem he had in accepting his fate, however, was that there was no chance whatsoever of escape. This lack of freedom was his issue with the penal code, but he further realized that holding on to hope is a waste of time because even if you hope for a longer life, at the end of that long life you will still receive the same fate, “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter. Therefore (and the difficult thing was not to lose sight of all the reasoning that went into this ‘therefore’), I had to accept the rejection of my appeal” (Camus 114). Meursault was not religious and did not believe in an afterlife of any kind. He found it a waste of his last few moments to think about what would become of him once he was dead. He finds that life is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, and he is then ready to die without distress and to show his spectators and society that this punishment would not upset him.
In response to DeAnna Stocker’s answer to the second question, I agree that the narrator views death as something that will happen to everybody sooner or later, which is why he does not feel regret or sadness when his mother dies and when he murders the Arab on the beach; however, I do not think his view changes at the end of the novel. Instead, his thoughts of the meaninglessness of humanity seems to be enhanced. While in prison, he is at first upset when he realizes that there is no possible chance to avoid his fate, but then he says he accepts the rejection of his appeal because even if he had twenty more years to live, he would still face death once they were over. By the end of the last chapter, Camus makes clear that Meursault feels no regret for his actions since they hardly affected humanity, and the ending of his life would also have no meaning, “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself - so like a brother really - I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again” (Camus 123).
1. The tone embodied by Meursault in this beginning passage is indifferent. Meursault’s emotional indifference is one of his most important character traits, and ultimately the very thing about him that leads to his execution. In this passage Meursault also says, “That doesn’t mean anything” (Camus 3). This statement is given by Meursault countless times throughout the novel and further proves his emotional indifference to life and death. It also represents his belief that life itself is meaningless, which is the deeper message of the novel. Meursault, for whatever reason, is unable to emotionally connect with his mother, and sends her away to the countryside. This act is frowned upon by many of his friends and jurors, yet Meursault fails to find the fault in his decision. This reflects on his ability to see the simplistic things in life, but also reflects on his inability to believe in anything more complex. Meursault’s emotional indifference and inability to understand life’s importance causes him to be shunned by society and brands him as an outcast. “That is how I explained to myself the strange impression I had of being odd man out, a kind of intruder” (Camus 84). He fails to see the fault in his actions that his jurors and prosecutor criticize. His trial quickly turns from judging his actions to judging his personality and beliefs. Although Meursault’s lack of motive for killing the Arab was primarily what lead to his execution, his practicality and emotional indifference heavily impacted the trial and branded him as soulless. In the final words of the novel, Meursault says, “Nobody, nobody had the right to cry over her” (Camus 122). Meursault says this not because he is heartless, but because he realizes that his mother was not unhappy and that there was no need to cry for her. In the end, Meursault’s realization that life has no meaning, “But everybody knows life isn’t worth living” (Camus 114), labeled him as different and resulted in his sentence.
Molly Gibbs
2. Throughout the novel, Camus highlights the idea that life is meaningless. He represents this theme by providing a reserved and emotionally indifferent character, Meursault. The novel begins with Meursault’s indifference to the telegraph announcing his mother’s death. Throughout the novel, small details of their relationship is revealed. Meursault sent her away because he couldn’t provide for her, and perhaps stranger, doesn’t know his mother’s age or who she was friends with. Meursault and his mother couldn’t completely connect or understand each other, as represented in the director’s quote, “You see, she had friends here, people her own age. She was able to share things from the old days with them” (Camus 5). It isn’t until the very end of the novel that Meursault finally understands his mother. “For the first time in a long time I thought about Maman… So close to death, Maman must have felt free then and ready to live it all again” (Camus 122). This understanding also helps him finally feel connected to the world at the very end of the novel.
Also providing to Camus’s message about life being meaningless is the Arab’s death. Meursault kills the Arab with no real motive. He says that “it was because of the sun” (Camus 103). Meursault’s motiveless murder circles back to Camus’s idea that life is meaningless because death overcomes every battle. In Meursault’s eyes, the Arab didn’t need to die, but did because it was inevitable.
Meursault is a simple man who doesn’t speak unless he has something to say. Often, Meursault doesn’t have an opinion and commonly says, “it didn’t mean anything”. This is the key to Camus’s message, that life doesn’t mean anything. Meursault says, “Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn’t matter much whether you die at thirty or seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living -- and for thousands of years” (Camus 114). This reflects on both Meursault’s and Camus’s view that human life is meaningless and lacks importance because death eventually conquers all. The paradox here, is that Meursault comes to this revelation on death row and finally feels happy after recognizing that his life is unimportant. He is freed by this knowledge and says, “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-- so like a brother, really-- I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again” (Camus 122). Also interesting is the fact that up until the final chapter, the novel is told in the past tense.
Molly Gibbs
In response to Carlie's answer to the second question, I tend to agree the novel is a symbol of death. Meursault experienced the death of his mother, caused death, and at last had to come to terms with his own death. The whole idea of death and the concept of humanity does appear to be a shattered concept. Although it is important to recognize by the end, Meursault did come to terms with his undeniable fate. By understanding death is unavoidable, Meursault can at last be at peace in facing what had happened. "Finding it so much like myself- so like a brother, really- I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again." (Camus 123) Like Carlie said, Meursault's feelings were concealed in "a bottle of emotions" and hidden from his relationships with others to be ignored. When the bottle was finally uncapped, the relationship between humanity and death at last was discovered by the end of the novel. This revealed the true concept of life versus death and the inevitable fate humans must come to terms with.
Carly Pfaff
In response to Kristen Schmidt’s first response, I disagree with the fact that Meursault’s values changed. It is mentioned that the narrator, when faced with death, looks back on his past and wonders what his future could have been like. While during his first few days on Death Row Meursault does wish to escape death, he eventually comes to the realization that it does not matter how or when one dies. He states, “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter” (Camus 109). Therefore, it is evident that he does not think about what his future would hold for him, since he now accepts the fact that death will come no matter what. In addition, as before sentenced to death, Meursault was indifferent emotionally towards people in his life. After being faced with death, this does not change. He states, “Anyway, after that, remembering Marie meant nothing to me. I wasn’t interested in her dead. That seemed perfectly normal to me, since I understood very well that people would forget me when I was dead” (Camus 110). Meursault still holds the same unemotional feelings towards Marie, even after looking straight in the face of inescapable death.
Kelly Donah
Responding to Carlie’s second response, I agree that Meursault fails to find the fault in his crime and that ultimately, fails to see the difference between humanity and death. He has no remorse for his actions and acts as if it makes no difference. He says, “Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn’t matter much whether you die at thirty or seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living -- and for thousands of years” (Camus 114). However, I don’t think that his is unable to mourn death, I think it just comes down to the fact that he sees it as unimportant and inevitable. He doesn’t feel the need to emotionally relate to others because he sees life as a way to pass the time until death, not necessarily because he is unable to relate. Furthermore, I don’t think that Meursault’s execution changes his opinion about life and death, but rather enforces it. His understanding of death cleanses him and provides him with peace as he waits for it. He is able to finally understand his mother and is no longer afraid. He still feels indifferent to life and finds it meaningless because of death’s power, but he no longer fears death. His execution didn’t change his feelings, just emphasized them.
Molly Gibbs
In response to Kelly Donah’s first post, I agree that Camus has created a tone that is in fact inattentive and thoughtless. As a reader, I noticed the repetitive carelessness Meursault displays to any situation he faces. His mother’s death was of no concern to him, Marie’s love did not spark any emotion, nor murdering the Arab showed no remorse in him. It was after he was sentenced to be executed that there was a slight panic. Even then, he comes to the conclusion that nothing is worth worrying over since there is only one fate for everyone. On the other hand, we can assume that Camus has established that uncaring tone to give the narrator some relief. You might interpret Meursault’s behavior as selfishness due to the fact that he thought of the other deaths only when he is about to perish himself; however, it might be the narrator’s only way to cope with those deaths. He gave meaning to them and accepts that all death is inevitable, which in the end brings peace to him.
1.
In this opening passage, the narrator, Meursault, embodies a very emotionally detached and careless tone; he does not know when his mother died, nor does he seem to care about his mother’s death as a son should. By presenting the news of his mother’s death in a very matter-of-fact and emotionless tone, the reader gains the sense that Meursault was not very close with his mother and that he did not care for her very much. This opening passage is very significant to the novel as a whole as it successfully establishes Meursault as an emotionally detached man and helps the reader better understand his actions throughout the rest of the story. As the story continues, the reader discovers that Meursault’s emotionless and careless mindset develops and applies to all aspects of his life. He does not seem to have any close friends, merely acquaintances who he knows from his neighborhood; even Marie, the woman he takes as a lover, does not seem to hold much significance in his life. When Marie asks Meursault if he loves her, he addresses the question by saying, “I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so” (Camus 35). This shows that not only is Meursault incapable of feeling profound sorrow, he cannot grasp the concept of love or caring either. Whenever it seems as though Meursault is coming close to feeling some kind of emotion, he abruptly shifts the focus to his own physical needs at the moment. For example, when Salamano could not find his dog, Meursault says, “And from the peculiar little noise coming through the partition, I realized he was crying. For some reason I thought of Maman. But I had to get up early the next morning. I wasn’t hungry, and I went to bed without any dinner”(Camus 39). These instances of emotional detachment throughout the story all serve to help the reader understand Meursault’s actions when he killed the Arab and his reaction to imprisonment. Had Camus not developed a careless and emotionless tone through Meursault’s narration early in the novel, the reader would be shocked to see how heartless and indifferent of a man Meursault is. However, because that tone was established in the opening passage and expanded upon throughout the novel, the reader understands Meursault’s actions and carelessness.
Giancarlo Pacenza
From the very beginning of the novel, Camus uses Meursault’s emotional detachment and apparent lack of humanity to ultimately show that although death is always present, it is difficult for one to grasp the finality and concept of death until it is finally upon them. Meursault’s story begins with the death of his mother, a major death which has little to no effect on him. From the moment that Meursault receives the news about his mother’s death, he is very disinterested in the tragedy and seems to be more concerned with minor issues, such as the lack of a time of death on the telegram, saying “That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday” (Camus 3), or his boss’s thoughts on him taking two days off of work for the funeral.
Death makes a reappearance at the end of the first part of the novel when Meursault murders the Arab. Once again, Meursault takes a nonchalant attitude towards death, in spite of the fact that he was the one that caused it this time. Meursault, for no apparent reason walks down the beach toward the Arab with whom he has no personal quarrel. He recognizes that he could leave the situation alone, saying “It occurred to me that all I had to do was turn around and that would be the end of it” (Camus 5), yet approaches the Arab anyway, seemingly on a whim, and shoots him five times. In this instance, Meursault’s lack of humanity once again prevents him from understanding the gravity of death, showing an extreme case of how death in one’s lifetime can never be fully understood by someone until it is upon them.
Finally, death makes its way to Meursault himself when he is sentenced to be executed. At first, Meursault’s inhumanity continues to prevail even in the face of death when he says, “Deep down I knew perfectly well it doesn’t matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living - and for thousands of years” (Camus 114). It isn’t until the end, the very end, when Meursault finally gains a sense of emotion and humanity that he realizes the gravity of what is upon him. It isn’t until that moment that he finally understands the meaning of death, playing to the point that Camus is trying to articulate about the relationship between humanity and death, which is that although death is always present in one’s life, that person will never be able to understand the concept of death until death is upon them and until they have grasped some concept of humanity.
Question 2:
Death seems to play the most pivotal role in Camus' book, The Stranger, for it is a constant topic brought up. Death is present in many of the lives in the book, such as Maman, the Arab, and even the main character, Meursault. Due to the indifferent tone portrayed right from the start, the reader can deduce that the topic, death, will be depicted as something bland. Also, due to the fact that the story is told in first person point of view, the reader gets a firsthand view of what the narrator, Meursault, goes through when he experiences all these deaths. The reader also gains a deeper knowledge on what Camus expresses about the relationship between humanity and death, since the story is told through Meursault's eyes.
For example, as Raymond and Meursault discuss Maman's death, Raymond states that he thought "that is was one of those things that was bound to happen sooner or later" and Meursault professes that "he thought so too" (Camus 33). This quote shows how nonchalant Meursault feels about death. He feels as if everyone is just waiting die. This is also apparent when Meursault starts to think about his appeal. As he was contemplating all the different ways it could of turned out, he told himself "well so I'm going to die [...] since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter" (Camus 114). That quote is a prime example of what Camus is trying to express about the relationship between humanity and death. Camus uses Meursault to show that the only thing holding humans and death together is patience. It is understood by Meursault that everyone is just waiting to die, no matter what their circumstances are presently.
- Josiah Soto
Question 1:
Through out the Stranger, Camus sets the tone as gray and mysterious. The narrator skims over death, like it is no big deal. For example, the Stranger opens with "Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I received a telegram from the retirement home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.' That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday." (Camus 3) This shows that he did not really have any feelings towards his mother's death and did not seem to even care. Also, following his mother's death he meets a woman, Marie and he just brushes off the fact that his mom just died and goes to see a comedy. Meursault also says that "nothing in his life really changed," (Camus 24) underlining the fact that he is a flat character with little emotion. After the funeral Meursault shows even more lack of emotion when he says, "I hadn't been to the country for ages, and I caught myself thinking what an agreeable walk I could have had if it hadn't been for mother." (Camus 9)Another place that shows his lack of emotion is when he says he "doesn't think" he loves Marie. Meursault also has very little ambition and lacks care when his boss offers him a raise. He is average and is perfectly okay with his average spot in life. In chapter 5, going back to when Meursault said that he doesn't think he loves Marie, there are lots of Gray areas of the novel that the reader cannot fully understand. Through Camus's diction in chapter 2 he even describes the clouds and sky as gray, which sets the tone. The whole beginning of the novel had a gray, sleepwalking tone until chapter 6 when Meursault kills the arab the story takes an aburpt turn.
In the second part of the novel, the magistrate says Meursault's life is meaningless because he doesn't believe in God, which shows the bigger picture of his life being meaningless and him just sleepwalking through life without any feelings. After that he shows again not having emotions when he does not think of Marie while he is in prison, but thinks of women in general instead. Killing the Arab was meaingless to him, like his mother's death. All of the meaningless details in his life contribute to the larger meaing of the tone of the novel as a whole. Overall, the tone is significant to the deeper understanding of the novel as a whole because the tone helps the reader understand Meursault and show that he is a stranger to himself and others around him, until the end of the novel when he opens himself to others around him.
-Courtney Agamedi
Question 2:
The Stranger opens and closes with death. It is written around three deaths, Meursault's mother, the Arab, and himself. Most novels and movies that contain death center around a lot of emotion and sadness, while The Stranger is opposite. The reader only knows the story from Meursault's perspective because it is written in first person, therefore he could have left out details. The reader also only knows other character's from Meursault's perspective. The point of view gives the story mystery because of the type of person that Meursault is.
Camus articulates the relationship between humanity and death during his novel. From a reader's perspective, one can infer that humanity does not have a lot to do with death in the beginning of the novel. In the eyes of Meursault he does not have much humanity or care for deceased people. He sees humanity as meaningless, just as the magistrate sees Meursault's life without God. The killing of the Arab was also meaningless to him, like his mother's death. But, he finally becomes aware of the correlation between humanity and death when it comes to his own execution. He thinks about death for the first time. Throughout the novel it breezed passed him and he thought nothing of death. He hoped that the execution would kill him right away so that he would not have to feel pain. Also, Meursault's life ends by looking at death as peaceful, which makes him feel happy. The reader can see that he ultimately finds the relationship between humanity and death when he says, "I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world." (Camus 122)
-Courtney Agamedi
In response to Carly Pfaff, I also agree with you when you said Meursault was being easily distracted by irrelevant details. He seemed to be more focused on the weather and people walking around outside, instead of his own mother's funeral and death. The author creates tone for the story that resembles sleepwalking because he does not focus on any emotion or feelings. You also said that in the end he realizes that death is inevitable, which changes the tone of the novel. I agree that it changes the novel. He realizes this and the reader is able to see who Meursault truly is and what he believes in, rather than seeing him as a one-sided character.
-Courtney Agamedi
Replying to Josiah's post, I agree that it is difficult for any reader to grasp the true emotions of the narrator due to the indifferent tone. The overall tone of the novel is very careless and it is hard for the reader to deceiver who Meursault truly appreciates and feels love towards. Especially Marie and his Maman. When Meursault is on trial, he felt the heated stares all around him while the prosecutor recapped his heartless motives after his Mamans death."For the first time in years, I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all these people hated me" (Camus 90). This quote shows how he felt all the eyes on him during his trial, and how much hatred he endured. It is confusing because the narrator exclaimed that he felt everyone staring at him with disgust, but it seemed like he did not even care. It is almost as if he felt everyone was scolding him but he felt the need to look past it, even though he knew he was in the wrong. One of the major themes of this novel is death versus humanity, and it is very evident that the narrator does not know the difference between these two concepts, or does and chooses to ignore them. Overall, I agree with your post entirely. Albert Camus created a novel that really left the reader open to interpret how the protagonist felt.
2) The existential movement was all about how arbitrary society is in the grand scheme of things. Albert Camus’ book, The Stranger, portrays societal pressure on how to perceive and react to death. However, this isn’t to say Camus’ point is to refute the sacred dance between life and death. Instead, it is communicating the desensitization to death. “Then he looked at me without saying anything, leaned forward rather abruptly and said very quickly, ‘What interests me is you.’ I didn’t really understand what he meant by that…” (Camus 66) The point of the novel is not that Meursault cares too little about death. It is how society reacts to one man not conforming to their uniform system of grief. In the story, everyone is against Meursault because of his reaction to his Mom’s death. Even the examining magistrate cares more about this man’s soul and religion than he does about the actual murder.
What Camus conveys about life is that it’s sacred, yet inconsequential. In the book Meursault doesn’t wish to die, but he acknowledges the fact that his death will have a very small impact on the world, he expresses this by showing how quickly he will be forgotten, and how inevitable that will be. “Whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying.” (Camus 114) This submissive tone demonstrates Meursault’s transition to understanding what life and death are. He understands the inevitability of it, but can’t but feel he would enjoy more. This scene can best be described by the classic line from the movie Casablanca, “Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that.” (Casablanca, 1942). The relationship between humanity and death in this book is chaotic; it is purposely meant to point out the absurdity of those who mourn for the dead, and the willingness of society to then commit murder against those opposed.
-Jack Ogozaly
In response to Kaian Howell's first post, I do not agree that the dispassionate tone brings life to the character, Meursault. Throughout the book, The Stranger, it is understood that Meursault does not ever feel passionate about anything, which is why the tone is in fact dispassionate. Meursault even rejected his lawyers proposal -- in which Meursault "could say that that day [he] had held back his natural feelings" about his mother's death, and claim that he was actually distraught -- because Meursalt thought "it wasn't true" (Camus 65). That quote right there shows that Meursault does not have the "life" you say he does, for he is more indifferent than anything.
1) Through the opening, Albert Camus does a phenomenal job characterizing the protagonist of the novel, Meursault. He makes Meursault use a clueless and inattentive tone to talk about his mother’s death, which really sets a strong impression, and intrigues the reader to continue reading in order to find out how someone can be so indifferent and careless about the death of their mother. This tone allows a deeper understanding of the novel as a whole, because it embodies one of the major themes: not everything is as it looks. This tone is carried throughout the novel, and the reader soon realizes that Meursault didn’t have anything against his mother. As a mater of fact, he treated her with respect and kept her words close. Meursault once stated: “Anyway, it was one of Maman’s ideas, and she often repeated it, that after a while you could get used to anything.” (Camus 77) Meursault follows this ideology throughout the entire book. For example, whenever he finds something irritating, he just complains about it in his head, he doesn’t ever actually do anything about it, but sooner or later, he gets over it and just adapts to it. By following his mother’s words so closely, one can infer that Meursault had complete respect for her. The first impression the readers get when reading this passage is that Meaursault must have had a conflict with his mother, hence not caring about her death date, but the truth of the matter is that Meurault just didn’t care to dwell his life on others. He acted the same way towards every other one of his acquaintances; whether it be a colleague, a girlfriend, a friend, or his own mother. His indifference to anything shines through the novel. For example, when Marie and Meursault were about to eat breakfast one day, they heard a shrilling scream of a lady. Meursault knew it was Raymond who was causing the commotion with his ex-wife. When Marie asked Meursault to call the police, he refused, and he justified his reason with “I didn't like cops.” (Camus 36) This shows how indifferent he was to even the important things. He believed in just minding his own business. Throughout the novel, this dragging and uninterested tone does wonders to describe Meursault, and towards the beginning of the novel makes it seem like Meursault is a cruel heartless man who only cares about himself.
Yet as one continues to read, their opinion slowly changes. Although at first, judging by his behavior, one would expect that Meursault wouldn’t have any friends, but they are proven wrong when they see that some characters actually come to Meursault to just express their feelings. For example, when Salamano’s dog ran away, he went to Meursault to talk about his feelings and asked “They’re not going to take him away from me, are they, Monsieur Meursault? They’ll give him back to me, otherwise, what’s going to happen to me?” (Camus 39) This type of behavior from Salamano and him picking Meursault out of all of his friends, shows that Meusault inside was a nice, honest man, and many of his friends knew that. Although he tended to mind his own business and come off as rude, he was a trustworthy man who just did what he liked. This assumption is further more proven when most of his friends try so hard in their testimonies to defend him, and especially when his lawyer claims that Meursault was an “honest man, a steadily employed, tireless worker, loyal to the firm that employed him, well liked, and sympathetic to the misfortunes of others. To him, he was a model son who had supported his mother as long as he could.” (Camus 104) The words of his lawyer shined a light at his personality from a different perspective, and convinces the reader that Meursault isn’t what he first was shown to be, which therefore exemplifies the theme of how not everything is how it looks. That tone used throughout the novel made Meursualt seem like a heartless and indifferent man, but in reality he just liked to live on his own terms, and was seen as an honest, kind man to others.
-Ankita Bassi
2) Most people consider death a very touchy, if not fearful, topic. Some are afraid of death and all the negative connotations it contains. Usually, when people thing about death, they think of a very depressing, sad mood to associate with it. Times of mourning and grievances come into mind. In this novel though, death is given a complete different attitude. This story is told through first person point of view, which gives us a first hand understanding on how Meursault, the protagonist, perceives death. Throughout the novel there are plenty of instances of death. As a matter of fact, it starts with his Maman’s death, and ends with his own, along with the death of an Arab caused by himself in the middle of the novel. Throughout all of these unique experiences of death: natural death of a loved one, murder of a random man, and execution of himself, Meursault kept the same perception of death. He considered it to be a basic, necessity of life; if you lived, you were bound to die. It was going to happen to everyone eventually so he found it pointless to try to avoid it, or to even feel any different about it. Through the use of a dark and uninterested tone, and his direct point of view, the reader was able to clearly infer that Meursault thought that the relationship between humanity and death was an inevitable one. If you lived, you had to die, and there was no going around it.
When his mother died, he stated “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that really, nothing had changed.” (Camus 24) By using this blunt and obvious tone, he proves how to him, his mother’s death was nothing more than an event. He didn't feel cut off or sad, he just let it go by easily because he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. To him, “nothing had really changed.” Even when he himself murdered a man, he stated that he thought his case “was pretty simple.” (Camus 63) One would never think that after killing someone, someone would be able to peacefully and casually claim that their case was simple. One would imagine that they would be very regretful and shameful for the deeds they had committed. Yet, Meursault stayed calm the entire time, and didn’t even once feel sorry for what he had done. That goes to show how once again, he didn’t find death to be a big deal. He thought his case was “pretty simple” just like he probably thought that the Arab’s death “wasn’t a big deal.” Lastly, in the case of his own death, he viewed upon it in the same way. When the judge had claimed the death penalty onto Meursault and asked if Meursault had anything to say, he calmly replied with “no.” (Camus 107) This demonstrates once again Meursault’s indifference to the idea of death. Furthermore at one point Meusault plainly claims “Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn’t matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living- and for thousands of years. Whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying.” (Camus 114) This claim by Meursault clearly embodies all his thoughts on death. He doesn’t consider it a big deal, and knows its inevitable, and hence doesn’t stress about it.
-Ankita Bassi
Expanding on Carlie’s post: I disagree with you because you use the word nonchalant to describe his attitude in the beginning, and then say it was shattered at the end. But his view on death in the beginning is that it’s inevitable, and in the end he realizes that in his own life it’s inevitable. Your reason for saying he has a nonchalant tone in the beginning can be used to say he has a nonchalant tone in the end, where he says, “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself... I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again” (Camus 122). One could argue that from beginning to end his view of death is the same, except that in the end he applies it to his own situation. I can’t understand how his “nonchalant” attitude is torn by the end
In response to Carlie Fox’s second answer, I completely agree. I don’t remember there being one page in the novel that had a complete positive and uplifting tone and aura to it. The novel, in its entirety is a symbol of death, since the idea of death revolves around every aspect of it. The beginning, middle, and end of the entire novel included the death of a separate character, and to each scenario Meursault responded in the same indifferent way. I also agree with Carlie’s statement of Meursault not feeling the slightest bit of regret while in jail and looking back it his life. When the chaplain came to visit him and asked what type of life Meursault would rather have, Meursault replied with “One where I could remember this life!” (Camus 120) This clearly shows that Meursault has no regrets. He doesn’t think that what he did, and how he acted towards anything should've been different. He is completely content with the way his life had played out to be, and calmly accepted the fact that he was going to get executed. In a way he can be seen as being stubborn and selfish, but another thing that can be noted is that Meursault never denied the blame. He took the consequence to whatever he did. When he killed the Arab and got sentenced to death, not once did he cry for his life or try to argue his way out. He knew that he had done wrong, and was ready to suffer through the consequence. So although at some points of the novel he was portrayed as being heartless and selfish, I would argue that Meursault did always own up to his deeds, and never complained about the consequences.
-Ankita Bassi
In response to Ankita Bassi's first post:
You mentioned that Camus "intrigues the reader to continue reading in order to find out how someone can be so indifferent and careless..." I completely agree that Camus' short sentence length is a powerful example of the use of syntax in order to create a feeling within the text. While some books begin with information regarding the setting or provide necessary context, Camus jumps directly into the plot of the story with powerful sentences in order to grab the attention of the readers. In addition, you mentioned that Meursault consistently complains about his problems and never takes action; this careless ideology is reflected in his conversation with his lawyer. Meursault claims, "my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings" (Camus 65). On the day of his mother's funeral, it appears that Meursault simply does not care; however, he states, "I was very tired and sleepy, so much so that I wasn't really aware of what was going on" (Camus 65). This quote allows the reader to understand that Meursault had an acceptable relationship with his mother, but he was not feeling well physically that day. Lastly, I agree that many of his peers often chose him when dealing with problems, such as Salamano and Raymond, most likely because he analyzed situations with a dispassionate tone, allowing him to deliver rational responses.
Alex Thomas
Madison Young
2.) The novel The Stranger is focused around death. Using this focus Camus is able to comment upon the idea the human life is meaningless and that everyone will be deceased eventually so it does not really matter what one does or feels in his lifetime. He also shows that other people in society have issues grabbing these ideas, unlike the narrator of the novel. Using a first person point of view, and a detached tone, and the repetition of death Camus is able to demonstrate these ideas in a very disheartening way.
The narrator of the novel, Meursault, is very narrow minded when it comes things such as death and love. He thinks that none of it really matters and this scares other people in society. When Meursault was on trial for murder, the prosecution stated, “Gentlemen of the jury, the day after his mother's death, this man was out swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, going to the movies, a comedy, for laughs. I have nothing further to say.'" (Camus 94). Meursault was on trial for killing a man, but it was too difficult for the people in the court to focus just on the fact that he was just on trial for murder, they had to comment on his lack of remorse in both the Arabs death and his own mothers death. The reason for this is because it was impossible for them to understand that Meursault did not feel the need to grieve because he did not think that life really mattered. During the trial, Meursault admits he did not feel remorse for his actions. “I didn’t feel much remorse for what I had done. But I was surprised by how he relentless he was. I would have liked to have tried explaining to him cordially, almost affectionately, that I have never been able to truly feel remorse for anything.” (Camus 100) This quote shows that Meursault thinks it is normal to have a disconnect between feeling upset over a person dying, and it shows how society views this attitude as upsetting. It also shows the common theme of a detached tone through its blunt syntax.
The point of view is helpful in understanding this because the reader is able to know Meursaults thoughts and feelings. As a reader, you can understand that he thinks differently than everyone because he focuses more on details than on the bigger idea of things. For most of the novel, he is oblivious to the thought of death even though it is all around him. This insight allows the reader to understand the of the lack of connection between society and death, in Meursaults mind, that Camus is trying to illustrate.
Madison Young
1.)In this passage, Meursault demonstrates a detached and disengaged tone and he continues this tone throughout the novel. The day after his mother’s funeral Meursault says, “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, and that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed.” (Camus 24) This quote shows that despite a tragic event, Meursaults did not demonstrate any grief or remorse but simply continued on in with his life. This tone is continued in the novel through Meursaults work, love and personal life. It is as if he is telling a story he is uninterested in, instead of talking about the life he is living. His character shows no passion and no drive. After talking to his boss about a promotion, his boss scolded Meursault. “He looked upset and told me that I never gave him a straight answer, that I had no ambition.” (Camus 41) In addition to Meursaults detached tone, the author, Albert Camus, uses short dialogue and focuses more on detail and physical appearances than the bigger picture of things and peoples personalities and this contributes to the uninterested tone of the novel.
This passage and tone is significant to the novel because Meursault continues to live his life with no significant connections to others and no emotions and this eventually helps lead to his demise. Even after Meursault is sentenced to death for the killing of an Arab he remains disturbingly calm. He says to a chaplain in his last days, “The others would all be condemned to one day. And he would be condemned, too. What would it matter if he were accused of murder and than executed because he didn’t cry at his mothers funeral? Salamano’s dog was worth just as much of his life.” (Camus 121) This quote helps demonstrate that Meursault thinks that death is inevitable and life is unimportant and that is the deeper meaning of the novel. Furthermore, it leaves questions such as why is Meursault so certain that life does not matter and causes readers to ponder the point of humanity? The novel evokes a pessimistic emotion and this contributes to an overall distressing feeling.
Madison Young
In response to Wills first post, I think that it is interesting that he commented on the change in tone toward the end of the book. It is obvious that the character has points of nervousness about when he will die and that he craves freedom at some points, but that does not change the overall meaning of the novel.
Throughout the novel Meursault demonstrated interest in things such as women, the beach and washing his hands before lunch. These are all things that can be associated with freedom and he cannot do these things in prison. It is only normal that he would miss them. This does not change the fact though, that he does not think that death matters or that anyone has a real purpose in life. Furthermore, when it was finally time for Meursault to die, he admitted he felt indifferent, and this continued with the tone that was present throughout the novel.
1.) Through the introduction of this passage, Camus establishes a detached and stoically indifferent tone that continues throughout the novel. The flippant way in which Meursault receives and accepts the news of his mother’s death, pondering the logistics of the telegram and not focusing on the actual death of his mother, conveys his lack of empathy and borderline psychopathic tendencies which bleed into the narration and tone. This lack of emotion in the face of traditionally emotional events persists through the novel and the reader is presented the events through Meursault’s distorted world view. For example, when the prospect of relocating to a completely new city for his job arises, he responds, “I told him I was quite prepared to go; but really I didn’t care much one way or the other.” (Camus 33%) The lack of attachment Meursault feels toward aspects of his life and his surroundings allows the reader to further understand his interpretation of events and the world around him. Meursault’s outlook dos not change whatsoever following his arrest, and after being questioned about the murder he thinks, “When I was leaving, I very nearly held out my hand and said “Good-by”; just in time I remembered that I’d killed a man.” (Camus 50%) This afterthought by Meursault depicts the way that traditionally emotional events such as death are presented in the novel, unimportant, often overlooked, and never dwelt upon. The tone is embodied in a moment of self-awareness by Meursault as he is being interviewed by his lawyer and says, “…that, of recent years, I’d rather lost the habit of noting my feelings, and hardly knew what to answer.” (Camus 50%) The lack of a relationship between events and emotions in the novel is directly addressed by this admission from Meursault, as his emotionless narration leads to a uniquely objective comprehension of the story by the reader. This emotional distance allows the reader to grasp smaller details and more deeply understand facets of characterization and plot without becoming clouded by emotion.
Bridget Tarnowski
In response to Josiah’s first post, I agree that Meursault’s “absent minded” predispositions contribute to his detached perspective. Throughout the novel, Meursault routinely focuses on the physical characteristics of the world; often, neglecting the social and emotional aspects. Primarily, Camus chronicles Meursault’s interests of the physical world with embellished sentences that contain the long sentence structure and periphrasis to emphasize his point. Notably, when he chronicles details such as the weather, the landscape, the physical relationship he has with Marie or the condition of his body, Meursault tends to focus solely on those aspects of a situation. As Josiah has previously stated, such mannerisms are “an absentminded tendency that flows through the novel.” Moreover, because Meursault focuses on the physical world around him, he lacks a general interest in the emotional or social aspects. As Marie proposes, whether the two should be wedded, Meursault indifferently states,”[…] It did not make a difference to me and that we could if she wanted to”(Camus 41). Through his life, Meursault has never had any close relationships due to detached disposition. Here, it is on full display because of his lack of interest in the emotional part of their relationship. He does not care for things that do not interest him, emphasized by blunt telegraphic sentences as seen the quotation. When the topic of marriage is brought up, he replies in curtly to Marie’s answers, emphasizing that either way “it did not make a difference to [him]”(41). Because of this deficiency of interest, the emotional aspect of their relationship is neglected in turn.
-Megan Schupp
In response to Kelly Donah's second post, while I agree that the novel makes a point that death is inevitable, I don't believe that that is the main point that Camus is trying to articulate about death; rather, it seems that Camus wants to show how the gravity of death cannot be fully understood by someone until that person's death is imminent. Within the first half of the novel, Meursault is involved in two deaths, which do not affect him. It isn't until his own death is brought before him that Meursault begins to understand the significance of death and feel any type of emotion towards death. Additionally, I disagree with the notion that Camus wants to send the message that the inevitability of death takes away from the value of life; I feel the exact opposite is true. Through Meursault's final actions before his execution, Camus shows that the inevitability of death can actually make one understand the beauty of life. It isn't until Meursault is faced with death that he begins to long for life and an escape from death. The lack of an escape from death, in Meursault's case, actually brought out emotions from an emotionless man, and caused him to crave the life he had but never appreciated.
1.)
Even from the early pages of The Stranger, the novel exudes an apathetic, disinterested tone. Meursault’s mundane response to his mother’s death conveys a sense of resignation, as evidenced by his refusal to see her body or his fixation on the exact time of her death. Meursault seems to be more occupied with how the heat and humidity with effect the rate of decay of the body (Camus 8). It soon becomes clear to the reader that Meursault is incapable of expressing any emotion, if he has any at all. He detaches himself emotionally, and is not mentally present at his mother’s funeral because he refuses to fully understand what has happened. He is unchanged by the loss of his mother, and his life goes on as if nothing has changed.
Throughout the course of the novel, the reader learns that Meursault is a character who lives for the moment. He doesn’t concern himself with the past nor does he worry about the future. The reasoning behind this is that Meursault views death as inevitable and thus meaningless. Since there is nothing beyond death, life is only important in the now, and everything else is irrelevant. The reader also learns that Meursault isn’t the stoic, unfeeling man he is because of some disability or tragic accident. It’s not that he is incapable of understanding the difference between right and wrong. It’s not that he can’t feel remorse, sorrow, or regret-- it’s that he chooses not to. “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...” (Camus 121). Here, Meursault proclaims that everything and everyone will die, so there is no point in indulging in the belief of the the existence of a God, a sort of higher power, or some external meaning. He finds it impossible to waste his valuable time on aspects such as love, friendship, or justice, if he knows none of it will matter eventually. This is evidenced by Meursault’s answer when Maries asks him if he loves her is, “it didn’t mean anything, but I didn’t think so,” (Camus 35). He feels no sorrow at his mother’s funeral, no joy in Marie’s affection, no anger toward Raymond, he just simply focuses on himself as he finds no no sense of solidarity with others.
The tone at the beginning of the book exemplifies how Meursault feels for a majority of the novel, except towards the end of the book when his point of view slightly changes. By the time his own death comes around, he is absolutely certain about his life and death. His moment of rage on the previous page gives him the blank slate he needed all his life. It cleanses him of hope and he is finally ready to open up to “the gentle indifference of the world,” (Camus 122). In this moment he comes to peace with his previous assumptions that life is meaningless and stops trying to provide some sort of proof or verification for his peculiar way of thinking. It is only now that he realizes that he has always been happy, just not to society’s definition. The minute change in character perspective changes the tone to one of acceptance and tranquility. In this sense, Meursault truly accepts that the real freedom in life is to be aware there is nothing you can do to avoid death. And the sooner one comes to terms with this inescapable fact, the sooner society can enjoy life to the fullest extent of its beauty as well as its pain.
Elizabeth Thomsen
2.)
The novel is basically a first person account of Meursault’s life from the time of his mother’s death up to right before his own execution. It is soon made very clear to the reader that Meursault is unaffected by this traumatic event, as he does not even shed a tear at her funeral. Despite the first person point of view, the reader is always left asking themselves “why.” Why does Meursault feel no emotion? Why did he kill the Arab? The little explanation Meursault seems to give to these questions are irrational and nonsensical, which only add to the alienation of Meursault in not only society, but to the reader as well. The next encounter Meursault has with death is when his neighbor, Salamano, cries over the loss of his dog. Upon hearing the sobs, Meursault subconsciously thinks of his mother, but Meursault is not aware of the association his psyche has made. He spends no time on the matter, and chooses to go to sleep instead (Camus 49). Following this, Meursault kills the Arab on the beach. He does this because he comes to the realization that “he could shoot or not shoot” and that it would come to the same thing (Camus 72).
Meursault views death as insignificant to the universe as a whole, which is indifferent to anything and anyone. The connection he makes between humanity and death is the blatant fact that he does not think there is any connection at all. Life is always right on the brink of death and in the face of death, life has no meaning. This is Meursault’s mindset for most of the novel, as evidenced by him possessing zero ambition to advance socioeconomically, having no feelings of love or joy when Marie wants to marry him, or demonstrating any remorse for killing a man. This awareness of the the insignificance of life around him is somehow never great enough for Meursault to realize what death means to him. Death itself is something that can’t be fathomed or understood by any one rational mind. It is only in his final moments that Meursault understands that he was wrong in his previous thinking. He concludes that the idea of death makes one aware of one's life, but instead of this signifying that life has no meaning, he sees that it is death that has no meaning if one lives their life recognizing that one day it will come to an end. He is finally at peace with himself as he learns that acceptance of death is the key to a happy life, revealing that he was always happy. It was humanity and society that told him he was unhappy. To Meursault, the everlasting life and hope that humanity tries so hard to find, is in fact, nonexistent. The last words of the novel “...I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate." (Camus 123), not only exemplify the tone of acceptance and tranquility, but they also reveal Meursault's newfound liberation of humanity and submission to his own views on death itself.
Elizabeth Thomsen
In response to Carlie Fox’s first blog post, I completely agree with your statement that the narrator “views life as almost trivial, and the relationships he comes by as unimportant.” I’d like to add that he is incapable of truly connecting to people, resulting in his lack of emotions. I completely agree with your point about him being unable to feel empathy for anyone or anything. This corresponds to him being unable to connect to anyone and unable to see past himself, but also I see sociopathic parts of him, which would also result in his lack of empathy. However, you mentioned Meursault’s relationship with Marie. You said that he wanted her sexually not mentally. I agree partially; I think that Meursault is incapable of feeling love which causes him to be unsure of what love really is. This leads him to feel the need to justify love physically, which yes, can paint him to be “a love deprived predator”. This is again, due to his emotionally detached personality.
2.) Death and the relationship that Meursault shares with it through his mother’s, the Arab’s, and finally his own death, is a main theme in the novel and a first person narration in tandem with an emotionally detached tone create a unique perspective on death that is at some times intimate, and others wholly unfeeling. His own mother’s death places no strain on Meursault other than the trivial matters of taking off of work and arranging transportation to the funeral. When questioned on it, he even explains, “I could truthfully say I’d been quite fond of Mother-but really that didn’t mean much. All normal people, I added as on afterthought, had more or less desired the death of those they loved, at some time or another.” (Camus 51%) Meursault’s incredibly relaxed and unfeeling overview of his feelings toward the death of his mother illustrates the lack of concern he finds in the issue of death, even that of a loved one. This outlook on the concept of death continues as he recounts the events of his murder of the Arab, never seeming to grasp the full weight of having ended the life of another human being, remarking, “…just in time I remembered I’d killed a man.” (Camus 50%), when asked if he regretted what he had done, responding, “After thinking a bit, I said that what I felt was less regret than a kind of vexation-I couldn’t find a better word for it.” (Camus 55%), and only when he can sense the loathing of those around him in the courtroom at hearing his crime, thinking, “…and for the first time I understood that I was guilty.” (Camus 72%) When at last Meursault himself faces death, a long reflection brings true meaning to the relationship he shares with death, in which he states, “What difference could they make to me, the deaths of others, or a mother’s love, or his God […] All alike would be condemned to die one day, his turn too, would come like the others’” (Camus 98%) First person point of view brings the reader directly into the narrator’s thought process and feelings, or lack thereof, toward the instances of death around him, and the indifferent tone makes clear all thoughts and interpretations on the matter. Meursault’s interactions with death, as a bystander, in causing, and lastly experiencing death, coupled with his unwavering insistence that no emotional response is needed for something that is simply an ending to something more conveys Camus’ commentary on the nature of death and the perhaps unnecessary emotional attachment that humans associate with death.
Bridget Tarnowski
Question 1:
In Albert Camus’ The Stranger, the novel begins with the passage, “Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I received a telegram from the retirement home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.' That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday”. In the passage the narrator embodies a detached, distant tone. This is because of two things. Firstly, the telegram. Because the narrator received the news of death via a telegram, it has already made the event impersonal and disconnected: “Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.” A telegram itself is such a blunt and impersonal form of communication that its early presence in the novel foreshadows the themes and tones yet to come. In addition, the narrator also first focuses on when the death occurred, not the fact that a death occurred: “Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know...It could have been yesterday.” This uncertainty and focus on such a trivial detail hints at the main theme of the novel and the narrator’s most prominent and defining characteristic: his detachment. His detachment is the whole premise of the novel, in fact it’s even the title! The title, The Stranger, refers to Meursault and his inability to truly connect to people and the world around him. He is a stranger to the world and on some level himself, because he is so distant and doesn’t value life. He even mentions his feelings of being an outsider, “...as if they were in a club where people are glad to find themselves among others from the same world. That is how I explained to myself the strange impression I had of being odd man out, a kind of intruder,” (Camus, 84). In that part of the novel, Meursault even feels disconnected from his own trial. Meursault’s distance and disconnect from the other characters is heavily present in the novel. It first appears when he attends his mother’s funeral. He is already distant from his mother, even before her death, “When she was at home with me, Mama used to spend her time following me with her eyes, not saying a thing,” (Camus, 5). This lack of connection to his mother continues after she has died, “Then I felt like having a smoke. But I hesitated, because I didn’t know if I could do it with Mama right there. I thought about it; it didn’t matter. I offered the caretaker a cigarette and we smoked,” (Camus, 8). Everything about his actions after his mother’s death is casual- drinking coffee, smoking, his lack of crying. Not typical behavior after a loved one has passed. However, the most important part of that quote is the phrase “it didn’t matter”. This is repeated a lot throughout the book. For example, when Marie asks him if he wants to marry her, “Then she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t love her...I explained to her that it didn’t really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married,” (Camus, 41). Also, when his boss asks him if he would be interested in relocating to Paris, “I said yes but that really it was all the same to me...I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another,” (Camus, 41). Meursault repeatedly lacks any extreme, or really any, emotion. He repeats that nothing matters, and this shows his ultimate unappreciative view of life. He isn’t depressed, he isn’t simple; he is incapable of producing enough emotion to truly care about anything. (1/3)
Question 1:
Now, when does a disconnected personality transform into something more dangerous and malicious? I would have to say that it becomes more when another human life is endangered and at risk. Meursault, in my opinion, changes from distant to sociopathic when he shoots the Arab man, possibly even when he first takes hold of the gun. Yes, Meursault obviously was a sociopath from the start of the novel, and small glimpses of this is made available to the reader from the beginning. For example, when he describes the abusive nature of his neighbor, Salamano, when interacting with the dog: “Then he beats the dog and swears at it. The dog cowers and trails behind...Just then my other neighbor came in...And once he said to me, talking about Salamano, ‘If that isn’t pitiful!’ He asked me didn’t I think it was disgusting and I said no,” (Camus, 27-28). This could be easily believed to be yet another example of Meursault’s lack of interest in anything. However, the contradiction between his reaction, or lack thereof, and his neighbor Raymond’s reaction points to something more than just disinterest. He feels no emotion, no guilt, and no empathy for the dog. This is a glaring characteristic of a sociopath. This becomes even more clear when it is obvious that Meursault feels no remorse for killing the Arab man, “He simply asked, in the same weary tone, if I was sorry for what I had done. I thought about it for a minute and said that more than sorry I felt kind of annoyed,” (Camus, 70).
This furthers Meursault’s complex personality. Surprisingly, he isn’t incapable of feeling anything. He seems to be especially sensitive to heat. It is mentioned at least three times, once during his mother’s funeral, “The sweat was pouring down my face...I could feel the blood pounding in my temples,” (Camus, 16-17), again when he actually shoots the man, “The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes. That’s when everything began to reel. The sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky split open from one end to the other to rain down fire,” (Camus, 59), and a third time, during the trial, “My head was spinning with heat and astonishment,” (Camus, 102). Furthermore, the one emotion that Meursault commonly mentions is irritation and anger: “Now it was all these people not making a sound that was getting on my nerves,” (Camus, 11), also, “Then, I don’t know why, but something inside of me snapped. I started yelling at the top of my lungs...” (Camus, 120). (2/3)
Question 1:
However, Albert Camus creates a lot of this disconnect when writing the book. For example, the man that Meursault murders is never given a name. He is simply referred to as “the Arab” or “Raymond’s man”. We, the readers, are not told anything about his background. We don’t know if he was a parent, a doctor, a veteran, lactose-intolerant, etc. He is given no personality or personal characteristics whatsoever that allow us, the readers, to connect him to ourselves. Quite simply, we aren’t given the chance to humanize him. Last year we read the book In Cold Blood, written by Truman Capote. Another book that centers around a murder, yet the murdered family is actually part of the narrative. We are connected to them; we know their secrets and hopes and we can see part of ourselves in them. This causes us, the readers, to be angry and hateful towards the murderers, a much different reading experience. Another cause of the disconnect is the fact that the murdered man is Arab. This book was most likely not written for an Arab audience. Rather, it was primarily directed towards a French audience, where there was already a prevalent prejudice towards the Arab people. This results in a huge culture disconnect. Camus most likely does this in order to reestablish the theme of detachment. If even the readers feel nothing towards the murdered man, how can the main character? In addition, we see the world through Meursault’s eyes, and we begin to feel like strangers ourselves.
At the end of the novel, Meursault seems to have some sort of revelation while he is waiting to die, “It was as if I had waited all this time for this moment and for the first light of this dawn to be vindicated. Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why...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...” (Camus, 121). The repetition of “nothing, nothing mattered” seems to prove that Meursault’s revelation was not him discovering a value for life. Yes, he valued his own. That is clear when he is so obviously afraid to die. He creates situations where he escapes his death, in addition to dreaming about things beyond his prison cell: “Because at the thought that one fine morning I would find myself a free man standing behind a cordon of police--on the outside, as it were--at the thought of being the spectator...” (Camus, 110). So the part I am unsure of is whether his revelation was his acceptance, and thus escape, of his death, or his newfound value of it. One one hand, he could have been avoiding the thoughts of his oncoming death by dreaming of situations like previously mentioned, and at last confronted it, allowing him to accept it and become distant from it, causing him to escape from his fear. Or, he could have valued death more than life the entire time, possibly accounting for why he never really lived in the first place, ie: never taking control of his own life or really allowing himself to feel raw emotion. However, on a total other side, his only, frail connection to the world could have been due to his literal “aliveness” the fact that he was living. Then, after being given his sentence, that was ripped away from him and it forced him to confront it, either resulting in a loss of control or maybe realizing the true value of life in the first place. (3/3)
Question 2:
Death is the center of Albert Camus’ The Stranger. It is the beginning (Meursault’s mother’s death), the middle (the Arab man’s death), and the end (Meursault’s death). I actually believe that Meursault seems to value death, not just see it as inevitable. Yes, he realizes that death comes for everyone and it isn’t worth worrying and wasting time about: “It was as if I had waited all this time for this moment and for the first light of this dawn to be vindicated. Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why...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...” (Camus, 121). However, in contrast to his belief about life, he seems to respect death. He acknowledges it as a power that he can’t control. He looks at life as meaningless and not worth his time, “ ‘Do you want my life to be meaningless?’ he shouted. As far as I could see, it didn’t have anything to do with me, and I told him so,” (Camus, 69). This is because he doesn’t seem to be living. He allows others to push him into decisions that he doesn’t feel motivated to make. For example, when Marie wants Meursault to marry her, “...she took my arm with a smile and said she wanted to marry me. I said we could do it whenever she wanted,” (Camus, 42). Meursault is so detached from life that he doesn’t care about anything. Another example is when Raymond wants Meursault to help him get revenge on the woman who cheated on him, “But 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 if I’d mind doing it right then and I said no,” (Camus, 32). Meursault just follows along with what others want him to do. He kills the Arab man easily and without remorse because he doesn’t value others’ lives either, “Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace,” (Camus, 59). He feels fine to waste his years away in a prison cell, “Apart from these annoyances, I wasn’t too unhappy. Once again the main problem was killing time. Eventually, once I learned how to remember things, I wasn’t bored at all,” (Camus, 78), yet when given his death sentence, he is shaken to the core. By creating a distant and emotionless tone, Meursault articulates that humanity and death are strongly linked, in other words, “it’s a package deal”. Everyone dies: “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter,” (Camus, 114). By using first person point of view, the reader adopts the same tone and outlook on life. This allows it to be easier to understand what Camus was trying to convey: that life is valueless due to death’s inevitability. However, though this is true, by the end of the novel Meursault is willing to embrace death in a way that he never embraced life.
In response to Giancarlo Pacenza's answer to question two, I agree completely with the analysis of Meursault's response to his mother's death, that it effects him very little and is more interested in trivial details such as the delivery of the telegram, which I also noticed and touched on in my response. I found the inclusion of Meursault's acknowledgement that he has the option to leave the situation with the Arab as he has no personal issue with him interesting and felt that it contributed well to the point brought forward that Meursault's overall attitude is nonchalant and his actions without direction.
I also found the conclusion reached to be interesting, despite conflicting slightly with my own. My own interpretation was that Meursault found peace within his own indifference for the first time and by acknowledging it, was fully accepting of his fate. I agree, however, that in those final moments, Meursault salvaged his humanity realizing that death was truly upon him. Maybe, in realizing that he didn't need to feel anything at all because death was near, Meursault reached his own version of humanity and embraced that it was all he needed in the end.
Bridget Tarnowski
In response to Madison Young’s response to the second question, I disagree with the statement that “he is oblivious to the thought of death even though it is all around him.” I believe quite the opposite to be true. I think that Meursault was too aware of death and it consumed his entire being. He is aware of death, he just views it differently than the rest of humanity. He sees death as meaningless, insignificant, and negligible. This leads to his labeling as "a monster, a man without morals" (Camus 96). No one can accept his anomalous views on the significance, or insignificance of life and death in relation to the universe as a whole. Humanity seems to be obsessed with somehow avoiding the inevitable, while Meursault accepts, and is even comfortable with this fate. Meursault doesn’t believe that there is a deeper, more meaningful interpretation of life and death. He spends his whole life looking for an explanation for his outsider way of thinking, one that leads him to be a stranger in society. The concept of death consumes Meursault’s life from the first words of the novel to the very last.
Elizabeth Thomsen
In response to Giancarlo Pacenza's post, I agree that Camus develops a very detached and careless tone through Meursault's character, and that the opening passage of the story is significant to the rest of the plot. Meursault's personal thoughts presented in the story illustrate the fact that he indeed does not care about his mother's death. The story reveals that he did not live with her and that he did not care to visit her much, thus also supporting the fact that he was an "emotionally detached" man. His relationship with Marie does act as a prime example of his mental detachment. There seems to be a constant deficiency of a solid devotion towards Marie throughout the book. His lack of sympathy towards Salamano once again shows this, and Meursault comes off as a "heartless" and "indifferent" man.
Question 1:
The overall tone of the novel appears to be plain and detached. This shows prominently in the beginning of the novel. When the narrator, Meursault himself (who is also the protagonist), says "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe. I don't know" (Camus 3), he uses short sentences that are precise with minimum detail. This type of sentence structure is used throughout the novel when he is describing social and emotional situations, which contributes to the showing of his indifference to society. It seems as if Meursault does not express any remorse upon learning more information about his mother's death. The precise day of his mother's death seems to be the most of his concerns, which is actually a trivial detail. In Meursault's comment "That doesn't mean anything" (Camus 3), he implies that it does not matter at all that his mother has died. This introduces a theme that resounds throughout the novel, which is the meaninglessness of human existence. As the situation furthers, the pattern of sober tones continues. During the funeral procession of Meursault's mother, he seems more interested in the caretaker's anecdotes about how long the duration of the vigil is depending on how long it takes before the body begins to decompose (Camus 8). The day after the funeral procession, he meets an old friend, Marie Cardona. They share physical attraction towards each other, however when she asks if he loves her, he replies "It doesn't mean anything but I don't think so" (Camus 35). With his main characteristic being emotional indifference, he answers her question bluntly. In addition, he encounters his boss in a similar way. When asked to relocate to Paris, France, he replies "Yes, but one life is as good as another" (Camus 41). The overall tone that is spread throughout the novel embodies Meursault's indifference to society. This factor is important because it leads the reader to think that the protagonist is a person without feeling and pays no mind to those around him, but towards the end of the novel the reader realizes that he starts to fall to his demise. He begins to realize the reality of the concept of death once he nears the end of his life. He fully accepts that the universe is indifferent with human affairs and that life lacks rational meaning (Camus 122). To the reader, he seems to gain a sense of actual emotion.
Cozette Smith
Question 2:
Throughout the duration of the novel, Meursault has a certain perspective on death that is quite indifferent until the very end of the novel, which is where he reaches an epiphany. In the beginning of the novel he is exposed to death (the death of his mother), followed by him actually committing murder (the death of the Arab), then finally him experiencing death himself. During these moments, the reader is informed of exactly what goes through Meursault's mind, considering that the novel is in first person. As mentioned in my previous response to the first blog question, it appears as if he does not pay much mind to the death of his mother. Furthermore, he seems to be more worried about trivial details such as missing work. "I asked my boss for 2 days off and there was no way he was going to refuse me with an excuse like that" (Camus 3). In addition, he worries about what appropriate clothes he could wear to the funeral procession. He also takes great interest in the beautiful weather conditions and scenery that day. The following day, rather than mourning over his loss, he goes on a date with Marie. Later in the novel, he encounters a clash between his friend Raymond and an Arab (Raymond's mistress' brother). In a matter of a few moments, Meursault encounters the Arab alone and, in a nonchalant manner, shoots him dead. "It was then that I realized you could either shoot or not shoot" (Camus 59). In other words, his mindset was set on the fact that there was no difference between the two alternatives.
Near the conclusion of the novel, however, Meursault's perspective changes unexpectedly. Due to his act of murder on the Arab, he was sentenced to death. His viewpoint changes when he says, "As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars . . . I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate" (Camus 122). This is where he fully accepts that the universe is indifferent with human affairs and he realizes the impossibility of avoiding his own death. This moment gives him a sense of happiness with his position in society and he doesn't mind being a loathed criminal. He also longs for companionship and to feel "less alone."
In response to Alberto Lacava's second answer:
I would agree that Meursault's attitude towards death appears to be "unemotional," but more so in the beginning of the novel. During this time, he looked more into the physical aspects of everything rather than the emotional/mental aspects. Once he reaches his epiphany towards the end of the novel when he is about to encounter death himself, I wouldn't say that it is "unemotional." This is when he gets a sense of emotion and he can mentally grasp the true meaning of death. He comes to the realization that it will be impossible to escape his own death, and that it will forever be that way no matter who it is.
Cozette Smith
Question #1
In the opening lines of absurdist, Albert Camus’ novel, “The Stranger,” the reader is divulged to the character of Meursault’s mind. The audience quickly sees that Meursault garners very apathetic characteristics. The opening lines being, “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. I got a telegram from the home: “Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.” That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday.” (Camus 1) This right from the start shows how Meursault is not like the average individual, especially not what is introduced as the main character. This individual learns of his mother’s death but proceeds to become more focused on blaming the home for their lack of specifics in the date of the deceased. The lines detailing his mother’s death show no remorse or grief at all. This is the first look at the novel’s view that life has very little to no meaning
The novel is shown through the thought processes of Meursault. It is through his eyes of the world, the reader attains the novel’s tone. Frequently throughout the work, Camus made sure to use a similar phrase to display Meursault’s apathy. Phrases like “I thought about it; it didn’t matter.” (Camus 8) and “I learned very quickly that none of it really mattered.” (Camus 41) give gentle reminders through to a quite literal conclusion; Meursault does not care about much. With these ideas kept in mind, it can be evident that the overall novel is trying to paint a similar picture of life being absurd and meaningless. These ideas can be first seen through Camus’ opening lines for the novel.
Furthermore, the novel as a whole can be shown as similar to the opening lines; apathetic. Meursault goes through day to day activities and the reader finds very little change in how the narrator views them. In the moment where Meursault shoots the arab man, the reader is given little to no information about Meursault’s emotions after doing something widely regarded as a very traumatic event to take place in someone’s life. He focuses rather, on the beach and break of peace with the gun shot, “I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day,” (Camus 59) It could be argued that the beach may be symbolic for innocence or morality in Meursault, but even then, the narration offers little to no reflection on the act of killing another man. Neither in death nor love can Meursault seem to take a genuine care for something. When Marie approaches him with the idea of marriage, He replies, “I said it didn’t make a difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. Then she wanted to know if i loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t love her.” (Camus 41) Through the cornerstone of the human experience that is love, Meursault, can not find any form of tangible feeling or genuine care towards the subject.
It is in the end of the novel where this apathetic views of life and death can take a full circle. After a large outburst with the chaplain, about nothing mattering, he says “Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why. So did he.” (Camus 121) After this he reflects by looking out his window at the stars, and says “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.” (Camus 122) This shows Meursault’s final acceptance to having no meaning, He accepts death approaching with almost comfort that it will not mean anything. He started the novel this way and reassures himself of this same belief when the reality of life finally becomes tangible to him. Meursault rarely changed in this novel because as we can see in the beginning and the end of the work, it doesn’t matter
Mitchell Coriell - Question 1
Question #2
Through the events of the novel, specifically the events surrounding Meursault’s mother, the arab, and Meursault himself, it can be shown that Camus believes the average member of society cares too much about death when it occurs, yet also blames society for always trying to forget the inevitability of death. Camus uses a first person point of view through his novel to symbolize how direct the concept of death is tackled personally. Some may mourn, but in the eyes of Camus, many don’t show much interest until they themselves are meeting their demise. This is shown through the eyes of Meursault, and how the public eye views Meursault. Meursault does not cry when his mother has died. Camus writes “To another question he replied that he had been surprised by my calm the day of the funeral.” (Camus 89) This was one major reason of Meursault’s conviction to be sentenced to death. Meursault didn’t show emotion towards something he accepted was inevitable and got penalized for it. This shows Camus’ belief that the general public takes death too seriously when it occurs, as though they forgot about it.
Camus furthers this point as Meursault begins discussing the certainty of death and the apathetic tone of it all not mattering. Meursault thinks “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter.” (Camus 114) The chaplain at the end of story finalizes this idea. Camus is trying to tell readers to take on death as Meursault does, apathetically. The chaplain at the end of the story represents faith and societal norms surrounding death. The chaplain has trouble understanding Meursault and his views on his execution. This perplexion demonstrates the isolation of views Meursault has with everyone else. When something inside Meursault snaps (Camus 120) Camus is writing about his frustration with the world’s useless rituals surrounding death.
Lastly, this could be looked at through the chronological events surrounding Maman, the arab man, and Meursault’s death. The situation of death slowly becomes more and more personal until is Meursault’s own demise he must face. The only change in Meursault’s mood in death is when it becomes his own; when all he has is himself. Meursault states “All I care right now is escaping the machinery of justice, seeing if there’s any way out of the inevitable.” (Camus 108) Camus shows through this, a urge in all of humanity, even someone like Meursault to flee from death. This allows the only time for Muersalt to change his view on his death, almost it finally hitting him. This causes his anxiety to pile up until he explodes onto the chaplain with a new realization of death being purposeless. Meursault’s realization of the impending inevitable, is a way for Camus to urge others to come to the same conclusion, death is coming, so let it.
Mitchell Coriell - Question 2
In response to Covey Carpenter’s Response to Question 1:
I feel the overall understanding of the book can be taken from that exact idea that Meursault is sentenced to being different. A “Stranger” to the usual societal norms. To go along with the Meursault caring about the physical more than emotional, I feel it can be found through the motif of weather that weather is also something very important to Meursault. Perhaps more than connections with other people. The sun beating down on his back elemented into Meursault killing the arab man and he detailed the harmony of the beach being ruined by the gunshots. Barely detailing the trauma of killing another human being. In agreement with your post I feel there a few things that Meursault sets above other people and emotional connections, which led to his death. This ranking of importance is exactly portraying Meursault’s isolation with society and Camus’ tone for the novel.
Mitchell Coriell- Response to Covey Carpenter's Question 1 Response
Question 1
The very first thing one notices when reading Camus’s The Stranger is the oddly careless tone presented by Meursault. This careless tone is significant in understanding the disturbing lack of emotional attachment Meursault displays. Throughout the novel it becomes more and more apparent that Meursault has little to no empathy and what would usually elicit an emotional response from most people means next to nothing to him. This is displayed at the very beginning of The Stranger as Camus opens with "Today, mama died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know. I Received a telegram from the retirement home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Deepest sympathy.' That tells me nothing. It could have been yesterday" (Camus 3). The first thing one would notice is the careless way Meursault says ‘I don’t know’ regarding the day of his mother’s death, as if it was a simple triviality. This is then followed up by the immediate blame of the retirement home for not providing any useful informations as he states ‘that tells me nothing’ excusing his lack of knowledge regarding his mother’s death.The reader is led to believe that he simply was not close to his mother or that he perhaps even resented her as he shows no actual regard for the fact that she was dead. However, this nonchalant tone seems more and more disturbing throughout the novel, revealing it have a much darker underlying current. Meursault has a habit of doing what others want other than what he himself desires, not because he wants to please them but because he simply has no drive of his own like when Marie said she wanted to get married and asked him if he loved her. He responded with “ I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so. (Camus 28) ” Even though he told her he didn’t love her he was willing to marry her because she had suggested it. In another point in the book Meursault also agrees to writing a letter for Raymond (Camus 22) not because he cared but because Raymond wanted him to. This was the same exact reason why he had let Raymond refer to him as a friend. Understanding the tone of this novel is important to understand it in its entirety because it not only gives the reader a deeper insight but Meursault's carelessness drives the novel forward.
Question 2
Camus shows us a first person account of how little death seems to phase Meursault. When his mother died he felt it was nothing but an inconvenience. He even stated “I hadn't been in the country for ages, and I caught myself thinking what an agreeable walk I could have had, if it hadn’t been for mother.” ( Camus 9). The death of the woman who had raised him seemed like a mild irritation as he went through the customs of grieving, going through the socially required motions with none of the actual emotions that are to come attached to them. Meursault even shows mild annoyance towards having to wear black in the burning sun and wanted to get over his mother’s funeral as soon as possible (Camus 11). Camus uses Meursault’s inability to show any concern as an exaggerated reflection of humanity’s own carelessness towards death. When he saw the hearse he thought it reminded him of a pen tray at work (Camus 10). Most would see it and think of the person in it or come closer to realizing the finality and inevitability of death but Meursault continues to think over the trivialities of life. In court after the murder of the Arab they bring up all of the instances Meursault showed no emotion, being appalled by his nonchalant attitude. We see that although the people around him make a big deal about death and the importance of mourning, calling him “soulless” and a “monster” for not following the proper traditions of caring about one’s death (camus 64), Meursault was correct in stating that it would not matter in the end because even though he was to be executed, the people around him would continue to live their lives. Camus allows the reader to see the way Meursault denies death until it is looming in front of him and he accepts it as his own reality. His lack of emotion towards death is what condemns him and Camus communicates that humanity treats death as a process with rules on how to feel and how to behave until it is their time to face it. As unfeeling as Meursault is, he comes to terms with his own oncoming death, going through denial, bargaining, rage and eventually acceptance as he grieves his own demise. Ironically, the most emotion Meursault shows is at the final moments of life as opposed to the many moments socially demanding some sort of reaction. At the very end Meursault states that “ I’d been happy, and that was happy still.” Here Meursault realizes that he had been very content with his life and death had made him appreciate what he had. Death seems like a foreign concept that we must treat carefully and with the correct behaviors. However, once we face it ourselves we come to realize that it is inevitable and cannot be stopped and feel the true weight of death we begin to see everything for what it is.
Ashley Adames- Question 2
Response to Mitchell Coriell:
I agree that Camus wants us to break away from the human need to make death into something much more frightening than it is and to let it come when it does. He does communicate that society takes death too seriously but he is also telling his audience that society cannot tell one how to deal with death. A large weighing factor in Meursault's sentence was that he did not behave in the way society deemed was correct. He was supposed to follow tradition and he did not and he was accused of being ‘morally responsible’ (64) for his mother’s death although he had no involvement in her death whatsoever. As much as an outlier Meursault was emotionally, Camus used him as an example to his readers. Humanity puts too much weight not in death necessarily but the rituals and behaviors tied into it, skewing what death really is.
Ashley Adames- Response to Mitchell Coriell
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