The Stranger, By Albert Camus
When Albert Camus wrote The Stranger in 1942, his intention was to present absurdism and existentialism to the world. The absurdity of life from Camus's eyes come to life through the main character, Meursault. Throughout the novel, Meursault doesn't wish he could live another life nor does he attempt to change his final judgement. Meursault's inability to feel emotions and express them to others is a primary example of existentialism throughout the novel. From Meursault's physical descriptions of his daily experiences to his lack of emotion, and his view on life and death, that life isn't worth living all portray characteristics of an existentialist. Absurdism and existentialism are present through the entire novel and drive the novel as well. Camus portrays Meursault as a true existentialist, who believes life is not only meaningless but trying to find meaning is pointless as well.
In the novel, …show more content…
The way he describes situations or his experiences show his existentialist view. For instance, after Meursault's mom died and he went to the home, rather than focusing on the fact that his mom has died, he was focused on what the older people looked like: “Almost all the women were wearing aprons, and the strings, which were tied tight around their waists, made their bulging stomachs stick out even more. I’d never noticed what huge stomachs old women can have” (9). The way Meursault seems to completely disregard his mother's death and focus on unimportant aspects, reveals even more about his existentialist view; that human emotions cannot be explained and are therefore not expressed at all. Camus once said “the curious feeling the son has for his mother constitutes all his sensibility” (vii). He took what seemed
In the novel, …show more content…
The way he describes situations or his experiences show his existentialist view. For instance, after Meursault's mom died and he went to the home, rather than focusing on the fact that his mom has died, he was focused on what the older people looked like: “Almost all the women were wearing aprons, and the strings, which were tied tight around their waists, made their bulging stomachs stick out even more. I’d never noticed what huge stomachs old women can have” (9). The way Meursault seems to completely disregard his mother's death and focus on unimportant aspects, reveals even more about his existentialist view; that human emotions cannot be explained and are therefore not expressed at all. Camus once said “the curious feeling the son has for his mother constitutes all his sensibility” (vii). He took what seemed