Title: The Stranger
Author: Albert Camus
Date of Publication: 1942
Genre: fiction (philosophical/absurdist)
Historical information about the setting/time of publication:
Significance of closing scene: We further see his carelessness as he wishes for a hateful crowd at his funeral, because this would only confirm his beliefs about society.
Symbols/motifs:
Author: Albert Camus
Date of Publication: 1942
Genre: fiction (philosophical/absurdist)
Historical information about the setting/time of publication:
- French colony
- discriminatory attitude towards the Arabs
- WWII in Europe
- born November 7th, 1913 in Mondavi, French Algeria
- poor family
- went to study philosophy at the University of Algiers
- joined the French Resistance during WWII
- was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957
- died on January 4th, 1960 in Burgundy, France
- focuses on the function and role of society, the purpose of life, ethics, morals, the role of art in human lives, the role of experience and the development of knowledge
- Mersault's mother dies, and he feels no remorse
- he meets Marie at the beach the next day, and they go on a date and spend the night
- Mersault runs into his neighbor Raymond
- Raymond asks Mersault to write a letter to get his mistress back to beat her
- Marie comes back to see Mersault and they find cops at Raymond's because Raymond was beating his mistress
- Mersault agrees to marry Marie
- they go to the beach with Raymond and run into Raymond's mistress' brother who stabs Raymond
- they leave and Mersault convinces Raymond not to go back with a gun
- Mersault goes back and shoots Raymond's mistress' brother
- he is arrested and shows absolutely no remorse so is sentenced to death
- the chaplain tries to get him to turn to God, but Mersault refuses
- Mersault ends up thinking that there is no meaning to existence, and is content
- "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know" (1). -Significant because it shows Mersault's complete lack of remorse, which continues throughout the story. This quote shows that it was not significant enough to hi to remember when it was, although it should have been.
- "But I couldn't hear them, and it was hard for me to believe they really existed" (15). -Significant because this portrays Mersault's extreme doubt in a greater meaning of existence.
- "I figured it would save me the trouble of having to cook for myself, so I accepted" (6). - Significant because it shows Mersault looks at the negatives and doesn't really want to have dinner, and truly doesn't care.
- Mersault
- role: narrator
- significance: removed/detached view of the things going on
- adjectives: detached, indifferent, careless
- Marie Cardona
- role: Mersault's lover
- significance: supports Mersault through everything
- adjectives: beautiful, enthusiastic, loving
- Raymond:
- role: Mersault's neighbor
- significance: urges Mersault to make bad decisions
- adjectives: aggressive, persuasive, unloyal
- Chaplain
- role: priest
- significance: tries to turn Mersault to a path of faith
- adjectives: persistent, faithful
- Algiers, French Algeria
- during French colonialism
Significance of closing scene: We further see his carelessness as he wishes for a hateful crowd at his funeral, because this would only confirm his beliefs about society.
Symbols/motifs:
- crucifix
- mother's closed coffin
- the court
- meaning in the universe
- irrationality of society
- ignorance of faith