Author: Albert Camus
Publisher: Vintage
International
Publication Year: 1989
Language: English
Format:
Paperback
Pages: 123
Since it was first published in English, in 1946, Albert Camus's first novel, THE STRANGER (L'etranger), has had a profound impact on millions of American readers. Through this story of an ordinary man who unwittingly gets drawn into a senseless murder on a sundrenched Algerian beach, Camus explored what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd."
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The Stranger tells the story of Meursault, a Frenchman who lived in Algiers.
The book opens with the news of Meursault’s mother death. He’s asked if he
wanted to see his mother for the last time. He attended the funeral, sensing
that it’s what he was supposed to do. Afterward, he spent time with a woman
named Marie whom later he’d date. He also befriends his neighbor, Raymond, who
beat his mistress because he thought she cheated on him. Her brother (whom
they called the Arab) retaliated, hurting Raymond. When Meursault and Raymond
went out to the beach, they met the mistress’ brother and his friends. Because
of some absurd reason (or a lack thereof), Meursault killed the Arab and got
convicted.
This book is divided into two parts, using the murder as its turning point. In
the first part, it basically follows Meursault’s day-to-day life after his
mother’s death up to the murder. This part sets the ground of his personality.
Through this part we learn how indifference Meursault towards life in general.
Even his mother’s death means nothing to him which shown in the infamous
opening line of this book.
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.
The opening line shows us how his mother’s death didn’t even faze him. During
the funeral, Meursault chose to focus on other trivial things instead such as
whether he’d take the cigarettes offered to him. The day of the funeral hadn’t
even over yet when he went to watch a comedy film with Marie. His indifference
applies to his relationship with Marie too. When Marie brought up the idea of
marriage, Meursault’s response was ‘sure, why not’ like there’s nothing
special about it. Again and again, in the first part, Meursault shows us his
nihilistic view of life through his interaction with people around him. With
that established, we’ll then enter the second part of this book which is his
trial for the killing of the Arab.
During the trial, Meursault’s alibi and his motif were explored. The
prosecutor even brought up his mother’s death to paint what kind of person
Meursault was. The result is not in Meursault’s favor. His lack of sadness and
his apathy render him as a monster with lack of remorse which gave him a
nickname ‘Monsieur Antichrist’. This is what makes Meursault ‘the Stranger’ in
this book. He has different view of life than most people in the society and
he’s being judged by that in this trial. I feel like he’s on trial not because
he killed a man but because of his character. Though we’ll discover that
Meursault actually had no motif to the killing other than because the day was
hot and he happened to have a gun on his hand which I find completely absurd.
It’s absurd and scary at the same time because things got escalated so
quickly. Defending himself by showing that the whole thing was an unfortunate
event only worsen the situation because he’s different, strange, and the
society couldn’t accept that. They are trying to rationalize Meursault’s
action and when they couldn’t, they punished him and sentenced him to death by
guillotine.
However, in the end Meursault came to acceptance after having a conversation
with a chaplain in prison. Meursault saw life as meaningless. The only thing
certain in life is death. Everyone will face death and it doesn’t matter when,
it’ll always lead to death. That realization frees him and he’s finally
content with his execution.
As if that blind rage has washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, I that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much life myself – so like a brother, really – I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, 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.
I think in this book, Camus trying to show the absurdity of life via
Meursault. Meursault is sure about one thing, that life is meaningless. Yet,
people always try to search for meaning or trying to give meaning to life.
During his trial, the prosecutor tried to make sense of Meursault’s action
when in actuality, what Meursault did was meaningless, like most things he
did. The world is irrational and unpredictable but it will all lead to death.
Knowing this, I guess, could give some people peace of mind which will allow
them to live the rest of their life to the fullest.
Overall, not going to lie, with such simple premise, I didn’t expect this book
to have such deep meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and
dissecting the idea presented within. The Stranger has become one of my
favorite books of all time. I believe the Stranger is a book everyone should
read at least once in their life.
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