THE STRANGER

ALBERT CAMUS
ALBERT CAMUS
A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.

He was an Algerian-French Nobel Prize

winning author, journalist, and philosopher.
He was one of the pioneers in the rise of the
philosophy of absurdism.
He was also said to be a proponent of existentialism,
but declined any ideological association.
The Stranger is one of his first books that were
published.
Camus was the second-youngest recipient of the
Nobel Prize for Literature (after Rudyard Kipling)
 EARLY YEARS

Albert Camus was born November 7, 1913 at Mondovi

in Algiers in Algeria. They belong to Pied-Noir descent.
Sir Alberts parents were Lucien Auguste Camus and
Catherine Hlne Sints.
He studied in University of Algiers.
He almost died while suffering from Tuberculosis but
eventually recover and force to pursue different jobs.
Before receiving a degree, he married and divorce,
joined and left the Communist Party, and founded
The Workers Theatre.
 LITERARY AND PROFESSIONAL
CAREER

Albert Camus had written the essay

L'Envers et L'Endroit.
Between 1937-1939, he had wrote book reviews and
occasional essays for the Algier-Republicain.
He became an editor for Soir-Republicain.
Became a writer of Paris-Soir Magazine.
Finished his first works The Strangers and The Myth of Sisyphus.
Known for his lectures in existentialism and idea of absurdism.
Joined french resistance called Combat.
Wrote many pieces like The Plague, The Rebel, and The Fall.
INFLUENCE, BELIEFS AND DEATH

He was highly influenced by his social status in life.

He worked mostly in publications to fight and aid
resistance movement against invaders.
The war yielded many experiences to Camus that made
him start his assertion on the purpose of existence.
Started the foundation of the philosophy of absurdism.
In 1957, at the age of 44, Camus received the Nobel
Prize for Literature.
Two years later, in January of 1960, he was killed in an
automobile accident. Despite his early death, he had
made significant contributions as a novelist, playwright,
moralist, and political theorist. Today he is remembered
for his existential ideas and his concern over the
alienation of man in an indifferent world.
 SUMMARY

Meursault, resident of Algiers, received a telegram that his

mother died so he went to the town of Marengo where his
mother lived.As he has arrived, he asked if he could see his
mother but the doorkeeper asked him to see the warden first.
The warden told him things about his mother being a friend
and a folk in the village and eventually allowed him to see his
mother.
Finally he saw his mother who was already in a coffin and
spent the rest of the night beside his mother.
Together with him were an Arab nurse with a tumor and the
caretaker who tried to unscrew the coffin for Meursault to see
but immediately, Meursault disagreed.
Morning came for the funeral and the warden informed him
about his mothers close friend named Thomas Perez who will
be attending the funeral.
 SUMMARY
Meursault went back to Algiers that night and the next day he went for a
night swim where he came across Marie Cardona whom he asked for a
comedy movie date, then slept with her but waking up with Marie gone.
Meursault shows no affection towards Marie though she still asked him to
marry her.
He works as a typist in an office where he was offered a promotion yet he
ironically declines as he enjoys the little pleasures in his work.
Meursault became associated with Raymond Sintes who is known as a
pimp and has beaten his girlfriend because she is cheating on him. He
plans on beating her more and asked Meursault to write a letter to lure
her girlfriend back.
Marie visits Meursault in his apartment and confronts him about what he
feels for her and she unfortunately was rejected by Meursault.
A noise from the apartment stopped their conversation. It was Sintes
beating her girlfriend wherein the police immediately responded.
 SUMMARY

One day, they went to a beach where five Arabs followed them.
Meursault killed one of the Arabs who happens to be a brother of
Raymonds mistress.
Meursault was arrested, confronted by his lawyer, and judged by
the Magistrate towards his view on religion.
Marie visited Meursault clinging to the hope that he will soon be
acquitted and that they can get married.
The day of the trial came where the talks shifted from the issue of
murder to Meursaults personality especially his reaction towards
his mothers death. Even Marie testified that they went on a date
after the funeral. Lack of grief was clearly seen on him during the
trial which led the prosecutor to sentence him death.
Mersault can hardly believe the verdict, for he has never thought
of himself as a criminal. In the end, however, he approaches his
death like he has approached his life - with indifference. He thinks
perhaps that after death his existence may be less absurd; he
may be more closely aligned with the universe.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and the absurd

The Stranger reflects Camuss philosophical stance as an
absurdist. Is there a logical meaning to life? Is there some
higher order or law governing it? Indeed, can we make
sense of life at all? The answer from The Stranger to these
questions is a categorical "No." There is no truth, no
certainty, nor any unwavering, non-relative laws in life and
there is no sense in pursuing such impossibilities.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and mortality

From the beginning to end, Meursaults view towards death
has morphed and matured from indifference, to fear, and
finally, to acceptance.

Rather than investigating issues material to the actual crime

committed, the prosecutor has put Meursault on trial for
being indifferent to his mothers death. To the prosecutor,
the trial was meant to convict a cold hearted rebel, not to
address the heinousness of either crime.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and isolation

The Stranger focuses on one mans isolation from society,
from friends, from his lover, from human emotion, and
eventually from normal logic. This isolation is self-prescribed;
the main character isnt exiled by any means he separates
himself. Of course, at first he doesnt view this as a choice at
all; isolation is simply the path of least resistance, the series
of activities that requires the least activity and effort. By the
end of the novel, the narrator realizes that he has the ability
to choose; that if he wants, he can wish for a large crowd of
people, he can desire to be less alone. Or he can stay as he
is. But he is conscious of his own ability to decide.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and sadness

At funerals, we expect sadness. At a murderers trial, we
desire to witness remorse. Have you ever asked why our
expectation and desire converge? Should the son be sad
at his mothers funeral? Should the murderer be remorseful?
And what if the rebels do not wish to abide by these rules
society has imposed on its constituents? Should they die for
their lack of sadness or remorse? This main character sure
does. And Camus explores why that is in The Stranger.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and religion

According to the absurdist, religion is constructed by man in
an attempt to create meaning to a senseless existence.
Acceptance of religion, of the possibility of an afterlife,
would mean that man effectively escapes death. This is a
destructive belief, as only the realization and acceptance
of impending death allows man to live to his fullest. The
Stranger would condemn this, and at one point, the novels
hero directly accuses a chaplain of "living like a dead man."
Refuting the "no atheists on fox holes" claim, this character
challenges the social construct of religion even before his
own death, refusing to "waste any last minutes on God."
ANALYSIS

The Stranger and women or femininity

The hero of The Stranger displays a detachment not only
from society, but also from women. He does not cry at his
mothers funeral. He does not sympathize with Raymonds
ex-girlfriend when she is brutally beaten. He does not love
his own girlfriend, though he admittedly enjoys her
company. Treatment of women is the main theme here, but
other romantic and/or sexual relationships in the novel
provide additional insights by way of contrast.
ANALYSIS

The Stranger: the title

Albert Camus was French Camus was French; so he
wrote The Stranger in French, and because it seemed
appropriate, gave it a French title: L'tranger. "L'tranger" is
translated as "The Foreigner" instead of as "The Stranger,"
ANALYSIS

Setting
Algeria in the 1940s The setting both time and place are
important to understand one vital piece of background
information about The Stranger: Meursault may "officially" be
on trial for killing a man, but hes actually on trial for his
character, and it is for this character that he is convicted.
A persons character can be a viable criteria for judging a
person.
Racism gives a significant role in the setting of the novel.