Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” Essay

In Camus The Stranger, the author exposes a tension between split upicipation and the protagonists perspective of society. The proof endorser comes to understand the pointlessness of earthly concern through the protagonists lens. Although society defines the great unwashed by actions, Meursault rejects ideas of potpourri and embraces a nihilistic view of life sentence. This judgment passed on individuals is based on an individuals actions. Meursault realizes that every occasion that lives must die, therefore no intimacy what one does in life, one is still doomed to the same fate that everyone else is. Meursault eviscerates whole of his decisions based on his notion that his actions are unimportant because no matter how society classifies him, he will still die. It is Meursaults utter rejection of exclusively things irrational that separate him from his fellow man and make him a extraterrestrial.The fact that Meursault doesnt cry at his own mformer(a)s funeral demonstrate s how Meursault is disconnected from the normal human senses of grief that usu every last(predicate)y accompany death. Meursault is not counterbalance sure when his mother died. Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I breakt know(3). He seems to view the rest of humanity as the others, as if he is a mere observer rather than a part of humanity that he was born into. For example, the image of the elderly people gathered around the caretaker nodding their heads at Meursault conjures up the feeling of vultures appraise their prey. Even Meursault himself feels that they were there to judge(10).His behavior only reinforces this division as he finds himself unable to share in the emotional connection and survive of the vigil. For instance, when one of the women starts to cry, his only response to the tender display of love is, I wish I didnt commence to listen to her anymore(10). He does not relate to nor understand the womans humanityas if he were a stranger to the essential eleme nts of what it means to be human. Moreover, when the vigil ends and the elderly friends leave they shake his hand, a gesture to which he jeeringly thinks as if that night had somehow brought us closer together (12). This irony underscores how utterly detached he feels from the rest of the world.After returning from the funeral for his mother, Meursault real demonstrates the meaninglessness of his life. What could possibly be moreboring and meaningless than walkway around your flatbed for a while? This passage is interesting because it gives the reader a rare glimpse of reflection close to his mother. Even here, though, it is lastly selfish in nature. Now that his mother is gone, he feels that his apartment is likewise big for him. He still lacks remorse or grief, but hes realizing how his mothers death affects him abstractly and physically. The fact that Meursault thinks the apartment is to a fault big for only him symbolizes his aloneness. Just as the apartment is too big a nd he lives only in one little part, the world is too big, and he is fundamentally alone.By killing the Arab, Meursault proves that his actions define him, and even if society labels him as a murderer, it does not matter because he is pass to die anyway. The murder of the Arab takes place at the climax of the story and it makes the reader wonder why Meursault has no remorse. He is cognizant of what he is doing and is aware that it is wrong, however he does it anyway. Most people would care if they shot other man, but since he has no cares, he does it with no worries or remorse. If the other one moves in, or if he draws his knife, Ill let him have it (56). This arcminute in particular is an example of his detached, passive, and psychotic nature. He offers to kill so nonchalantly that it shows no moral stance whatsoever. Hes so mentally detached that the thought of murder poses no great emotion or even feared remorse.Meursault starts to interview why he should care more or less h is life before he dies. He does not question what things would make his life worthwhile, but he questions why he should even question the things that would benefit his life. As far as I could see, it didnt have anything to do with me(69). This emphasizes the point that Meursault is strongly disjointed from society and his and other peoples happiness. every(prenominal) Meursault knows is that it is not worth his time to worry about classifying things as well(p) or bad because he will die heedless of his classification.Meursault is asked about emotions and feelings he doesnt have or care to have. Meursault is annoyed because this is all a worthless examination into something that will seemingly bring no real conclusion to anything, because life is absurd. Meursault was sure about one thingdeath. He was sure he would die, just like everyone else.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 (120). I n his death, Meursault finally becomes part of the mainstream society, along with everyone else.The only guarantee in life is death. Meursault would die regardless of whether he killed the Arab or not. Meursault has reached the understanding that his life is not affected by his actions it is only affected by his inevitable death. Meursault justifies his actions with his indifference. Whatever he has through with(p) in his life could not save him from his death. Meursaults emotional separation and disconnect from everyday emotions make him a stranger to humanity.