The Stranger, by Albert Camus, is a novel about Meursault and how he is a “stranger” to society. . Meursault is a “stranger” and an absurdity to society because he does not show any emotions, he has no meaning for life, and his only certainty and guarantee is death.
The Stranger shows Meursault to be interested far more in the physical aspects of the world around him than in its social or emotional aspects. This focus on the sensate world results from the novel’s assertion that there exists no higher meaning or order to human life.
What does the guillotine symbolize in the stranger?
The guillotine is one of the things Meursault thinks about while he is waiting in prison to be executed. . He frequently refers to the guillotine as « the machine » and says it destroys everything, so I thought it was symbolism for the « machine » of society that wants to eliminate him.
How does part one of the stranger exemplify the absurd?
Michael Stultz, M.A. Part I of The Stranger presents the first of three deaths: Meurault’s mother’s. Meursault has no connection or role in her death, unlike the death of the Arab in Part II and his own execution in Part III. Therefore, death is seen by Meursault in an external, detached, and absurd way.
Is the stranger absurdist or existentialist?
In conclusion Meursault portrays many existentialist characteristics and actions throughout the literary work and it can be inferred that The Stranger was an existentialist novel when his writing style was one of an Absurdist.
Is the stranger existentialism?
The Stranger is often referred to as an “existential” novel, but this description is not necessarily accurate. The term “existentialism” is a broad and far-reaching classification that means many different things to many different people, and is often misapplied or overapplied.
Is Meursault an existential hero?
Meursault, an individual marginalized for the exploitative nature of society, is characterized as socially isolated and emotionally detached who seems to regard life meaningless. . The study finds that Meursault is equally an existential hero and a mirror reflecting the ugly truth of society.
How does the stranger relate to existentialism?
In The Stranger, Albert Camus uses Mersault and his experiences to convey the philosophy that man is full of anxiety and despair with no meaning in his life except for simple existence. . As an existentialist, he accepts life as it is without seeking deeper meaning.
What is absurdism in the stranger?
Meursault’s common sense is that everyone dies eventually, and their lives do not matter in the end. Meursault is a “stranger” and an absurdity to society because he does not show any emotions, he has no meaning for life, and his only certainty and guarantee is death.
What does the stranger symbolize?
The symbols in The Stranger represent conflicts for Meursault between social convention and engagement in the experiences of life.
Is Meursault a nihilist?
Meursault is a nihilist because he places no value in his life or the lives of others, and lives emotionally detached from the world. . His amorality stems from his nihilism, as morality is unimportant when life is entirely meaningless.
What does the stranger represent?
The symbols in The Stranger represent conflicts for Meursault between social convention and engagement in the experiences of life.
How would you describe Meursault?
Meursault is a detached figure who views and describes much of what occurs around him from a removed position. He is emotionally indifferent to others, even to his mother and his lover, Marie. He also refuses to adhere to the accepted moral order of society.
Why is the stranger Important?
Camus utilized The Stranger as a platform to explore absurdity, a concept central to his writings and at the core of his treatment of questions about the meaning of life. However, Camus did not identify himself as a philosopher.
What is the moral of the stranger?
In The Stranger, Meursault is a nihilist who does not think it is important to be moral or behave in a way that benefits others. Conversely, Clamence is an absurdist, who tries to find meaning through other’s judgements of him.
What does the sun symbolize in the stranger?
Symbolism of the sun of feelings and emotions, which Meursault cannot deal with. The sun is the main driving force behind MeursauIt’s actions. It also represents the inescapable fact of life, which is death.
What is the point of absurdism?
The philosophy of absurdism opines that by rejecting hope one can live in a state of freedom, and this is made possible only without hope and expectations. Absurdist theories and concepts conceive hope as a means of avoiding or evading the Absurd.
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