"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Søren Kierkegaard
The Stranger by Albert Camus is a riveting dive into existentialism and the absurdity of the human condition. The protagonist, Meursault, is a detached, apathetic guy who stumbles through life with all the grace of a sleepwalker. His journey takes him from the death of his mother to a series of unfortunate events that culminate in his trial and execution for murder.
Reading Meursault's thoughts is like watching a nature documentary on the human psyche; fascinating but also a bit unsettling. You may find yourself torn between understanding the reasons for his detachment and wanting to shake some sense into him. After all, who wouldn't want to yell, "Snap out of it, man!" at a character who seems utterly clueless about his own emotions and those of others?
But yet, I kind of think Meursault's passivity is infuriatingly brilliant? He allows the world to label him as they please, never bothering to stand up for himself or clarify his actions. It's as if he decided to take on the mantle of humanity's punching bag, all for the sake of demonstrating the absurdity of life. And yet, it's hard not to wonder if a more assertive Meursault might have made a better case for himself in court.
In the end, our apathetic protagonist is forced to face the music, confronting his emotional vacuum when it comes to his mother's death and his own impending demise. It’s kind of poetic, yet tragic, that it took a death sentence to get him to wake up and be more human.
Characters
- Meursault: The detached, apathetic protagonist. He navigates life in a constant state of meh.
- Raymond Sintès: Meursault's unsavory neighbor. Dude is kind of sketch, tbh.
- Marie Cardona: Meursault's love interest, the only ray of sunshine in his sad existence.
- The Arab: The man Meursault kills. The catalyst for the protagonist's downfall.
- Thomas Pérez: An old man who loved Meursault's mother. He was kind of useless.
- The Magistrate: The representative of the justice system that wants to unravel the enigma that is Meursault.
Key Takeaways
- Apathy and detachment can be both a shield and a weakness.
- Freedom comes with a price, and sometimes that price is too steep to pay.
- Confronting the absurdity of life can be a humbling experience.
- Sometimes, personal growth can only happen when we're forced to face the music.
Personal Reflection
Camus has a knack for provoking the reader, making us question our own beliefs and values. And as much as I wanted to be that cool, detached observer, I couldn't help but feel a bit rattled by Meursault's apathy. It's like watching someone poke a sleeping bear and then shrug nonchalantly when the bear finally wakes up – you know it's not going to end well.
I know the detachment is a central theme of the novel and is used to explore the idea of the absurd, which is a key concept in Camus's philosophy. The absurd is the idea that life has no inherent meaning, and that individuals must create their own purpose. But Meursault's detachment is such a hyperbolic representation of this idea!
Another important theme in the book is the concept of freedom. Meursault is a character who is not constrained by societal norms and expectations, and he acts according to his own desires and impulses. But his freedom is both a blessing and a curse. He lives a life that’s true to himself, but also leads to his downfall.
This is perhaps the more interesting part of the novel for me, as it raised an important question about the relationship between freedom and responsibility. Can true freedom exist without consequences?
Recommendation
If you're up for a wild existential ride, then buckle up, because The Stranger is definitely worth your time. Camus's storytelling captivates you from the start, and his exploration of human nature is both thought-provoking and disturbing. It's not a light read, but it's the kind of book that leaves a lasting impression. Give it a go, and let it mess with your mind.
Who knows, you might even find yourself revisiting it later in life to see if your perspective on Meursault and the world has changed.
Interesting quotes from the story
- "I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.”
- "Everything I had said, everything I had done, suddenly became meaningless. All that remained was the evidence of a senseless crime.”
- "I felt as if I had been awakened from a long sleep, a sleep full of dreams, but this morning I was coming back to reason.”
- "I looked at the sea, at the sky, at the clouds, and I felt that I was going to die for the first time.”
- "The sun was coming up and the sky was turning red. I had the strange feeling that I'd been happy and that I was happy again.”
- "I may not have been sure about what really did interest me, but I was absolutely sure about what didn't."
- "Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter."
- "Every man alive was privileged; there was only one class of men, the privileged class."
- "I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again."