The+Stranger

 The Stranger by Albert Camus

 **Author Information**

Albert Camus (November 7, 1913 - January 4, 1960) was a French-Algerian author whose novel, //The Strang////er//, is most often described as the beginning of existentialist literature. He was born in French-occupied Algeria in 1913 to a French-Algerian family. He grew up in a poor environment and his father, who was a farm hand, died when Camus was only a year old. His half-deaf Spanish mother was left to raise Camus by herself in Algeria. However, despite his situation, Camus was accepted into the University of Algiers, but contracted tuberculosis in 1930 and was forced to quit playing soccer and study part-time. Camus soon joined the French Communist Party. His views on government were negative, and he is often described as an anarchist. After his first marriage fell apart due to infidelity, he married Francine Faure, though he believed marriage was unnatural and that he was not meant for it. His pacifist attitude is reflected in many of his writings, especially in //The Stranger.// His style of writing has been described as existentialism, which is when a character only exists in a sensory existence, and absurdity, but he refused to be classified as this way. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, and in 1960 he was killed in an automobile accident at the age of 46.

**Inspiration for //The Stranger//**

The setting of //The Stranger// takes place in Algeria, Camus's home country, and the Arabs who lived in Algeria during Camus's time there are reflected in the novel. Just like Camus, the main character Meursault is a French man living in French-controlled Algeria. Meursault represents many of Camus's thoughts and ideas; he has an indifferent attitude to life in general, and does not think about his actions. Rather, he acts on impulse and does not think about the consequences. He merely exists in life and only describes factual and concrete images. Camus's views on government is reflected in Meursault, since he did not care for organization and conformity. Camus writes //The Stranger// with a tone of indifference and apathy.

**Plot Summary**

The novel begins with Meursault learning about his mother's death at a nursing home. He does not grieve, but rather goes through the motions of having to traveling to the funeral and describes the journey more than his feelings of death, only that he believes death is the only absolute in life. He refuses to view his mother's body and shows no emotion during the funeral.When he returns home he meets a woman, Marie, and develops a relationship with her. Eventually, he, Marie, and Meursault's friend Raymond all take a trip to the Algerian coast. While they are there, Raymond gets into a fight with his ex-girlfriend's brother and his Arab friend. Though Meursault is not injured, Raymond is. Meursault tries to calm him down and takes his pistol from him so Raymond does not do anything rash to the two men who attacked him.

Later that day Meursault takes a walk alone on the beach. As he is walking, he sees the Arab friend lying down the beach. As Meursault walks closer to him, he notices how hot and blinding the sun is, and that is all he can concentrate on. When he finally reaches the Arab, they do not talk, but Meursault sees a glint from a gun the Arab is concealing. The glint from the gun blinds Meursault, and he shoots the Arab and kills him.

Meursault shoots the Arab four more times and then walks back to his friends as though nothing has happened. Meursault is quickly arrested for murder and awaits trial.

**Major Characters**

**Meurs****ault** - Meursault is a French-Algerian (black-foot) who is disengaged from society; he sees no purpose in the ordinary aspects of living, and only exists through sensory perception. He shows no emotion in the novel, and does not even grieve for the death of his mother. He prefers to be alone and after talking a walk on the beach by himself, he sees a man who he had an altercation with. Without being provoked at all, Meursault shoots and kills the Arab. Meursault represents Camus, a detached man who lives life with no real purpose, only going through the motions.


 * Marie** - Marie is Meursault's girlfriend. Although she is like Meursault in that she lives for the present, she differs from him because she enjoys life and finds meaning in life. She enjoys the physical aspects of life, such as swimming and being outside. Though she finds Meursault strange in nature, she is in love with him and stays loyal to him throughout the novel.


 * Raymond** - Raymond is Meursault's friend. He is the complete opposite of Meursault because he shows he emotion. Unlike Meursault, Raymond becomes angry easily and is often violent. Raymond's fight at the beach with his ex-girlfriend's brother and friend causes Meursault to take his gun and ultimately shoots the Arab with it.


 * The Arab** - The Arab is the unnamed friend of Raymond's ex-girlfriend's brother. The Arab is involved with the fight between Raymond and his ex-girlfriend's brother. While lying on the beach after the fight, he is shot and killed by Meursault. He remains unnamed to represent how Meursault goes through life without taking notice of things and to symbolize the irrationality of his crime; Meursault murders a man he did not know.

**Quote from //The Stranger//**

(pg 26) **
 * "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed."


 * Visual Images **

The calmness and serenity of the beach contrasts to Meursault's violent and motiveless crime. This relates to the theme of absurdity because Meursault had no reason to kill the Arab, and yet he did.



A solitary man represents how Meursault feels: alone and with no purpose in life. This relates to the themes of solidarity and of existentialism.


 * Musical Selection **

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

[|Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen]

"Is this the real life- Is this just fantasy- Caught in a landslide- No escape from reality- Open your eyes Look up to the skies and see- I'm just a poor boy,i need no sympathy- Because I'm easy come,easy go, A little high,little low, Anyway the wind blows,doesnt really matter to me, To me

Mama,just killed a man, Put a gun against his head, Pulled my trigger,now hes dead, Mama,life had just begun, But now Ive gone and thrown it all away- Mama ooo, Didnt mean to make you cry- If Im not back again this time tomorrow- Carry on,carry on,as if nothing really matters-"


 * Sources**

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