My five questions
1) Throughout the book, why does time get less and less important and less mentioned?
2) Why does Camus include so much ambiguous language and paradox when his character is so precise and straightforward?
3) Why are Arabs and women portrayed in an unflattering way?
4) How does the culture impact the book?
5)When the legal system is so absurd and conflicting with Meurault's own beliefs, why does Camus make Meursault accept and appreciate it?
Camus's book The Stranger has a lack of emotion and focuses instead on physical sensations and logical thought to characterize Meursault in order to demonstrate the philosophy of existentialism. Matt
Salamano's dog is significant because the fact that it replaced his wife, and the fact that Salamano hates it, but is still crushed when it runs away show the human need for companionship and fear of lonliness. Andy
The victim of Meursault's crime as well as most of the inmates are Arab to show the ineffectiveness of the legal system and the hypocritical aspect of society as a whole. Isabella
Camus uses the symbols of coffee and cigarettes as the vices of society. They are habits that tie society together. When Meursault finally separates himself fully from those around him, he no longer participates in those habitual "needs". Megan
Camus only says the name of the day if it is a weekend to parallel Meursault's attitude. He does not enjoy his work, and on the weekends he experiences a freedom to choose his own activity. He can do whatever he feels like, and is not pressured into doing things he doesn't want to do. So Camus, like Meursault, ignores and disregards the week days and focuses on the weekends. Tate
2. Camus uses so much ambiguous language to emphasize two things: Meursault's clarity and bluntness, and also to illustrate that, since he believes life has no meaning, details and specific events don't really matter in the grand scheme of things.
ReplyDelete#5. Meursault utilizes the absurdity of the trial, society's way of judging Meursault, as a method to show Meursault's transcendence from society's symbolic imprisonment.
ReplyDelete5. Camus makes Mersault accept the legal system because it reflects his own belief about life; the idea that searching for answers in a complex world will leave one unhappy, rather than just accepting life for what it is and not stress about understanding it, which will provide happiness.
ReplyDelete5. Throughout The Stranger, Camus characterizes Meursault as a person who goes with the flow. Meursault does not care really what happens to him. Meursault did not care that his mother died, he was indifferent about becoming friends with Raymond and marrying Marie. Yes Meursault did not object to these relationships, but also Meursault was not enthusiastic about these relationships. Meursault is one who is indifferent about life, he does not appreciate the legal system, however he accepts it because that is how he acts.
ReplyDeleteCamus portrays women and Arabs in an unflattering way to express through the book the time periods sexist and racist views.
ReplyDelete[this book was first published in 1946, so I know that racism was still pretty rampant, but I am unsure of the sexism part...]
3) While I agree with Kellsie, I have another theory as to why Camus gave it so much focus. I think that discrimination continues to emphasize Camus' point on the absurdity of external justice. (Esp. the scene where Raymond gets off with little more than a warning and Meursault's statement isn't even read)
ReplyDelete4) How does the culture impact the book?
ReplyDeleteCamus uses the setting of the novel, Algiers, to comment on the Algerian struggle for independence against the French. When Raymond is simply let go after beating his girlfriend, Camus is criticizing the French government for their harsh and uncaring treatment of the Algerians.
2. I would argue that Meresault as a character is not precise and straightforward. Although what he says may be blunt there is a definite repetition of him being unsure of what drives him as an individual, such as when he is killing the Arab. Furthermore he is also unsure of himself when he responds to his boss, he expresses doubts over whether what he said was appropriate. Because of this I think the ambiguous language just helps in characterizing Meresault as uncertain (at least until the end of the book)
ReplyDelete