The Stranger by Albert Camus | Summary & Analysis
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
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Professor Bill Yarrow of Joliet Junior College provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes of Albert Camus's book The Stranger.
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Albert Camus's The Stranger is a bleak meditation on the meaninglessness of modern life.
In pre-WWII Algiers, the Stranger (Meursault) lives a simple existence, sleepwalking through his life, unmoved except for occasional physical pleasures such as smoking a cigarette or having sex. Even the death of his mother seems to have little effect on his emotional state.
With no apparent motive, he kills an Arab on the beach and is condemned to death. During his trial, however, Meursault is tried as much for insensitivity as for murder.
Disturbing in its depiction of nihilism, the novel explores the consequences of the realization that there is no god. Still, it provides flashes of insight into the redemptive power of human resilience as the narrator comes to terms with his decisions.
Albert Camus was born in French North Africa, and his novel The Stranger was first published in 1942. Tuberculosis forced him to drop out of school, which may explain Meursault’s chronic fatigue in The Stranger. Despite its grimness, the novel was extremely popular in Western Europe and helped establish Camus's writing career.
The novel The Stranger contains many powerful themes, including detachment, as Meursault emotionally distances himself from others; the meaninglessness of life, as Meursault's recognition that death is the only certainty brings him peace; and physical life, as both pleasant and unpleasant physical sensations influence Meursault. Important symbols include the courtroom, the crucifix, and the sun.
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Mersault is a representation of outliers/iconoclasts in society. When we don’t comply with societal standards we are looked at through a lens of someone strange, an outsider. We see this with the reaction to his mamans death and how absurd the rituals around death are, that these are really for the living and not the dead. He questions whether he should smoke so close to maman, then realizes that it doesn't matter (implying she is dead, what would she care at this point.) We also see this with his interaction with Marie when she asks him if he loves her. The standard reaction would be to say yes, though he says, "No, I don't think so." Along with all of this, he also lives in the present with no real concern of the future or the past. I never really gathered Mersault thinking life is meaningless as opposed to just absurd through the ritualistic behavior and norms of society. Isn't it meaningful when he likes to listen to his neighbors because they are "interesting", when he longs for Marie, having lunch at Celestes, and that he hopes a crowd full of hate gathers for his execution, this all brings meaning to life, though not in what a society may deem as meaningful. All of this would make Mersault non-nihilistic. Reading Camus you'll find that he rejects nihilism and that the meaning of life is what we make of it, and I believe Mersault projects this through his (re)actions to what life throws at him. He is condemned for a murder that would be self-defense, but only because of the way he reacted to the death of his maman. Society deemed this irresponsible only because he didn't follow social norms and rituals.
I will write this in my exam of littérature i hope that this will help me
Although not showing remorse for a murder and not really being sad that one’s mother is dead does show signs of nihilism, he definitely was concerned with the absurd. His individualism is nothing if not intriguing, but does not seem to care for much besides himself. He liked Marie simply because she brought him pleasure. He had a ‘whatever’ attitude towards her proposal even.
this was such a good take
Finished the book today. Thank you for the analysis.
Not to be nitpicky, but there are a few inaccuracies in the summary, Mersault doesn't forget when his mother died, he doesn't know in the first place, he only finds out when he gets the telegram and it doesn't mention the time of her passing.
Raymond doesn't hand over his gun to Mersault to fight the arab man to man, in fact he's quite willing to shoot him, Mersault suggests that he (Raymond) give Mersault the gun, and that Mersault will shoot the arab if he tries using the knife, but a fight doesn't reoccur
Correct. The arab is lying down on his back when he is shot too, not standing up like in these animations. That’s quite an important detail to oversee imo.
well... at least they aren't making me get a free trial for this.
I just finished reading this book today.
I'm glad to see that I picked up on most of the subtext. Admittedly, I didn't initially consider how the Sun & Sea were used as a narrative tools. I mainly noticed his passive nature, and how he would succumb to his biology. His actions seemed to be a byproduct of such, as it would tend to make him a victim of circumstance.
Awesome analysis, but Meursault is an absurdist not a nihilist. This is expressed in the last chapter when he broods over how ridiculous his entire situation is by zooming in and out of random aspects such the French & the fact that people put on underwear.
Absurdist and nihilist aren't that far apart except nihilist is too busy thinking about not caring to focus on stupid details
I think 🤔 Voltaire was an absurdist while Camus is an nihilist
@@oscarmonroy6337 every comment you’ve made has been incorrect 😂
@@oscarmonroy6337 I think that Camus is the definition of what an absurdist would be like
@@oscarmonroy6337 Camus is the founder of absurdism. One of the key points of The Myth of Sisyphus is the rejection of nihilism, how people choose their own meaning in a universe devoid of inherent meaning.
I just finished the French version for practice. This deep analysis proves I interpreted the the story well on its surface, but this really tied everything together!
That was the best analysis! Thank you! I've read this book twise and watching this video helped me understand it even more. I subscribed!
I really liked the book and after it I tried to place myself in the head of the protagonist. Just to get a glimpse of what his thinking process would look and feel like. It's hard, I failed miserably. I find that sad because I think humans can get a enormous power by accepting that we have no meaning at all and that we are the ones who give meaning to ourselves. I will try again, I'm only 19 so maybe I'm too young. Hopefully one day my mind will be clear enough to finally completely understand and feel his thought process...
Sir, you are a brilliant teacher. I hope your students appreciate you. I certainly do.
Very good course, thank you.
Great analysis. Thanks mate
Amazing analysis.Many things are more clear now.Thank you so much 🌿🍁
That was an amazing analysis.
Maybe Camus intended Mersault to be an absurdist(not nihilist) but although he was living like an obsurdist ut according to Mersault he only realised life is meaningless in jail at the end of the story. At that point his life is actually meaningless as it's about to end. Mersault is more like a psychopath since he's indifferent to the pain of others and the pain that he causes.
Thank you so much.
very nice
That was brief and precised! Weldone sir. Thank you!
The Stranger is concerned with the emotional detachment implicit in the process of colonisation. The lack of feeling displayed after his mother's birth is a plot device.
That could make sense.
Please do The Fall.
This life is meaningless. But it is also to teach us a point we needed to learn instinctively in the highest realm
.... and I thought Meursault was just a psychopath.
sociopath*
@@HEATHENS5074 what's the big difference?
I am a bit excited and fearful of my own analysis about this book but more fearful of everyone else's.
How can a mistress cheat on you?
Can someone share the idea behind "Robot like lady" and "young guy in courtroom"? Purpose of these two characters?
Watching and observation are motifs in this novel the fact that “robot lady” is present during the prosecution is to indicate that throughout the novel Meursault was being scrutinised for his actions and deviations from societal norms unbeknownst to him the courtroom is emblematic of society’s gaze and acceptable norms
If Meursault is laconic and talks briefly, how has he recounted all the details of his chronicles?
There is more light (pardon the pun) I can shed on this story if you are truly open and interested. It jumps out from the book that his views resulted in his death from the justice system. Though much is masked in the summary that beckons discussion. Like Meursault to do it would be tedious if not shared by people that would find it interesting. Let me dazzle you. But you have to really want to search and discover more so you have to request it.
Please enlighten 😊
I don't know that Meursault is a nihilist so much as he is neurodivergent person, he has very flat affect and takes things quite literally. Also I don't think the "moral" of the story is that life is meaningless, I think it's that life is random - the main character rejects the idea that someone or something is creating patterns to the universe according to a "plan." Meursault reminds me of someone Robert Saplosky would describe in his book "Behave"
ooo, good point! i think maybe we should take our humanistic trait of trying to “explain” why Meursault is the way he is and just analyze his character as is, with only the descriptions of him given.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought he was coded as such, struggling to follow social cues, being so focused on sensations, uncomfortable with bright lights, so often lost in thought.. not that it changes much to the message of the story on unconventional ways of experiencing life, but it does add an interesting layer to it
If you have ever read The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, which should be an essential introductory point to understand Camus’ ideas, Mersault is the flag bearer of Absurdism which entails that life, the world and the universe offer no meaning as a response to the questions of existence and meaning by humans trying to decipher the purpose of life.
how do you do a breakdown of the trial and not mention the word 'mother' and the focus on it.....
oof. so many things i feel you got wrong. but, couple of things were enlightening / interesting.
What do you think DD?
I like the analysis man. Do you
Greatings DD
The grumbling noises are extremely irritating
Your farts?
*HRRRRRRMMMMmmmm….*
Good analysis, but this man is a professor of English.
L'Étranger is French.
🤣🗼🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
I encounter this character in real life ! such human exist. they do not know anything about emotion and humanity. Its like they are numb... really scary.
The background music and the “special effect” noises are very annoying and detrimental to the analysis, which otherwise is good.
I don't think so. I guess it's subjective.
I never realized how superficial the theme of this book 📚 is
Superficial? You know that means it has no depth right? Which is the exact opposite of this book lol
@@andrewgray4415 Maybe in how it's explicitly shown, compared to other books whose themes are harder to interpret
The fact that it’s simplistic is intentional
I’m sorry but if someone pulls a knife on you, that’s self defense stand your ground
Yeah, I didn't understand why the knife wasn't even mentioned during the trial, but I guess that's not the point of the story