The Stark effects of being absurd in society The Outsider Essays

The Stark effects of being absurd in society The Outsider Essays The Stark effects of being absurd in society The Outsider Essay The Stark effects of being absurd in society The Outsider Essay Essay Topic: Literature A long time ago, I summed up The Outsider in a sentence which I realise is extremely paradoxical: In our society any man who doesnt cry at his mothers funeral is liable to be condemned to death. Albert Camus 8th January 1955 The novel The Outsider establishes a being that is a Nomad or existential in a sense of the society he lives in and the wandering on the cliff beside the sea of introversion and poignancy. Meursault is commonly misunderstood and is regarded as a reject. Furthermore he refuses to lie. A lie is a statement made by someone, in the expectation that the hearers may believe it. In the case of the human heart saying more than one feels, Meursault conforms to the existential presuppositions; this is regarding reality as the state of being, the truth, often unheard of in politics and society. Consequently society feels threatened, by Meursaults refusal to satisfy the feelings of others by showing little remorse for his mothers death. His indifference leads him to be condemned by a trial. In the early stages of the book Meursault is seen as an adverse individual towards society, one who speaks his consciousness. Camus creates a paradoxical character against the normality of society, which brings out stark differences through the use of Meursaults ability to state facts. This narrative effect can be seen from the opening passage, Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday; I dont know. I had a telegram from home: Mother passed away. Funeral tomorrow. Yours sincerely. That doesnt mean anything. It may have been yesterday. We see Meursaults inability to conform to humanity in the event of his mothers death, and the use of the short sentence stating quality. He merely retells the dubious facts of her death as mundane as the telegram had stated it. I even had the impression that this dead body in lying there among them, didnt mean anything to them. Referring to his mother to a dead body shows little emotion. Throughout the ordeal of attending the funeral, Meursault treats it with the same destitution of emotion. Conversations are referred to in a chronological order from the catching of the bus to the moment he crawls into bed. Meursault is an anomaly that does not relate directly to others or human experiences, like emotion, affection or love. She asked me again if I love her. I replied much before, that her question meant nothing or next to nothing, but I supposed I didnt. Curious she then asks Suppose another girl had asked you to marry her- mean a girl you liked in the same way as you like me- would you of said yes to her too? He replies with honesty Naturally Meursault enjoys the physical side of his relationship, he likes to drink smoke swim and have sex. When Marie leaves, he lies in bed and tries to get the salty smell of her hair from the pillow. All these things can be pertained. All the secondary characters, contrast to Meursault. Raymond shows anger, Marie shows passion and Salamano shows possessiveness, all these characteristics show that Meursault is detached from society. Albert Camus chose the constituent of heat and sunlight as a metaphor of Meursaults uncorroborated deiscomfort with society. Both of these elements affect Meursault, I could feel my forehead swelling up under the sun. The heat was pushing full against me I set me teeth, closed my fists in my trouser pockets and tensed my whole body in defiance of the sun and of the drunken haze it was pouring into me. These are al connotations of how society affects Meursault drastically. The bright morning sunshine hit me like a slap in the face. This could mean a deliberate rejection from society. Meursault earlier on laments of the effects the sun has on him. I was so tired that I could hardly see or think straight anymore. This quote encompasses the interpretation of the effects and processes of society on Meursault. He finds his mental process is altered, this comment on society shows how it can screen or change the vision of an individual. Again Meursaults estrangement in society is depicted to the reader. The murder of the Arab conforms Meursaults inability to conform to society. The death of the Arab is not the determination of Meursaults fate, around this time Algiers were easily dispensed of because they were considered to be an inferior underclass that had to be tightly controlled. Meursault cannot see any right or wrong with killing the Arab, the action itself was one that is revealed to be caused by the sun in the trial. Meursault is brought to trial; he is not tried for murder, but tried for his virtue. The court system of a Europe institution in North Africa is satirised. The prejudice under French colonial rule would let a man off with a light sentence, however in Meursaults case the jury sees him as a monster for failing to cry at his mothers funeral and commiting unspeakable atrocities while in mourning, swimming, drinking coffee and smoking. The jury fails to recognise personal freedom and choice, which is the fundamental nature of an individuals existence. Society tries to enforce its ideals on Meursault by putting him in jail. Meursault is confused when he realises he is being deprived of his freedom; he tries to understand what is happening to him and therefore tries to understand society. Meursault acts honestly and with no remorse, he feels annoyance towards the magistrate. The frustration Meursault feels leads to more estrangement, which fuels his dislike for society more. In the final chapter, Meursault accepts his fate, which gives him the courage to face his death straight on, and it allows him to come to terms with his position in society. I heard something that I hadnt heard for months. It was the sound of a voice; my own voice, there was no mistaking it. And I recognised it as the voice that for many a day of late had been buzzing in my ears. His voice he hears is the sound of his inner consciousness. This epiphany enables Meurasult to accept his death. He does not wish for his death but in the end invites it its common knowledge that life isnt worth living anyhow. In the last moments of Meursaults doom the prison chaplain tries to convert him. Meursault develops an unsaid philosophy of reality. It gave new meaning to the word life and its true identities. It did not matter to Meursault when or whom committed him to death, he just knew it ended the same. Rejected from society Meursault becomes a martyr in death. When failure seemed imminent Meursaults newly found conscious carries him into a world of discovery. The Outsider is appropriate today as it was when it was first written. Higher powers govern our destiny and if our existence is to mean anything we must find explanation for it ourselves. Camus cardinal rule from a readers interpretation is that society constricts a beings consciousness and indifference, in to the ideals that have been taught since the beginning of time.