Critical Essay 3

In this review of The Stranger Patrick J. Moser belives that Camus portrays his philosophy that there is nothing after death in this novel. Life is only imortant in the present and if there is no importance then there is no point for life in general. Moser also implies that the book was written so that Camus could show his ecistential views fromthe point of his character Meursault. The author also says that Camus is not only show his view points but is also acting out his issues through Meursault. Camus's ideas and views of the absurd and fate are also present in this book. when Meursault killed the Arab it was not his choice Moser explains but in fact it was fate that lead Meursault to the murder of the Arab man. i do think that Camus did show his ideas of the absurd through Meursault and his disturbing view of fate and fate leading to the evil that Meursault ended up as. Through Meursault's change to complete evil and his emotionless nature Camus is able to show with some detail his views of the absurd and his feelings of human nature.

http://www.answers.com/topic/the-stranger-novel-7

Critical Essay 2

IN this essay by Paul M. Willenberghe implies that Albert Camus wrote the book for an interactive reader that will form a changing oppinion of Meursault. He explains that the book was written in order to question the reader about there own view on society. By Camus creating situations where Meursault has no real emotion Willenberghe explains that this allows the reader to put there own feelings in to fill in the blanks and come up with their own impression of Meursault. Willenberghe also says that the begining of the book is very important because the reader will return to it and reread it forming a new oppinion of Meursault each time. It is also implied that Camus writes very vaguely on purpose so that the reader is forced to interpret the book on there own giving themselves a possible new outlook on life. The way Camus wirtes also seems to make the reader feel pity for meursault Willenbergde explains and the more pity the reader feels the closer the reader comes to the absurd. I don't really agree with this article i beleive that Camus had no intention of making the reader think about their own relationship with society. In my oppinion Camus partly hated the existance of human life and was representing his feelings in his character Meursault.

http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/00/pwillen1/lit/indexa.htm

Archtype

In The Stranger Meursault os viewed through archtypal lenses as some what of an innocent in the begining. He loses his mother which makes the reader feel a little sorry for him even though he shows no emotion regaurding the issue. However as the story moves on Meursault becomes a villan or destroyer. He ends up killing the Arab for no reason and from that point on loses what little human nature he has and becomes a heartless animal. Meursault feels no remorse for killing the man and he also ends up cursing human kind making him an evil villan.

Character Growth

Meursault seems to be a regular person in the beging of the book with a lack of passion. He obviously doesn't have many feelings for things and makes it obvious. However he does not show any reason to make the reader think that he is twisted and evil. Many situations that Meursault encouters he should have more feeling than he does but he never shows any emotion. Once he comits the murder however it is the turning point for his character. This action by Meursault is unexpected and shocks the reader. At this point in the book he is questioned abut his faith and beliefs which reveals that he has none. By the end of the trial when he is sentenced to death Meursault goes through the biggest change. He goes from being a person with very little emotion to a man who completely hates and curses the human exsistance. Meursault yelles out that life is meaningless and pointless completing his change as a character. In the end he developes into an evil and hellish person.

Why Classic?

This book is a classic because it is about human nature. The Stranger questions human feelings and emotions. It also brings forth the question what is the purpose of the human existance. these things are hard not to think about and stick in the memory of the reader making the book last through time. Also due to the book being as old as it is makes the book a classic in its own way and because of the authors great recognition. The book is in the vintage international collection showing how it has asted over many years. Finally the book is about good and evil, and also about faith and in a way about the belief and purpose of faith making the book stick in readers memories and there for bcoming a classic.

Critical Essay 1

In this critical essay the author imlies many things about the main character Meursault and the author of the book Albert Camus. The author of the essay uses sources to imply that Camus is portraying Meursault as himself. He refers toMeursault as a madman and a disturbing person in general. The essay also goes on to say that the book is implausible and that it is unintelligent to think about a situation like this. It is also said that Meursault is a "junenile deinquet". Until the point were Meursault commits murder you are lead to believe that Meursault is just a epressed person with no ambition. However once he commits the murder of the Arab it is brught to the surface that Meursault is a cold and cruel person with no prospects,"no love, no friends, and no interest in anyone or in any faith". This essay also points out that Meursault is really a very intelligant person but even though he is a smart person he does not seem to have any emotional feelings. Finally at the end of the essay the author implies that if Meursault is so intelligant there is no way he can be seen as a "juvenile deinquent". I feel that Meursault is evil and that he really has no feelings or emotions for anyone or anything. Meursault gives no reason throughout the book to imply anything else. i also disagree with the author of thiss essay because even though he may be intelligant he is still an evil person.

Book Summary

The Stranger is about a man named Meursault. In the begining of the book his mother who he, had put in an old folks home, dies and he takes time off work to go to the funeral. At the funeral Meursaukt is asked if he wants to see his mothers body but says that he would rather not. Over the entire course of the funeral Meursault doesn't seem to have much emotion or feeling reguarding his mothers death. After the funeral Meursault goes swimming at a beach were he runs into t former co-worker named Marie. The two become close and start seeing each other throughout the rest of the book. After Meursault's weekend is over he returns to work on monday where his boss offers him a promotion. His lack of enthusiasm angers his boss however and it is left at that. He later runs into Salamano and his dog in the all of his building and has dinner with another neighbor, Raymond, and they become friends after Raymond asks Meursault for advice about his mistress who has been cheating on him. the next time Meursault and Marie see each other she asks him whether Meursault loves her or not. Meursault does not show much excitment over the issue and says it doesn't really matter but most likely that he doesn't. After they discuss this the two are lured out into the hall by Raymond and his mistress who are fighting and cause the police to come. Again Marie bring up the subject of love by asking Meursault if he wants to marry her which he replies by telling her that he will but it doesn't really matter. in the end Marie decides that she does want to marry him. One weekend the two accompany Raymond to Masson and his wifes beach house. While there Raymond gets in a fight with his mistress's brother, the Arab, who Meursault later shoots on the beach killing him which is the turning point of the book. Meursault is arrested and the authorities are puzzled by his lack of care and concern for the man he killed for no aparent reason. Meursaults love for his mother is made into a major topic along with his belief in god. While in jail Marie visits him and tries to be happy and confident that he will be aquited. On the day of the trial it is made obvious that the trial has become a major news headline and the courtroom is filed with people and press. Meursaukt's lack of emotion lead to his sentence death by beheading. Back in his cell the only thing Meursault can think about is his escape from death and how he doesn't want to die. Finally in the book as Meursault is being take to his death he realizes how pointless human life is and yells it out curssing human existance.