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Characterization of meursault in the novel the stranger by Albert camus
Character analysis essay meursault in the stranger by camus
Character analysis essay meursault in the stranger by camus
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Meursault is eventually convicted and sentenced to death because of his inability to conform to the societal expectations of French Algeria in the 1940’s. 3. Characters: Meursault- the protagonist and narrator of the novel, Meursault is a young shipping clerk who has detached himself from the world around him. He is indifferent
During the beginning of the novel, Meursault goes to his neighbor Raymond’s house. The visit results into a physical fight due to insults made towards Meursault. Relating to aspects on violence, this scene was made to show simple
Meursault attempted to alleviate his loneliness in prison by saying, "I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated and for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there would be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they would greet me with cries of hate." Meursault showcases one of his interesting ways of thinking about a situation in this scenario. Rather than fearing the execution, he thinks that the day it happens, he will feel less alone due to being surrounded by people. This shows how he cannot feel lonely in situations where almost anyone would.
Right away the death of Meursault’s mother joined with other very random occurrences seem to be everyday occurrences. Once again I noticed the similarities of the two main characters of the book, acting as if all the events in their lives seem to be normal. Meursault views life so simply, despite its irregularity. This can be seen in the quote in which he talks about life, “I said that people never change their lives, that in any case on life was as good as another and that I was not dissatisfied with mine her at all”. He really exerts no emotion towards anything in this life.
Meursault is not an emotional person. Meursault often seems not to react to major events that happen to him. For example when his mom dies, he says, “Really, nothing had changed”(24). There is an obvious emotional disconnect. Either he was not close to his mother or her death had little to no effect on him.
Through the use of diction, Meursault perceives life is meaningless, which leads him to have the absence of strong bonding with acquaintance around him. He indicates that he lacks empathy from personal and social level. Meursault is a simple man who lives his life in a stickler type and changes annoy him. As the novel introduces Meursault mother being dead, he shows lack of concern and a burden to visit his mother for the last time. “Maman died today...
He shows no grief or regret. The intensity of the emotions that the heat and sun evokes on him is shown as he pours with sweat: “Sweat was running down my face…I tried to fan myself with my handkerchief” (30). The sun is the only thing that can get a reaction out of Meursault; in this case, he gets out his handkerchief. His emotions evoked by the physical world, by the heat, light, and sun, bar him from experiencing the real feelings such as grief for his mother.
After he accepts that he cannot continue to struggle against the absurd, Meursault finally feels liberated by accepting the indifference of the universe as seen with the quote, “As if the blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself — so like a brother, really — I felt I had been happy and that I was happy again.”
Meursault is disturbed by “the toothless mouths” and the “[nests] of wrinkles” that greet him at his mother’s funeral (10). Even these hints are not enough for Meursault to develop his consciousness of mortality and the absurdity of any endeavour in life. When confronting the Arabs on the beach, Meursault realises that “[he] could either shoot or not shoot” (56). Someone else’s life and death has no implication on his own life at all; any action in life is therefore obsolete. Meursault deviates from societal norms; experiencing death does not shake him.
It quickly becomes clear that Meursault’s tone following the death of his mother reflects his desensitized and seemingly distant state. After realizing that his mother had
Camus says, “She asked me if I loved her. I said that sort of question had no meaning” (44). First Meursault barely blinks when his mom dies and now he won’t say I love you to his girlfriend. This also demonstrates the extent of the hopefulness of Marie versus the hopelessness of Meursault. Whereas even after this Marie continues to try to make her and Meursault work, Meursault is shown to be lost, cold, and angry.
He lives much like how wild animals live , doing only what is necessary to survive and nothing more. He has no purpose in life and no meaning, he simply lives in the present. He only interacts with people when it benefits him or because he feels like it, as seen with how he treats Raymond, Salamano and Marie. Meursault is a socially awkward anti-hero. Meursault kills an Arab man in the
Meursault notices that during the trial, “there was a lot said about [him], maybe more about [him] than about [his] crime” (98). By having Meursault 's personality be the focal point of the courtroom 's dialogue, Camus implies that Meursault 's persona plays a crucial role in his trial. Instead of focusing on the murder of the Arab, the prosecutor repeatedly mentions Meursault 's "dubious liaison"(94), his "insensitivity" (99) during Maman’s funeral, and his friendship with Raymond, who is a man "of doubtful morality" (99). Through the emphasis on Meursault 's -according to society- 'immoral ' ways, the prosecutor eliminates any sort of sympathy the jury has for Meursault. Following Marie 's testimony, the prosecutor once again exhibits his confidence that bias against Meursault will stem from hearing about his behaviour.
Everything he will say; the magistrate will not believe him, he even feels there is no need for a lawyer because he thinks everything he does, is right and there is not something to question. He comes to understand that he trying to find meaning in his own life, make him impotent to society’s eyes, he only murdered an Arab and that is it. During the trial, there are investigators that learn that Meursault does not feel any remorse at his mother funeral. As Meursault does not have any evidence why he kills the Arab man, the lawyer thinks that it will be a strong argument if Meursault can come up with some answers for the questions. The investigator asks,” If I had felt any sadness that day” (Camus 65).
The protagonist of The Stranger Meursault shot down an Arab impulsively and is sentenced to death. The novel depicts protagonist’s reflections on the futility of his life after that act as he surrenders to his fate, on the other hand, one can feel how Thomas Becket in Murder in the Cathedral has surrendered to the will of God that he finds himself associated with, Becket has also resigned the futile past of the earthly and mundane ways of life for the sake of being saint. Camus’s existential discourse of The Myth of Sisyphus again treats entirely with the futility of existence. He alluded to the Greek legend of Sisyphus to express his ideas about absurdity. Awareness of the meaninglessness life can lead to uprising and journey of finding one’s true
