Albert CamusAlbert Camus

The StrangerThe Stranger

Albert Camus (1913-1960)Albert Camus (1913-1960)

• Born in Algeria to a working Born in Algeria to a working class colonial familyclass colonial family

• Father was killed in WWIFather was killed in WWI• Mother: mute, illiterate, Mother: mute, illiterate,

supported family by cleaning supported family by cleaning houseshouses

• Was able to study due to Was able to study due to scholarshipsscholarships

• Joined the Communist party in Joined the Communist party in 1934 (left it two years later)1934 (left it two years later)

• Established the Theater for the Established the Theater for the Worker in AlgiersWorker in Algiers

• Took part in Resistance in Took part in Resistance in FranceFrance

• Later edited journal Later edited journal CombatCombat• Nobel prize in 1957Nobel prize in 1957• Died in a car accident in 1960Died in a car accident in 1960

Principal works:Principal works:

• The StrangerThe Stranger (1942) (1942)

• The Myth of SisyphusThe Myth of Sisyphus (1942) (1942)

• CaligulaCaligula (1944) (1944)

• The PlagueThe Plague (1947) (1947)

• The FallThe Fall (1956) (1956)

• Exile and the KingdomExile and the Kingdom (1957) (1957)

Questions surrounding Questions surrounding The The StrangerStranger

• Is it a novel of ideas, does it contain a thesis, Is it a novel of ideas, does it contain a thesis, and what has the author set out to prove?and what has the author set out to prove?

• Is it a psychological study of a pathological Is it a psychological study of a pathological case, or is this case merely a symbol behind case, or is this case merely a symbol behind which are hidden larger meanings?which are hidden larger meanings?

• Is it a philosophical novel, and if so, does Is it a philosophical novel, and if so, does Camus propose any solutions, or are his Camus propose any solutions, or are his theories only negative and destructive?theories only negative and destructive?

• How are we to read the colonial system How are we to read the colonial system inscribed in the text, and the attitude toward inscribed in the text, and the attitude toward Arabs and women it projects?Arabs and women it projects?

The AbsurdThe Absurd

• “…“…in a universe suddenly deprived of illusions in a universe suddenly deprived of illusions and enlightenment, man feels himself a stranger. and enlightenment, man feels himself a stranger. This exile is without remedy since he is deprived This exile is without remedy since he is deprived of memories of a lost country or of hope for a of memories of a lost country or of hope for a promised land” (promised land” (Myth of SisyphusMyth of Sisyphus))

• Man facing the world and realizing the gap Man facing the world and realizing the gap between the eternal nature of the universe and between the eternal nature of the universe and his own finite nature and the futility of his effortshis own finite nature and the futility of his efforts

• If nothing makes sense, then everything is If nothing makes sense, then everything is permitted. All scales of values disappear. All permitted. All scales of values disappear. All experiences become equivalent and are to be experiences become equivalent and are to be measured quantitativelymeasured quantitatively

Where do we see the absurd in Where do we see the absurd in The StrangerThe Stranger??

MeursaultMeursault

• Lives neither in past nor in the futureLives neither in past nor in the future• Present is nothing but an eternal voidPresent is nothing but an eternal void• Nothing has meaning, there is no aimNothing has meaning, there is no aim• Perfectly passivePerfectly passive• Does not perceive causal linksDoes not perceive causal links• Emphasis on the “loneliness of each moment”: an Emphasis on the “loneliness of each moment”: an

interminable succession of voidsinterminable succession of voids• Believes that the world judges him, though he Believes that the world judges him, though he

does not know whydoes not know why• Apathetic, taciturnApathetic, taciturn• Does not feel anything emotionallyDoes not feel anything emotionally

AlexithymiaAlexithymia

• ““One may be strongly ‘affected’ by an outer or One may be strongly ‘affected’ by an outer or inner event and yet give no more than a second’s inner event and yet give no more than a second’s attention to what one is feeling… When this attention to what one is feeling… When this occurs, affects may be split within their own occurs, affects may be split within their own particular structure in such a way that the psychic particular structure in such a way that the psychic pole is divorced from the somatic pole and the pole is divorced from the somatic pole and the affect is reduced to a purely physiological affect is reduced to a purely physiological expression…In this case the emotion cannot be expression…In this case the emotion cannot be used as a signal to the mind, and its message can used as a signal to the mind, and its message can be dealt with neither by thought nor by action, be dealt with neither by thought nor by action, leaving the subject open to the danger that the leaving the subject open to the danger that the soma may ‘think’ its own solution to the event”soma may ‘think’ its own solution to the event”

What are some examples of What are some examples of Meursault’s purely physical Meursault’s purely physical responses/sensitivity and responses/sensitivity and

lack of feeling?lack of feeling?

Other signs of this disorder:Other signs of this disorder:

• An impoverished fantasy life, a paucity of dreamsAn impoverished fantasy life, a paucity of dreams• In the face of stressful situations, person has no In the face of stressful situations, person has no

recourse other than to attack any perceptions that recourse other than to attack any perceptions that risk arousing emotionrisk arousing emotion

• What other people expect or request makes no What other people expect or request makes no sensesense

• An avoidance of emotional referencesAn avoidance of emotional references• The world and people become devitalized, and the The world and people become devitalized, and the

exchange with others is meaninglessexchange with others is meaningless• When the defense breaks down, the body enacts When the defense breaks down, the body enacts

primitive thoughts and feelings on a purely physical primitive thoughts and feelings on a purely physical levellevel

From this perspective, the From this perspective, the murder can be seen as:murder can be seen as:

• ““a lifetime of unfelt feelings that enact a lifetime of unfelt feelings that enact themselves. A longing for intimate themselves. A longing for intimate contact, a wish to be cared about, a contact, a wish to be cared about, a need to be something a father could need to be something a father could truly be interested in, combined with truly be interested in, combined with an enormous pent up rage, an urge to an enormous pent up rage, an urge to kill in revenge for having been kill in revenge for having been emotionally murdered himself as a emotionally murdered himself as a child.”child.”

The colonial systemThe colonial system

• What is Meursault’s attitude toward What is Meursault’s attitude toward Arabs?Arabs?

• Toward women?Toward women?

• Ambiguity of the first person Ambiguity of the first person narration.narration.

Part IIPart II

• Forum responses: how and why does Forum responses: how and why does Meursault change in the second part?Meursault change in the second part?– He begins to have emotionsHe begins to have emotions

•KristenKristen•EmbrietteEmbriette•Katie V. Katie V.

– He makes an effort to understand: ChelseaHe makes an effort to understand: Chelsea– He begins to understand: TiffanyHe begins to understand: Tiffany– Other ideas?Other ideas?

Camus’ concepts of existence Camus’ concepts of existence and revoltand revolt

• Existence: makes humans different from Existence: makes humans different from thingsthings– The power within us to be freeThe power within us to be free– Power to understandPower to understand– Ability to feel passionAbility to feel passion

• Things:Things:– Can be pushed by forces around themCan be pushed by forces around them– Are in bondage to their environmentAre in bondage to their environment– Cannot understandCannot understand– Are passionlessAre passionless– They They areare, they do not , they do not existexist

• When we give up liberty, lucidity and When we give up liberty, lucidity and passionate involvement with the passionate involvement with the world, we become a mere thingworld, we become a mere thing

RevoltRevolt

• The movement from “thinghood” to full The movement from “thinghood” to full existenceexistence

• Phases:Phases:– Rock-like somnolenceRock-like somnolence– A shock or crisis during which the absurdity of the A shock or crisis during which the absurdity of the

world around us becomes clear and inescapableworld around us becomes clear and inescapable– Free choice of a reaction or attitude toward this Free choice of a reaction or attitude toward this

absurdityabsurdity– The use of our freedom to act (to do something The use of our freedom to act (to do something

about this absurdidity)about this absurdidity)• Where do we see these phases in Where do we see these phases in The The

StrangerStranger??

Forum responsesForum responses

• Interpretation of last lineInterpretation of last line– Kalli: in his isolation, an angry mob is the only Kalli: in his isolation, an angry mob is the only

thing he could hope forthing he could hope for– Katie M.: The only thing that matters in life is Katie M.: The only thing that matters in life is

deathdeath– Gena: death as the great equalizerGena: death as the great equalizer– Lindsey: relationship with existentialist Lindsey: relationship with existentialist

philosophy, no universal justicephilosophy, no universal justice– Danielle: having others around him, crying with Danielle: having others around him, crying with

hate would mean that he actually did somethinghate would mean that he actually did something

• ““Camus repeatedly affirms that after Camus repeatedly affirms that after recognizing the “absurd” and recognizing the “absurd” and revolting against it, his Meursault is a revolting against it, his Meursault is a kind of moral suicide victim – a man kind of moral suicide victim – a man not merely condemned to death by not merely condemned to death by his judges, but one actively engaged his judges, but one actively engaged in carrying out his own death in carrying out his own death sentence which has been sentence which has been pronounced by the very society to pronounced by the very society to which he is a “stranger”which he is a “stranger”

The trialThe trial

• Novel moves from the absurdity of nature Novel moves from the absurdity of nature (the symbol of the sun) to an exposition of (the symbol of the sun) to an exposition of an absurd social orderan absurd social order– The writing out of the actual murder of the Arab The writing out of the actual murder of the Arab

(collective racist attitude)(collective racist attitude)– Meursault condemned for parricide and Meursault condemned for parricide and

matricidematricide– Things happen without his participationThings happen without his participation– His lawyer speaks for him in first personHis lawyer speaks for him in first person

• Is he a monster as the prosecutor says?Is he a monster as the prosecutor says?

Camus on Meursault:Camus on Meursault:

• ““I have sometimes said, and always I have sometimes said, and always paradoxically, that I tried to give an paradoxically, that I tried to give an image, through my character, of the image, through my character, of the only Christ we deserve. It is clear that I only Christ we deserve. It is clear that I said it without any intention of said it without any intention of blasphemy and only with the slight blasphemy and only with the slight ironic affection that an artist has the ironic affection that an artist has the right to feel towards the characters he right to feel towards the characters he creates”creates”