One month, one book. That is all it takes to discover the world of literature. To kick off the semester, we can look at French philosopher and author Albert Camus’ first novel that initiated his career.
“As if that blind rage has washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, I that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world” (122).
Centering around the philosophy of absurdism, “The Stranger” takes place in Algiers during the mid 1900s. Immediately after receiving word of his mothers death, Mersault, the novel’s main character, reluctantly holds a speedy funeral for her. He has no problem returning to his daily routine afterwards, through which the reader begins to explore his passionless relationships. Mersault narrates that his mistress asks him to marry her, which happens directly after his neighbor gets detained for abuse against his cheating girlfriend. Despite this lively action around him, Mersault remains stoic.
The slight tension of the story plunges into distress when Mersault finds himself staying at a beach house with his mistress and neighbor. An ongoing altercation reaches its climax on the shore of the beach, leading to a senseless murder and consequently Mersault’s court-ordered death sentence. When meditating over the possibility of a successful legal appeal to his sentence, a chaplain begs him to find solace in God, as it could be the only way to avoid his fate. Like the explosion of a dormant volcano, the reader finally witnesses the only intense emotion Mersault ever expresses.
Camus skillfully handles the portrayal of absurdism, not only through the thoughts and actions of the main character, but by giving the main character this intentional role in the first place. Mersault, who sees no value to life, acts as a barrier between the reader and the story. While Camus fills the story with detailed action, Mersault restricts access to this world as the narrator. The reader becomes frustrated and desires more from the story– but is this the comment that Camus, the father of absurdism, intended to make? In making the reader feel such a way, is the novel actually a criticism to the absurdist way of thinking?
It is crucial to dwell on the philosophical aspects of this book, as Camus went on to write more classics such as “The Myth of Sisyphus” and “The Plague” that follow this concept of the absurd. Even so, the novel is not only for philosophy lovers. The characters of “The Stranger” are extremely well-written in classic Camus fashion. What makes the story more impressive is that Camus is still able to incorporate sensory detail and indulge in meaningful metaphors, despite having an apathetic narrator. In turn, Camus shows that there is an unexpected passionate depth to the conviction of a purposeless universe.
