Stranger Essay

Essay about The Kindness of a Stranger
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
––– Mark Twain
The most joyous season of the year in our house is Christmas. All the family gets together, gifts
are exchanged and we give thanks for all that we have. This Christmas however, was one that I
will never forget. If it weren't for the help of a stranger coming to my rescue, my holidays would
have been ruined. He reminded me that a little kindness really does go along way.
It was three days before Christmas, snowing outside and the hustle and bustle of the holidays was
in the air. Before leaving work for the holiday's, I remembered I needed to stop at the grocery store to
buy some last minute goodies for our guests. With the...show more content...
My old car had the keyless entry, and this one did not. I ran around to Tyler's (my stepson) side of
the car to open the door and get him out, but the door was locked. I reached for the keys out of my
pocket and realized that I never put the door key back on the ring. Unfortunately Tyler was only
two and could not reach the door to unlock it. I was in a panic. What are these people going to
think of me; I locked my son in the car? Should I run in the store and call my husband for help?
Oh, I can't do that, then I will be accused of abandoning my son? Oh lord what do I do?
After a second or two of thinking, I asked people who were coming out of the store if they could
help me and go to the gas station and ask for some assistance. No one would even pay attention to
me. One lady said, "Stupid mom, people like you shouldn't have children." Another man said that
it was too cold out to walk over there to ask anyone. I replied, "Well as you drive by can you tell
them I need help? In an abrupt voice he said "Hell no, I'm to busy." I didn't know what to do. I
was on the verge of tears. It was all I could to keep Tyler happy by making funny faces at him
through the window felt completely alone. No one would help me, my son was going to start crying
soon, and it was getting very cold outside.
Finally a man came up to me and asked if everything was all right. I explained my situation to him,
and he offered to help.
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Stranger Danger Research Paper
As children we were taught about a thing called "Stranger Danger" meaning we should never
speak to people we don't know as we may be faced with a dangerous situation. The truth is, this
teaching damaged us as children who are now young adults who don't know how to communicate
effectively with people we do not know. Although the thought behind this lesson we all learned at
a young age was believed to be the best thing for us, was it really beneficial or detrimental? Many
parents teach their children not to speak to strangers unless they are in uniforms and only when
the child is lost. What happens if the child cannot find a uniformed adult, do they start running
until they find one? The answer is probably 'no'. Is that setting a filter for who these children
become friends with when they are older? Although most parents dream of their child becoming
a firefighter, or police officer or someone of the like, you have to ask, "will it be your child's
dream job in the end or will it be the choice they make the next time they feel afraid?" Quite often I
see the more detrimental side of the "stranger danger" lesson than the beneficial side in that these
children are so worried that every new person may kidnap them that they begin to fear the world
around them entirely. They are too scared to go...show more content...
Where do we draw the line when it comes to this topic without shaping who our children will
become friends with in the future and who they see as the real heros? A good start, come up with a
better phrase than "stranger danger" because not every person we don't know, is going to be a
threat. Instead to teach children to be safe in situations with a lot of strangers, parents should use the
idea of "tricky

The Stranger Essay
While reading The Stranger I noticed that traits that Albert Camus character depicts in the book are
closely related to the theories of Sigmund Freud on moral human behavior. Albert Camus portrays
his character of Meursault as a numb, emotionless person that seems to mindlessly play out his role
in society, acting in a manner that he sees as the way he's supposed to act, always living in the
moment with his instincts driving him, and if the right circumstance presents itself the primal deep
seeded animal will come out. I believe that most of the character's traits fall under Freud's notion of
the Id and Ego mental apparatus, and don't believe that his idea of the super–ego is represented in
this book. In the beginning of The Stranger...show more content...
Once again, there are no signs of emotion or grief to be found, and all that was driving him was his
sexual instinctive impulses. Once again, this concept falls under Freud's views of the human beings
instinctual creatures driven by our sexual desires. According to Joan Riviere, Freud believes that one
of our two Basic instincts is the sexual instinct, which is not only the inhibited sexual instinct, but it's
also the self–preservation instinct (37). According to James Strachey, Freud thinks the
self–preservation instinct is appointed to our ego, which takes control over the Id's demands
/ instincts, by deciding whether they should be able to receive satisfaction (15). When making
decisions though, the ego is a very submissive slave to the Id, and it is tempted by its needs often
(Costigan 234). This to me says that the ego, more times than not, gives in to the Ids demand,
which defines Meursault's mannerisms perfectly. Now I would like to discuss the correlation
between the book and Freud's notion of the superego. During the murder trial the prosecutor set
up an array of witnesses to prove to the court that Meursault didn't possess a moral conscience, or
display any emotions like everyone else, and as the trial proceeds this notation proves to be true.
To me this definitely doesn't support Freud's ideals of a Super ego. The reason I believe this is
because Freud's

Stranger in a Strange Land Essay
Stranger in a Strange Land is a book written by Robert A. Heinlein that completely throws away
the social mores of the late fifties/ early sixties society. The book opens with a ship returning from
a trip to Mars with an interesting passenger, a man, Michael Valentine Smith who was the son of a
previous voyage to Mars that was believed to be entirely dead. This was a human raised by
Martians, who are an ancient race that has various powers that are discovered later in the book to be
possessed by Smith through his knowledge of their language. When Smith gets to earth the U.S.
government, under the pretense that he is not well sequesters him away in a hospital. Smith is
spirited away by a nurse and her reporter friend. Smith is taken to...show more content...
In the book Heinlein followed and influenced some of the 1960's counterculture. The Hippie
movement started in the early sixties and continued in force until roughly 1970 (Hippies and 1960's
counterculture). Hippies rebelled against their parents' conformity and many ran away from home to
experiment with their lives and what they could do. Heinlein wrote Stranger in 1962, although in
letters to his editor he had been thinking about writing the book since the late forties (Grumbles
from the Grave), the book was a huge success largely thanks to the 1960's counterculture as the book
portrays many of their ideals. Stranger in a Strange Land falls in perfect step with the Free Love
movement influencing it in a few ways; in the book Michael Valentine Smith creates a small
commune in which sex is common, shared, and without jealousy, sex for Smith starts at a "young"
age, although he is a man, socially he has had no experience. This book came about at a time when
the hippie movement was gaining steam and it influenced hippie leaders in how they viewed sex
the book was written in direct opposition to the social standards of the fifties and it is very different
with its

The Stranger Research Paper
The Stranger: Absurdity
When individuals don't behave in accordance of social norms they usually end up being judged by
others for having different behavior that is not met to certain standards. The Stranger is a novel
about a young indifferent man Meursault who lives as an outsider in a society by acquiring the
mindset of absurdity for the essence of life. Author Albert Camus goes against society's traditional
beliefs by creating a novel that provokes readers into judging the beliefs in the story because it is not
based on their "normal standards" that they follow. In the novel "The Stranger" by Albert Camus he
conveys the philosophy of absurdity through the use of symbols, and the creation of the indifferent
main character Meursault. Albert...show more content...
Camus puts much emphasis on the main character's attitude toward life, and the use of providing
symbols in the story to provide much deeper meaning in order to shape the main claim absurdity.
Camus uses these literary elements in order to provide a mental image of the absurd, and intensify
the absurd ideas and emotions found throughout the novel. His writings are still very popular as of
today because he truly has experienced his philosophies, thus making his views very articulate and
compelling pieces of literature that are worth the read to many

The Stranger Essay
The Stranger
The Stranger exhibits a society that has confined itself with a specific set of social standards that
dictate the manner in which people are supposed to act. This ideology determines the level of
morality, and how much emphasis should placed on following this certain "ethical" structure. Albert
Camus's main character, Meursault, is depicted as a nonconformist that is unwilling to play society's
game. Through Meursault's failure to comply with society's values and conform to the norm, he is
rejected and also condemned to death by society. He is tried for the crime of murder, but is not
judged solely on his actions during the aforementioned crime. He is judged on his specific actions
that society regards as absurd...show more content...
Meursault's character is the determining factor in his conviction and sentencing. His social rebellion
is deemed immoral and abominable.
The reader and the novel's characters both try to rationalize
Meursault's actions in order to give his life meaning. But according to Meursault, life is meaningless
and consequently needs no justification. "The day after his mother's death, this man was out
swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, and going to the movies, a comedy, for laughs." The
prosecutor uses Meursault's previous unusual actions as evidence that he is a threat to society. His
actions are deemed monstrous by the jury and subsequently end in Meursault's conviction. Society
uses the past in order to justify the present. It is incorrect for one to assert that Meursault has no
emotion or incapable of emotion; it is simply that he fails to exhibit it for he feels it is meaningless.
Meursault contradicts society's expectations.
He does not indicate any signs of grief at the funeral and is therefore labeled a monster, thereby
threatening the level of morality that has been instilled into the other members of society.
Meursault's ideology concerning life has led him to deny the idea of a god or of an afterlife.
Meursault's ideas threaten the ideas passed down by the Catholic Church in the Algerian society.
There is no proof of an afterlife and therefore no purpose to worship a god. Muersault lives his life
with the conviction that there is no

The Stranger Research Paper
The Stranger In the literary world, there are specific qualifications that distinguish a work as having
Advanced Placement Merit. These qualities include being interesting to many readers, having a
well–developed theme, and connecting with a large scale audience. One novel that easily fits this
description: Albert Camus' novel, The Stranger. In The Stranger, a man loses his mother and later
unexplainably kills a man on a beach, all the while. In the fashion of an existentialist novel, Camus
presents an account that displays a man who cannot see the meaning of anything and has reached a
point of disconnection from normal human emotions. This novel has connected with many people
throughout the years since the books...show more content...
In The Stranger, Meursault's extreme disconnect from his emotions leads him to sees no point in
his life or any of his actions. Even though Meursault's actions in the novel are extreme, many
people do connect with his view on the world. Individuals who have had a difficult time
understanding their own life latch on to the character Camus' presents. Because of the disconnected
way Meursault views the world, he has gained the attention of people who have dealt with similar
events to those felt by Meursault. One such reader: Aaron Gwyn, who had a difficult childhood,
and during his adolescent years found meaning in The Stranger. Gwyn writes "It was hard not to
relate," in regard to Meursault's outlook on life. The way Camus' novel has resonated in the minds
of many readers gives yet another reason the piece has received the distinction of AP

The Stranger Essay
The Stranger The Stranger was originally written in French. When Stuart Gilbert translated the
novel, he came across a small problem. "The title of Camus' classic novel is difficult to render into
English because the French word bears the connotations of both 'stranger' and 'foreigner' at the same
time, and each of these concepts is at play in the novel." (Mairowitz1) Finding the right translation
was crucial because the title is symbolic. "The Stranger symbolizes the theme of the story."
(Mairowits1) Meusault is a stranger to society. "He is alienated by society because of his unique
personality." (Alley2)
Hearing Meursault tell his story, allows the reader to experience his life first hand. Writing the novel
in...show more content...
This conflict results in Meursault killing an Arab.
After being sent to jail, Meursault is interviewed by the magistrate and chaplain. Both the magistrate
and the chaplain "tried to change Meursault's point of view toward God." (Alley2) They wanted
Meursault to accept God and ask Him for forgiveness; they do not succeed.
During the trial, Meursault's behavior is the prosecutor's main focus. The prosecutor uses the
improper behavior of the Meursault at his mother's funeral to convince the jurors that he is a danger
to society. (Alley2)
Camus wrote the Stranger using various levels of meaning. The first is the psychological level. Since
Meursault is telling the story, his inner reactions and motivations are reveled to the reader. For
example, Meursault explains his reasoning for killing the Arab:
"Then everything began to reel before my eyes, a fiery gust came from the sea, while the sky
cracked in two, from end to end, and a great sheet of flame poured down through the rift. Every
nerve in my body was a steel spring, and my grip closed on the revolver." (Camus76)
A symbolic level was also used. Meursault symbolizes an outsider, who observes life. Symbolic of
this quality is the Sunday Meursault spends watching the neighborhood from his apartment window.
(Drajem2)
The sun also has symbolic meaning. The sun symbolizes change. On the day of his mother's funeral,
the

Descriptive Essay About Stranger
Muen Wang Hour 6 Mr. Korek Ap Psychology Stranger Paper Strangers are everywhere, some
have even been sharing a class with me all throughout high school so far. Yet, I have never really
bothered to noticed them. However, during the past few days in Ap Psychology, I have observed
someone that's been a stranger to me for years and learned some interesting facts about them as a
person. My stranger, Jake Allen, appears to be very confident in his appearance, athletic,
fashionable, popular, and cares about school. The evidence that backs up this assumption is present
in the clothing he wears, his behavior in class, and through his social media. Many times clothing
becomes a way for teengers to express themselves, especially on the first day...show more content...
First, his social media account is not private, like most other students. Every post he has uploaded
is on display for everyone to see, which shows that Jake is self assured about his social image.
Even though he only has thirty posts, he has three hundred followers. His newest posts received
over one hundred likes and multiple comments. This shows popularity is indeed something he
has, confirming my theory from above. All the pictures look very professional, which reveals
again he greatly cares about the way he presents himself. In one posts, Jake holds a surfboard with
the caption "try something new. you will amaze yourself with what you are capable of", from
this it is implied he has never surfed before. Not only does this post show Jake is alright with
going out of his comfort zone and attempting something brand new, but he is also very athletic.
From last years boys' volleyball JV 1 roster, I found Jake Allen 's name. This shows that he takes
time and keeps himself in shape. By making it into JV 1, it shows he is very dedicated and
responsible. Not only does he practice a lot to maintain his skill level in volleyball, he also had to
balance school work with the sport. His posture in class also revealed many things about him as a
person. Jake Allen is always slouched down and does not move very often, presenting himself as a
very laid back person. Unlike some people who twitch in their seat, he

Crime and Punishment vs the Stranger Essay
The novels The Stranger by Albert Camus and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky are
both murder novels that explores the inner thoughts of the killers. Camus and Dostoevsky wrote
novels that portrays a young man committing murder and how the young man faces the
consequences and deals with the horrible crime the which he has committed. Albert Camus and
Fyodor Dostoevsky uses two different points of view in each of their novels, first person point of
view and third person point of view, respectively. Using the two perspectives, the reader is given two
different yet effective ways to evaluate and interpret the characters.
The main character of The Stranger by Albert Camus is given the name Meursault. Meursault is
easily characterized...show more content...
He lacked emotion. Marie even visited him while he was rotting in jail. Ressuring him the that he
will get acquitted and they would be able to get married. This wasn't the case. The magistrate was
able to see that Meursault lacked any sort of remorse about the murder. The magistrate disliked
Mearsault going to the extent of calling him "Monsieur Antichrist." (Camus 71), due to Meursault
refusing to turn to religion and claiming that he does not believe in God. During his time in jail he
faced discontent, due to the lack of cigarettes and women. This feeling was overcome quickly by
Meursault, however. In his final days before his beheading he was visited by people attempting to
turn him to religion, but Meusault was adamant. In the end, Meursault found peace. He was happy,
though it was cynical the way he viewed the world, he was happy.
Crime and Punishment also followed a man who is living with the murder he comitted. Written by
Fydor Dostoevsky, the novel's main protagonist is a young man named Raskolnikov. Raskolnikov
was responsible for the murder of the pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna and her sister Lizaveta. Unlike
Meursault, he was extremely traumatized by the murder he committed. When Raskolnikov is
summoned by the police and hears about the murder of Alyona Ivanovna and her sister, he faints. He
loses his cool. Raskolnikov was unable to bare the burden of the murder and was obviously feeling
guilty, unlike the unfeeling Meursault.

The Stranger Essay
The Stranger by Albert Camus conveys the story of Meursault; this is a man who lives his life
each day not believing that there is a Higher Power. The story begins with him finding out that his
mother has passed away at the elderly home he sent her to live in. This is where readers begin to
discover how apathetic Meursault is about events occurring in his daily life. It is probable that if
every person lived his or her life the way Meursault does, with the disbelief that there is a Higher
Power, life as we understand it today would be substantially different. People would not be trying to
evade sin each day, morals would change without something greater assisting to form them, and Man
would no longer be fearful of a wretched afterlife if they...show more content...
These morals are what prevent the run–of–the–mill person from doing wicked things. These things
could be breaking the law or not biting their tongue in the checkout line at the grocery store.
Meursault never spoke of any morals he had through the duration of The Stranger; He killed a man
without thinking of anything other than how hot it was outside at the time. Once his case
entered the courtroom, he stated, "They [the jury] had before them the basest of crimes, a crime
made worse than sordid by the fact that they were dealing with a monster, a man without morals."
The jury looked at him as if he was some evil monster that deserved the worse of punishment,
purely because he showed a lack of remorse for any of the actions he took. Someone could commit
the same crime, but be remorseful of what he had done, and would not have gotten such a harsh
punishment. People in a world with the belief of a Higher Power that live life without morals are
considered monsters and are looked down on. If the world had no Higher Power, everyone would
be that way. Everyone would be considered a monster but no one would look down upon any body
else because they would not know any different. Crimes such as the one Meursault committed
would happen from people no one would expect, only because they are not living by the same
morals that people follow with the guidance of a Higher

The Stranger Essays
Have you ever felt as if though you were an outcast, an abnormal person to this world? Well most
likely you have, we all have. We all have felt kind of weird and not able to find our right place. We
tend to feel this way because we are just misunderstood or as Albert Camus would say "strangers"
to society. The stranger is a man lost in his own world where no one understands him but himself.
This man was portrayed as a monster, un–human, and even heartless all because he chose not to
express his emotions or feeling to the world. You may ask well how does this relate to me ? Well
your about to find out why. In Albert Camus's Novel "The Stranger" Meursault was portrayed as a
man with irony, tragic hero qualities, and heartlessness, because...show more content...
For instance, in an essay that I have read the person said ".... Meursault, is characterized as
detached and emotionless...."(The character of Meursault ,pg 1. ) That was the answer that I got
from the question that I asked myself What exactly are Meursault's feelings about life? My
opinion to that question would be that I agree with that person because when his mother died he
seemed to not have a care in the world. For example he said "Maman died today. Or yesterday
maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram for the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow.
Faithfully yours. That doesn't mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday. (Camus, Chapter 1)
Another answer that I got from that question would be when the person said "....Meursault's life,
A life dedicated to appreciating tangible things...."(The Character Of Meursault, 1) I also agree
with that answer because Meursault shows that life is not always guaranteed. As the story moves
along, Meursault starts to show irony. When he get home from the funeral of his mother, the day
after he goes to a pool party like nothing ever happened the day before. This shows irony because
usually when people's mothers, or parents pass away they tend to grief over them for many weeks
or even months but in Meursault's case he has no feeling of emotion and doesn't really care about
the fact that his mother has just passed away. To be specific, In the book 1"Meursault goes
swimming at a public beach, where he runs

The Stranger: A Fictional Narrative
The Stranger. He still sat in the back of the bus, gazing thoughtfully at his phone. Steve walked
down the bus aisle to the same seat he had sat in the previous day, and just then, as he sat down, he
heard a resounding ringtone from the back seat,
"Yes, I like piГ±a coladas and gettin' caught in the rain, I'm not much into health food, I am into
champag–"
Steve had to stifle a laugh from behind his hand, passing it as a fit of coughs. The catchy, if
somewhat clichГ© ringtone was cut short when The Stranger fished it out maladroitly from his
pocket and spoke clearly,
"Yes, this is he, to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" Steve could tell that he already
knew who he was conversing with. The Stranger's response came,
"Hammer," he spat with more distain than Steve thought possible, "How...show more content...
Rhodey did an overexaggerated fist pump, then responded,
"You'll like her, I'm sure. Real go–getter. Her name's Rachel, and she works for a
something–or–other company. It's small. I could probably set something up for tomorrow, if you
don't have anything."
He did not.
"Great. I'll call you about it later. You really will like her."
Steve had never been on a blind date in his life. Usually, he liked to be friends with people before
he started to date them, at least talk to them once. Being forward wasn't something he was
particularly skilled at, no, that was Bucky's job. He played up that "Wounded Soldier" as much as
he could, and women swooned at it while Steve ordered another tonic with lime from the bar. He
wasn't bitter, Bucky was the real ladies' man (but then, he was also a mans' man from what he told
Steve) but dating was simply not a priority. First it was his school, then his deployment, then his BA,
then his apartment, then his job, then, then, then.
"I sure hope so. This is your one

A Stranger Essay : Kindness To A Stranger
Kindness to a Stranger
It was a chilly evening in Southern Virginia many years ago. There was the old man whose beards
were glazed by the winter's frost, as he hopelessly waited for a ride across the river. Due to the
frigid north wind, his body was numb and stiff. Edward, who was passing by saw this desperate
old man, who looked so confused and helpless. He asked the old man, "what are you doing here at
this late hour?" The freezing man answered, "I am waiting for a ride to take me home." Edward
took some time with the old man, as they waited for a ride to take him to the next side of the river.
The wait seemed endless and ineffective. However, they both heard the faint, steady rhythm of
approaching hooves dashing along the icy path. Anxiously, the old man and Edwin watched as
several riders curved the bend. He let the first one pass without seeking attention from him.
Apparently, Edward was very annoyed, asking him the reason for not stopping the passing
horseman. The man kept quiet as he checked out on whether there was another one coming. The
another one passed by, followed by other two. When Edward saw that the old man was not using
any effort to seek help from either of the riders, he was tired and decided to leave the old man alone.
After a while, the last horseman by the name John Denis neared the spot where the old man had sat
like a snow statue. As this one came near, the old man caught the horseman's eye and said, "Sir,
would you mind giving a helpless old man a

Absurdity In The Stranger
World Literature
Ms. Megan Wall
Jin Woo Lee
September 23, 2015
The Stranger Essay: Topic One The Stranger, written by a famous French philosopher Albert Camus,
tells a story of a young Algerian man, Meursault, who perceives his life, values, behavioural norms
differently from other people in his society. Throughout the course of the rest of the novel, readers
can easily notice Meursault as a detached and indifferent character who shows difficulty in
expressing his emotions. However, by characterising Meursault in such ways, Camus indirectly
challenges the society's conventional moral standards and brings up the idea of absurdism
philosophy. By describing the actions of Meursault and minor characters, Camus successfully
conveys ideas such...show more content...
This idea is clearly shown in part one when Meursault describes Raymond's encounter with the
policeman after the beating incident. Meursault describes, "right then the cop slapped him– a thick,
heavy smack right across the face"; this quote clearly shows that concept of justice is flawed in this
society because although people criticises Raymond for hitting his mistress and calls the act
immoral, they deem the cop's action to be moral (36). Physically, both violence are nearly the same,
yet one is regarded as wrong, and the other, is justified. Through Meursault's interaction with the
policeman, Camus implicitly challenges the truth of society's accepted moral order and the concept
of justice. In addition, the trial scene in part 2 of the novel also conveys this theme. Although
Meursault's act of murder is a serious crime, it seems as if the magistrate and the juries are not
judging Meursault for his murder, but for his indifferent behaviour toward Maman's death because
the latter explanation makes more sense to them. For example, when the magistrate gives his closing
statement, Meursault describes "it was then that he talked about my attitude toward Maman. It went
on much longer than when he talking about my crime" (100). In addition, the magistrate claims that
Meursault's indifferent reaction over Maman's death threatens the moral

Stranger
Discussion Questions for
The Stranger (1946); translated by Matthew Ward, 1988.
Part One
Chapter 1.
1. How does Camus set up Meursault's personality –– how does Meursault respond to others'
conversation, to ordinary social situations, and to the death of his mother?
2. On page 10, Meursault says that at the viewing of his mother, he felt as if the elderly people there
were judging him. Offer a conjecture about why he might have had that feeling. (It is worth paying
attention to such references to "judgment" because they occur several times throughout the work.)
3. From 14–18, how does Meursault describe the funeral procession –– why was it a difficult
experience for him? How does he say he felt after the burial was concluded? Do his...show more
content...
2. If you were a jury member –– and therefore were not a reader of Meursault's own narration of his
behavior –– would you find the prosecutor's story about Meursault convincing? Would you buy his
defense attorney's story? Explain.
3. The prosecuting attorney describes Meursault's heart as "an abyss threatening to swallow up
society" (101), and on 102 he even accuses Meursault of the parricide supposedly committed by the
next defendant to be tried in the same courtroom. How do you interpret these strange claims –– what
threat might Meursault be said to pose to "civilized society" even beyond the rather common crime
he has committed?
Chapter 5.
1. On page 109, Meursault says after his death sentence has been pronounced that there "really was
something ridiculously out of proportion between the verdict such certainty was based on and the
imperturbable march of events from the moment the verdict was announced." How does this
comment address the strong need manifested in social and legal institutions to attain certainty about
people and events?
2. Why does Meursault become so upset with the priest who comes to visit him in his cell? What is
the priest trying to make him do?
3. To what extent does Meursault accept his fate? How does he arrive at his final understanding of
his situation, and how would you describe that understanding?
The Myth Of Sisyphus
[pic]
The gods had condemned

Albert Camus' The Stranger
What if the past has no meaning and the only point in time of our life that really matters is that
point which is happening at present. To make matters worse, when life is over, the existence is also
over; the hope of some sort of salvation from a God is pointless. Albert Camus illustrates this exact
view in The Stranger. Camus feels that one exists only in the world physically and therefore the
presence or absence of meaning in one's life is alone revealed through that event which he or she is
experiencing at a particular moment. These thoughts are presented through Meursault, a man devoid
of concern for social conventions found in the world in which he lives, and who finds his life
deprived of physical...show more content...
It is his lack of concern for following normal social conventions that eventually hinders the
impression he makes on others.
Further evidence of Meursault's indifference is demonstrated when he meets with Marie at the
beach on the day following the funeral. Marie is a former co–worker "whom [he had] a thing for at
the time" (19). Keeping with character, the implication of that description is that he hadn't thought
about her since then, until now. The two end up spending a lot of time together, swimming, going to
the movies, and even sleeping together, but when asked if he loved her he recalls: "I told her that it
didn't mean anything, but that I didn't think so" (35). These words are somewhat surprising given
the relationship portrayed here. At the same time, it is important to realize that Meursault actually
does care for Marie––however the word used to express that feeling, in a sense, is practically
absent from his vocabulary. This notion becomes more evident with his reaction to the principle
of marriage, which he regards as basically insignificant: "...Marie came by to see me and asked me if
I wanted to marry her. I said it didn't make any difference and we could if she wanted to" (41).
On a related notion, when his boss offers Meursault the opportunity to further cultivate his life via
a transfer to Paris, Meursault simply doesn't want to go: "I said that people never change their lives,
that in any case one life was as good as

Moral Ambiguity in "The Stranger" Essay
Has there ever existed a person that has not judged someone else over their lifetime? Judging by
reality as well as literature it seems that no person like that has ever existed. It appears that it is
human nature to want to pronounce others as either purely good or evil. But does everyone fit into
the mold of good or evil? In Albert Camus's The Stranger, Meursault is a morally ambiguous
character, and this ethical indistinctness plays a major part in the novel as a whole and the theme
that Camus is trying to portray.
Meursault resists being typecast into an archetypal moral category in many of his deeds and actions.
Many of his actions in Part One of the novel help contribute to the fuzzy picture of the character. For
example,...show more content...
Abstractly, it almost seems as though the other characters in the book look down on his for this not
because he is not mourning, but rather because he is not mourning in the way they are. This sheds
light on the overall theme of the novel, that of people being cast out of society because their views
and methods do not line up with the accepted ways of society.
The same moral ambiguity is also present in Meursault's murder of the Arab and the ensuing trial. As
far as absolute morality goes, the murder is without question an act that falls on the "evil" side of
ethics. That point is not a topic for debate, but in the reasons behind it the reader can find even
more of Meursault's moral ambiguity. At the time, he does not seem to know why he is doing
what he is doing, but it is certainly not out of spite or malice, nor out of any specific hatred of the
Arab himself. He could be harboring a grudge on behalf of his friend, which would be
understandable, since Raymond is one of the only people we see Meursault truly connect with in the
novel, if it can even be called that. He could be taking preemptive action in self–defense, especially
after he sees the knife glinting in the Arab's hand. In truth, it is never truly revealed what his motive
for his rash action was, making it hard again to

Essay On The Stranger
The Stranger Essay The Stranger by Albert Camus is an analysis of the human psychosis if it was
isolated and apathetic. Throughout the story, our protagonist, Meursault, tells the story of his life
after his mother's death and his experiences with everyday routines. Meursault explains to the
reader only the surface of what he is feeling; despite that, as a reader, one is able to view his mind
directly and closely. Meursault has all the power in this book because it is his life and mind. He is
able to put things in his own perspective, not one's. As the reader vicariously moves through
Meursault's world, we see how he interacts with others, despite his indifference with interacting with
society. Being around characters such as Marie or...show more content...
That is why his need for Marie is important; she is an uncomplicated passage to the world for
Meursault. They seem to be similar people as they live uneventful lives. For the times he
mentions Marie, one can conclude she is for being youthful and enjoying simple pleasures such
as swimming and sex, like Meursault. She desires marriage and romance to which Meursault
agrees to as he does not mind for her sake. He enjoys her company yet is not deeply attached to
her; it is nothing deeper than just casual sex and conversation, which helps the reader infer how
one desires to not be lonely. The next person Meursault tells us about is a beastly man named
Raymond. Raymond is presented as a brusque personality with a short stout and a temper to
match. He comments that it is a shame that old Salamano hits his dog yet beats his girl like a dog
misbehaving. Raymond is a compromising character from what a reader can gather from
Meursault's point of view. He speaks of his struggles with his girl, who may or may not be a
prostitute, and throughout chapter III he goes on about himself, perhaps to explain himself so he is
not judged by Meursault. Often when Raymond asks for Meursault's assistance, Meursault is
contempt in doing whatever is asked. Meursault says what he thinks and follows his own laws of
limitation which is shocking to society. Meursault seems to identify with Ray's brutish and frank
character as a normality trait for humans. Raymond beats up anyone who has wronged

The Stranger Essay
Albert Camus' influential novel, The Stranger, a great work of existentialism, examines the
absurdity of life and indifference of the world. This paper provides a summary of the novel, and
outlines some of the novel's main themes. The novel's protagoinist, Meursault, is a distanced and
indifferent young man. He does not believe in God, and lives his life with seemingly sensuous
abandon. After Meursault is caught up in the life of a local pimp, he rather inexplicably murders a
young man on the beach, and is put on trial. In a ridiculous and seemingly arbitrary trial, he is
essentially tried and found guilty for failing to adhere to society's beliefs and morals. It is during this
trial that Meursault comes to terms with the absurdity...show more content...
There he meets Marie Cardona, who he frolics with in the water. Later, although Marie is
somewhat disturbed at the death of Meursault's mother, she agrees to see a comedy with him that
evening. The next morning, Meursault enjoys lunch on the balcony, and amuses himself by
watching people pass by. On Monday, Meursault goes to work. He joins his friend Emmanuel for
lunch, takes a nap and returns to work. After work to runs into his neighbor Salamano and his dog.
He also encounters Raymond, who is rumored to be a pimp, and they discuss Raymond's cheating
girlfriend, and his conflict with an Arab. The rest of the week continues in the same manner, with
Meursault attending the movies with Emmanuel, and a swimming with Marie. They play in the
water again, and she asks him if he loves her, to which he replies " that it didn't mean anything but
that I didn't think so" (p. 38). They are interrupted by the loud noises from a fight between Raymond
and his girlfriend. Salamano notes that he has lost his dog, and cries with grief. Meursault receives a
phone call from Raymond work, that notes is continuing conflict with the Arabs. In the evening,
Marie asks Meursault if you will marry her, even though he notes that he does not love her. Later,
Marie and Meursault need to Raymond's and his friend on the beach. They encounter to Arabs, a
fight begins, and Raymond is slightly hurt. Later in the evening, Meursault encounters

Stranger Essay

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