Albert Camus: Written Assignment Essay

During the interactive oral, we discussed the main theme of the meaninglessness of human race feeling that is devote in The Stranger by Albert Camus. We emphasized mainly on Meursaults detached and dry characteristics, oddly when the jury uses this against him at his psychometric test He stated that I had no place in a decree whose most fundamental rules I ignored (102). Meursault is very isolated from his society, and during his trial all the odds are not in his favor because in this shift Meursault is viewed as a minority when compared to the Arabs in Algeria. Even the public prosecutor claims that Meursault does not feel remorse about killing the Arab, and this connects to the theme of the meaninglessness of human life, where Meursaults feelings towards this inviolate case is mutual and religion, life, and death does not matter to him. In reference to the title, we also pinpointed that Meursault acts as the curiousr when located in this society because he is disconn ected and does not belong in this normal society, he is seen an outsider.And, we concluded that the character conflicts are targeted towards man versus society and man versus self. Because it is clear that Meursault does what comforts him the most instead of pleasing others and twoering to billing about what everyone thinks about him. A major disturbhen impact that is presented in this novel is the idea ofreligion and the role of the elderly. Based on the rootage chapter, we learn that Meursault puts his mother in an old peoples home, however, later on we realize that the jury found this unacceptable. This gave Meursault a disadvantage against his murder case because in this society, it is morally wrong to put an elder relative in an elderly home.Also during the seminar we mentioned how religion plays an important role in this society, especially when the lawyer, the judge, and the priest tries to persuade Meursault into turning to religion, however, he does not believe that matinee idol exists and the judge rase calls him Monsieur Antichrist (71). When he refuses to believe in God, it connects to the idea that life is meaningless and God does not replace the absurd deduction of human life. Overall I learned that there are many cultural obligations that Meursault conflicts with in The Stranger and with these pressures he struggles to face his society.An analysis of the symbolic significance of the radical of the cheerfulness in The StrangerThe powerful deed of lax can cast a night and blind those who come cross slipway its path. Power, especially to a fault much, can cast the behavior of others and it can mislead people especially those who are different and follow a strange path from everyone else. Meursault in The Stranger, for example, is known as an outcast due to his actions and beliefs of life. However, he is a victim of the overpowering impact of light, he loses his way and the shadow of light influences his actions. In his novel, The Stranger, Albert Camus creates an concentrated line through his use of the cheer as a motif. He accomplishes this by using the insolate as the personification of Meursaults inner emotions, the powerful imagery of the murder scene, and Meursaults immanent conflict.Throughout the novel, Camus uses the motif of the fair weatherlight to construct theintensity of the atmospheric state during part one of the novel. The cheer plays a role in influencing Meursaults feelings especially when the cheerfulness is described as unbearable on the daylight of Mamans funeral But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with fondness, it was inhuman and oppressive (15). Camus uses a pathetic fallacy in his description of the sun as oppressive and inhuman. This helps to illustrate the suns devilish characteristics as its powerful impact that allows Meursault to forget about Mamans death. Also Meursault is known to be a very indifferent and unemotional characte r however, whenever the sun is opposing him, it affects his behavior and allows him to express his emotions about his surroundings and this contributes to the intensity of automatic teller.Another significant passage is when Meursault longs for shade and to be far- mangle away from the oppressive heat I was thinking of the cool backfire behind the rock. I wanted to hear the murmur of its water again, to turn tail the sun and the strainand to find shade at last (57). This judgment of conviction the sun influences Meursaults yearning desire to run away from the sun and this foreshadows Meursaults desperate actions in killing the Arab. As the sun gets stronger, so does Meursaults discomfort, and this reoccurring relationship symbolizes that the effect of the suns unbearable heat enhances Meursaults desire to escape its penetrating control. In addition, the powerful medium of the sun returns and it contributes in haveing up to the climax of the novel It was this burning, which m ake me move forward (59).The effect of the sun compels Meursault in killing the Arab with no intentionions or reasons influencing his sudden action when his anxiety is released as he pulls the trigger. Camus uses the heat and the glare of the sun as a tool to release Meursaults repressed emotions. Despite Meursaults indifference towards his wrong doings, his actions and emotions, which the sun has possess over him, do not explain Meursaults irrational intent to amazingly shoot the Arab and this connects to a major theme of the irrationality of the universe, which deprives Meursault from playing reasonability. Furthermore, the authors intentions in personifying the suns possessive effect over Meursaults emotions and irrational motives are to convey an intense atmosphere and its power to influence Meursault actions.Towards the kibosh of part one of the novel, the author illustrates the build upto the murder scene through the use of vivid descriptions and kinaesthetic and visual imag ery of the blazing sun in nightclub to picture an overall atmosphere of the intense portrayals of temperament and weather. When Meursault pr chargets Raymond from starting a crashing(a) war with the Arabs, Raymond gives him the gun and Meursault notices that The sun glinted take Raymonds gun as he handed it to me(56). This excerpt foreshadows the significance of the sun and gun since both items are associated with murdering the Arab, and these two items initiate the murder. Camus briefly mentions the sun glinting off the gun as a way to illustrate their connection and impressiveness in the death scene, also the author focuses on pinpointing details about the sun and its powerful effects in order to create an intense atmosphere by emphasizing the suns visual descriptions.after the fight betwixt Raymond and the Arab, Meursault takes a walk on the beach and he sees the Arab flashing his knife and this blinds Meursault as he illustrates that The light s sulphurous off the steel a nd it was like a long flashing make raw at my forehead (59). The author exemplifies the light intensity of the reflection of the blade to be blinding and painful through the use of both kinaesthetic and visual imagery. This passage is significant in demonstrating the powerful effect of the sun and its strength in pushing Meursault to defy the limitations against nature. Even moments before Meursault pulls the trigger, tautness begins to rise as if nature is pushing Meursault into killing the Arab The sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky spilt open from one end to the other to rain down fire (59). The use of diction such as thick, fiery evokes the intensity of visual imagery and the personification of the sun serves to enhance the suns powerful influence over Meursaults mind and unconscious actions.Perhaps nature is symbolically pressuring Meursault to murder the Arab and Camus surprisingly illustrates the time and setting of this scene in this way in order for it to come as a shock and therefore to support the idea of nature and its prevalent impact. Overall, the murder scene displays an intense illustration of Meursaults surroundings through the use of kinesthetic and visual imagery of the suns power and control which helps develop a powerful environment. Particularly, the entire novel is based on the major conflict between Meursault and himself this internal conflict portrays an intensive atmosphere that is represented through the influence of nature and weather,which is depicted throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, the support at Mamams funeral gives Meursault significant advice when she says, If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church. She was right. There was no way out (17). The nurses advice symbolizes that Meursaults self-conflict with the sun is unavoidable just as Meursaults fate is inescapable such as when he f ails to find ways to escape from his death sentence.The author decides to mention this passage to foreshadow Meursaults unforeseen fate because Meursaults murderous action is an unexpected temporary hookup twist, and this embodies natures powerful control over men, in which in this case it is between the sun and Meursault. Meursaults battle with overcoming the heat of the sun is mainly demonstrated especially when tension is high such as when the group of Arabs is walking towards Meursault, Raymond, and Masson The sun was shining almost directly strike onto the sand, and the glare on the water was unbearable (52). As the scene begins to release more intense, the fight between Meursault and the weather becomes stronger as well, and this is demonstrated when Meursault describes his licking from the suns intolerable heat. This excerpt clearly shows that Meursaults constant quantity war with his emotions and nature is powerful in connection with the intense atmosphere and since Meur sault is unable to conquer the overpowering heat, it that causes him to kill the Arab and he gives in to the suns compelling control.Also before Meursaults trial, he even states that I knew as soon as the weather turned hot that something new was in store for me (82). Since Meursault did not know how much weeklong the judge would sentence him in prison, this passage did foreshadow that his trial would not turn out well. This again relates to the idea that when tension is high, the war between the suns heat and Meursaults emotions is also intensified and Camus uses the motif of the sun to indicate that nature is against Meursault and to foreshadow Meursaults fate. In conclusion, the influence of nature and weather as well as the motif of the sun and the role it plays to fight against Meursaults internal emotions establishes an intensified setting.Unfortunately, mankind is overpowered by nature and the force of the light pushes Meursault to his breaking point. Meursault is unaware of the sunsinfluential effect, however he is impacted by its controlling power. In the end, the suns strength forces Meursault to commit an immoral crime and even though his reasons are unintentional, he is rejected by society and is sentenced to a death penalty. The use of the motif of the sun in The Stranger by Albert Camus, develops a powerful atmosphere through the idea that the sun personifies Meursault by influencing his actions and feelings, the intense imagery of the murder scene, and Meursaults inner conflict against the sun. flora CitedCamus, Albert, and Matthew Ward. The Stranger. New York Vintage International, 1989. Print.