Theme Of Existentialism In The Stranger - 1624 Words

While Hemingway’s characters were struggling to find the value in their lives, Camus took the other side of the spectrum and made a character that didn’t see any value in life. Camus focuses on the topic of existentialism, which is the philosophical theory that focuses on the fact that everyone is responsible for developing their own actions, in his novel The Stranger. Camus introduces Meursault who is deeply rooted in the beliefs of existentialism, believing that there is no value to anything that happens in a person’s life, and it isn’t until death that a person obtains an accurate perception of life. He goes about his life experiencing some life changing events, but not being affected in the slightest by the events. He lives with the†¦show more content†¦All experiences start to hold the same meaning and choosing to do one thing over another doesn’t make a difference. All these actions have the same value or lack of it, for all are equal ly devoid of real significance (Brombert 120) This very philosophy is the same that leads him to isolation. While he may not seem like a stranger in the beginning, Meursault starts to draw attention to certain qualities about himself that aren’t normal and start to isolate him. He doesn’t start off as a stranger; he has friends, a boss, a girl who’s interested in him and neighbors who know who he is. He is one with the people (Eeurelicht 606). While Meursault seems to blend in with those around him, it’s the society he’s a stranger too. This is an obvious trait from the beginning but is constantly brought to the reader’s attention. Meursault doesn’t live by societal norms and rules, and he doesn’t express remorse or emotion in the way that people expect he should (Eeurelicht 609). This can be seen in his unconventional ideas about love and marriage. When asked about marriage and if he loved Marie, His commentary was â€Å"I said it didn’t make any difference to me a nd that we could if she wanted to. The she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time† (Camus 41). Meursault looks at deciding between two things as having no opposing value, each choice is equally as good as the other. It becomes absurd because it leads himShow MoreRelatedThe Myth Of Sisyphus And The Stranger1367 Words   |  6 Pages It is common for authors to use similar themes in their work intentionally. For Albert Camus, the author of â€Å"The Myth of Sisyphus† and The Stranger, the use of similar themes seems to be intentional. The author takes a very different approach to the same topic, however. Not only is the underlying topic of existentialism the same, but the writing styles and rhetorical devices similar, as well. 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