The Stranger Essay Outline

The Stranger Essay Outline

Prompt: How does Meursault embody Camus’ absurdist philosophy?

Thesis: Meursault is the perfect embodiment of Camus’ absurdist philosophy through his refusal to construct meaning for his own actions, his indifference to the world’s actions around him, and his lack of faith in God.

1.       Meursault has the peculiar ability to remove his actions from the scope of the world and look at a situation as simply black and white.

a.       “Everything came to a stop there… It was then that I realized that you could either shoot or not shoot” (56).

                                                               i.      Talking about shooting the Arab at the beach when he is with Raymond

                                                             ii.      Doesn’t consider what effect shooting the man will have on his own life

b.      “I answered that… at one time or another all normal people have wished their loved ones were dead” (65).

                                                               i.      Meursault’s response to his lawyer, talking about his mother

                                                             ii.      Disregard for the crime he has committed and just says what is on his mind even though it does not help his case

2.       Through tragedy, pleasures, and all the events in between, Meursault acts in true absurdist fashion, acting as if nothing has changed.

a.       “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t’ know” (3)

b.      “It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now…and that, really, nothing had changed” (24).

                                                               i.      In the face of his mother’s death, Meursault lives his life as if nothing has changed.

                                                             ii.      He never truly expresses any sort of remorse.

c.       “she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so” (35).

d.      “Marie…asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to” (41)

                                                               i.      Meursault is completely indifferent to the emotions that Marie is feeling.

                                                             ii.      Even for something such as marriage, he does not express any positive or negative emotions.

3.       Meursault’s lack of faith further portrays him as an absurd character.

a.       “I didn’t believe in God…what he was talking about didn’t interest me” (116).

b.      “I was guilty, I was paying for it, and nothing more could be asked of me” (118).

                                                               i.      Meursault doesn’t believe in God because quite frankly, he doesn’t have many beliefs at all.

                                                             ii.      He doesn’t waste his time thinking about things that don’t directly pertain to his life.

                                                            iii.      His actions are not caused by God, and they won’t be saved by Him either.