Albert Camus opens The Stranger with a simple line: "Maman died today"(3). Taken aback by this, as I assume most readers with the capacity for motherly love were, I was confused by the blatancy and insensitivity of narrator Meursault's statement. I was confused, but I also strangely admired his simplistic view on death, life, and everything in between.
Meursault has the capability to simplify and hollow everything that passes him by. He simplifies his visits to Maman into "getting a bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling" (5). Is it sad that he doesn't visit his mother? Yes, very. Does he make things easier for himself by taking the trouble of travel and human connection out of his life? Again, yes. I can admire Meursault for this, as I myself have difficulty in reducing the amount of responsibilities I have in my life.
I would not at all argue that simple is better for everyone, or that visiting Maman couldn't have brought them both a bit of joy, but for Meursault at least, it seems that the cliche "less is more," is truly fitting. Less people, less apartment space, less things to love.
I find Meursault's indifference toward life depressing, yet somehow his apathy also instills in me a bit of optimism. If we cared less about everything, would we care more about certain things? Further, if we didn't care about anything at all, would we consistently be sad, happy, or simply complacent? Given what we've learned about Meursault thus far, I think the answer may be the latter.
I admire your different take on Mersault's character. Many people automatically hate him or look and him negatively because of his limited emotions. I think what Camus was trying to instill in the readers about humanity is that this is how we should be. That maybe at the end of everybody's life is death and with that knowledge, we shouldn't put too much into our existence.
ReplyDeleteIf we didn't care about anything at all maybe we would just be complacent. Nothing would peak our interest and nothing would push us away from something. But maybe depending on who you are, could you be happy not caring about anything? Maybe like Mersault.
It's nice that you're able to see good in indifference. I think you're right that Meursault can be admired for not taking life too seriously; low stress and high contentment are very positive side effects of this lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteHowever, what's the point of living if not to CARE? Meursault might as well not exist: it seems the only contribution he makes to the world either physically or emotionally is his killing of the man on the beach. Other than that, he remains this weird, distant entity which floats just above the ground, never touching anything, hardly breathing. I'm surprised this guy can get up in the morning! What drives him to do ANYTHING if he doesn't even care about his mom? Ultimately, Meursault is nothing but a flat, unrealistic shadow of a real character.
I think that it's interesting to look at Meursault in this way. I agree that he lives by the idea that "less is more", and I often find myself thinking the same thing. However, I think that in certain parts of life, it is important to remember that sometimes, less is not enough. It's depressing that he is indifferent about his mother's death, but I think that him feeling this way isn't about the concept of "less is more". I think that he really only feels this way because he is choosing to just let life pass by. It seems that not feeling anything can often times not drive us or motivate us to do anything. If emotions didn't exist, we would amount to nothing because there wouldn't be anything to motivate us.
ReplyDeleteI think this is brilliant! Meursault, as you said, has a very strong indifference to life, and while that could be seen as depressing and lonely, he is actually the smartest and happiest man alive. Nothing matters. At the end of the day, we all die, so there's no use in regarding mundane life matters as important.
DeleteWe can say that Meursault is happy and content in life based on his conversations with his boss. He does not get himself worked up over death, marriage, or relocation- things that we dramatize day in and day out. If Meursault can live the life he does in bliss, then maybe we should take a page out of his book.
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ReplyDeleteI find this a very interesting point Jaycie. I think that the way Mersault lives reduces life to all that is concretely true. For example, as you said, he reduces his visits to see his mother to "getting a bus, buying tickets, and spending two hours traveling" instead of adding his opinion on the meaning of that trip which is subjective to him therefore not universally true. He does not derive meaning from that that does not have meaning in itself and, as you say so eloquently, that simplifies his life.
ReplyDeleteI understand Meursault's tendency to compartmentalize his life into simplistic little pieces, because to him it is probably easier. But to me, Meursault is missing out on the bigger picture of life. He reduces going to his mother's funeral as something akin to having to run errands. By living this way, I think Meursault is shielding himself from the more enjoyable and rewarding side of life. Yes, to live may be to suffer, but it is also to love, laugh, cry, and enjoy and find value in the things around oneself. I don't admire Meursault for his choice to go through the motions instead of living, but rather feel sorry for him.
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