One theme that I thought was expressed throughout The Stranger was that life doesn't really matter/have meaning, and the only certainty in life is death. Meursault fully recognizes and accepts this idea when he is in prison after he has been sentenced to death and is waiting for his appeal. Meursault thinks to himself, "But everybody knows life isn't worth living. Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn't much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living-and for thousands of years. In fact, nothing could be clearer. Whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying." (114).
By thinking this, Meursault engages his conscience in a discussion of life, and concludes that it does not matter. He realizes that everyone, including himself, will die, so he might as well accept his execution sentence. He would have died just the same, even as a free man. He recognizes that the absoluteness of death makes life pointless. Meursault concludes from his epiphany that death is certain, and that the concept of life as something with meaning is ridiculous.
I liked that his realization of this freed him, and it didn't matter that he was in prison and sentenced to death. It was both a shocking and beautiful moment in the novel, but it was also necessary. Really nice theme choice!
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think this is a very prevalent theme throughout the novel. Another example of this same theme is on page 121, when Mersault thinks "The others would all be condemned one day. And he would be condemned, too. What would it matter if he were accused of murder and then executed because he didn't cry at his other's funeral? Salamano's dog was worth just as much as his wife..." This whole paragraph shows Mersault's thinking on how everyone is destined to die at some point, and it didn't matter what they did during life because they would all end up the same.
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool how Camus dives so deeply into this concept. I'm not sure if I agree with Meursault's argument that the only certainty in life is death, however Camus uses a very complex and persuading argument to get the main character's point across.
ReplyDeleteA friend told me that when she read this book in high school she had her own 'existential' crisis so, while reading this book I expected my whole world to be changed but it never was which left me quite dissapointed. Until I read that quote. My biggest fear is death and the fact that Meursault was able to so simply say everybody will die one day and others will keep on living shocked me, it obviously didn't take my fear away but calmed it a bit, knowing that it will happen and I cannot stop it helps me (I think) live a more fufilling life.
ReplyDeleteA friend told me that when she read this book in high school she had her own 'existential' crisis so, while reading this book I expected my whole world to be changed but it never was which left me quite dissapointed. Until I read that quote. My biggest fear is death and the fact that Meursault was able to so simply say everybody will die one day and others will keep on living shocked me, it obviously didn't take my fear away but calmed it a bit, knowing that it will happen and I cannot stop it helps me (I think) live a more fufilling life.
ReplyDelete