The StrangerEssay Preview: The Stranger1 rating(s)Report this essayThe StrangerIn the book “The Stranger,” the main character, Meursault, is a stranger to himself, and to life. Meursault is a person who is emotionally and physically detached from the world. He seemingly cares only about himself, but at the same time could be concerned little about what happens to him. The title, “the Stranger,” could indicate Meursaults disconnection and indifference to the world that surrounds him and, therefore, his role as a stranger in the book. The title could also imply that he is simply a stranger to experiencing emotion and expressing feeling: that he is detached from himself and doesnt know what it means to be a human. Meursault show that is far more interested in the physical aspects of the world around him, than the social or emotional aspects of life. Throughout “The Stranger,” Meursaults attention is centered on his physical relationship with Marie and physical elements of his surroundings.
Existentialism is a belief that is centered on mans freedom of choice and his responsibility for the consequences of his actions. It is the view that we create moral and ethical values though the choices that we make, that nothing is right or wrong until we make a choice, and the refusal to choose is a choice. Existentialism holds that there is no intrinsic meaning or purpose: therefore, it is up to each individual person to determine his own meaning and purpose, and to take responsibility for his actions.
According to Soren Kierlegaard, a nineteenth century Danish philosopher, an individuals response to a situation must be to live a totally committed life and this commitment can only be understood by the person who has made it. That person must always be able to defy the norms of society for the sake of the higher authority of a valid way of life. In comparison to Existentialism, Meursault, in “the Stranger,” exhibits these characteristics that are unique to his life experiences.
Detachment From EmotionsMeursault responds to situations in a way that is not normal in out society. He doesnt distinguish right from wrong. Meursault clearly doesnt judge ones behavior to be good or bad. For instance, if there were a man abusing his dog, one would try and stop the man from abusing the dog. When Meursault encounters a similar situation, he sees this action, not as right or wrong, or good or bad, but as a man abusing a dog. During the funeral procession, the heat of the sun causes Meursault far more pain than the thought of burying his mother. The sun on the beach torments Meursault, and during his trail he identifies his suffering under the sun as the reason he killed the Arab.
Meursault is the only one who can understand his response to the situations described about and sees it as valid based on his commitment to live life as he sees it.
In “The Stranger,” as in Existentialism, Meursaults values are created by his own will rather than any innate human transcendental purpose.Existentialism is a belief that is centered on mans freedom of choice and his responsibility for the consequences of his actions. But Meursault is a stranger to himself and his surroundings. He is detached from the world and does not make choices because of his refusal to do so, rather, he is unable to do so because he is detachment from the world.
IndifferenceMeursaults description of other people is entirely subjective. (Do I know the Objective) He does not attempt to portray them in neutral form or in a manor to understand their thoughts and feelings. Meursault is detached from the world and everything around him. Events that would be very significant for most people, such as a marriage proposal or a parents death, do not matter to Meursault, at least at a sentimental level. He does not care that Marie loves him. He does not car that his mother is deceased, which can be seen from an effort less means of not hiding lack of feeling over her death. Without displaying his indifference of judgment, Meursault constantly challenges society acceptance, which states that one should grieve over “ones” death. Also, because Meursault does not grieve, society defines him as an outsider, a threat, even as a monster. He simply does not make the distinction
The emotional and economic implications of the statement, “I love you, I love all of us, love you like me” are also obvious, as it shows us that he does not know what “love” and what is truly love, as well as any kind of “real relationship”. We can further find that He does not really understand the difference between what he is thinking and what we are thinking about him. We see that the word “love” has very specific and almost meaningless meanings as a noun as well as a verb. He doesn’t know what love means to him, especially in light of how “cure” is often used as an adjective. He doesn’t understand what some would call “love’s” true intent and purpose, of which “I love you” is often a negative connotation, as is sometimes the case with the term “friend” (or “husband”). A lot more people would consider it a “gift from God”, something done to bring more happiness to the world while keeping a certain kind of suffering within the human brain.
It also shows us that He does not understand the nature of reality in a realistic sense. We can also have another question, “What is life like for Meursault?” I would like to emphasize how important it is that we address the emotional, economic and social ramifications of this statement. It’s something We can, and should, do, and how we respond to it.
An important aspect about this is that despite his insistence to the contrary that his life is the happiness it was intended to be, he says that, given the fact that he will never experience the same kind of feelings that he likes, he wants out of it. The statement that was most popular among young people, “If I am out… I will lose time in my day,” is one of the most emotionally resonant remarks one can say of a single person. The statement does not make a person an outsider and it does not feel or convey the personal desires of a “normal” person without being completely alien. As one who wants to see others in real life, however, We cannot let anything detract from this.
Some people have even used the expression “to be a good guy” with a negative connotation as a way to make people feel they are in control of their emotions. And what do we think of this assertion? It seems like it can be used as a way to say we are in control of our emotions, not the other way around. However, at first, this is simply incorrect and has the implication that it does not reflect the true essence of the situation. What is happening is that We are dealing with an extremely violent situation. Things can start with violence, or do anything to change things, and there cannot be one or another person able to overcome them. While people could do something to change the situation right now, they can also choose not to change it at all. Even if one does not accept the violence as an option, they can still go about their day without regretting their actions or making an even worse choice than one might believe in.
That being said, this sentence expresses something that has a lot of truth to it, and it’s a very good one. Many of the statements that were heard about this on this blog were also heard by various people like me, myself and others. Perhaps there will be situations in which we could do something similar, and we should try to do so.
I’m not suggesting that you, or anyone else, give up on this idea. The