"The Outsider," also known as "The Stranger," is a novel by Albert Camus that was published in 1942. The novel is based on the life of Meursault – an Algerian who supposedly killed an Arab whom who he recognized while in French Algiers. Throughout the novel, Camus focuses strongly on the fundamental values of society, and how society tolerates people who do not conform to these values. Camus achieves this by incorporating aspects of existentialist philosophy in the novel. This is portrayed by creating an emphasis on the irrationality of the universe, and the importance of the physical world. These concepts capture the uniqueness and isolation of Meursault's character. This greatly accounts for his difference in society. .
The concept of absurdism is a key aspect of existentialism. In philosophy, absurdism is the belief that human existence is purposeless. This notion is explored throughout the novel with numerous examples. In the first few chapters, a lot of emphasis is put on the death on the death of Meursault's mother. It is immediately clear that her death doesn't seem to have a big effect on him, "Mother died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram from the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours. That doesn't mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday." The opening sentences of the novel embody very well Meursault's absurdist outlook on life, his emotional indifference and detachment to people, and his passive but quiet alienation from the rest of society. He doesn't even know which day his mother died, and to him, it "doesn't mean anything" anyway. Meursault responds in this way, as he believes that his feelings or reactions to her death shouldn't affect anybody, including his mother, because she is dead. .
The way Meursault handles his mother's death also emphasizes the 'accept everything' viewpoint that existentialists seem to have.
THE OUTSIDER ESSAY The book "The Outsider" written by Albert Camus tells the story of a man named Meursault who lives in French Algiers. ... This trait left Meursault as being an alien in society, an outsider that they did not wish to have. ...
In the novel, The Stranger, Albert Camus portrays the theme that when man realizes that death is inevitable, he is ultimately free as he chooses his own decisions. Throughout the novel Camus introduces the idea that if one accepts death, one will be free because one will have nothing to fear. ... However through the death of Meursault's mother Camus portrays his nonchalance. ... From this, Camus believes that in order to enjoy and embrace life, one must first get beyond hope, and the "benign indifference of the world." ... Mersault is an outsider and acts out of the norm of society...
In The Outsider Albert Camus develops Meursault as an existential hero, to promote the theme of being different than the majority of society. ... I said I didn't mind" (Camus 33). ... I told her that it didn't mean anything but I didn't think so" (Camus 38). ... I offered the caretaker a cigarette and we smoked" (Camus 14). ... I replied as I had done once already (Camus 44). ...
