Theme of Existentialism in “The Stranger”, Reaction Paper Example

It appears Albert Camus’s intent in The Stranger is emphasize the alien feelings that members of society exhibit towards Meursault. At the beginning of the story, we watch as Meursault reacts to the death of his mother. In the end, we observe his incarceration and grappling with death. Because Camus is an existentialist, he uses this style of “blank” or emotionless writing to emphasize Meursault’s indifference to the events occurring around them. In doing so, Camus shows us that an individual can live life without needing to meaningfully interact with others.

Camus uses a “blank” writing style, which allows some members of the audience to connect more significantly to the text. When Meursault’s thoughts are expressed, they are not often poetic or special or something that someone would want to read. Rather, my thoughts are simple observations, not necessarily full of emotion, about the world around me. As a consequence, Camus is able to capture a more realistic sense of the world that his character Meursault sees. Instead of creating Meursault as a fantastical character, Camus focuses on the importance of the ordinary. Meursault’s character is a more extreme version of this sense of indifference compared to individuals we typically encounter in the real world, but this character reminds us of a state of thought and being that many individuals encounter on occasion throughout their lives.

If Meursault’s word choices were different, it would change his character significantly. From the words used, we can tell that Meursault is a highly intelligent man who appears to have a more comprehensive understanding of the world and his connection (or lack thereof) to it. His seeming lack of emotion shows us that he is content with his life. Not being able to experience extreme emotion means that he is never depressed. Instead, he is able to enjoy life for what it is, even though at times, it appears to be a series of meaningless interactions with others. In conclusion, the style of writing used makes us feel that Meursault may be crazy, but as we become accustomed to him, we recognize that there is nothing extraordinary about him.