Taking a Look at Albert Camus

Albert Camus’s use of vivid imagery and the main character’s inner voice helps give the reader a better understanding of Meursault's plight. As said in the story “the first part of which was missing, but which must have taken place in Czechoslovakia. A man had left a Czech village to seek his fortune”. Meursault by describing what the newspaper looked like, then summarizing what was on the paper puts the reader in his shoes, as if they were the ones in prison reading the newspaper article.

As if to mock the crumbling principles of a fallen era, “The Just Judges” preside over a solemn dumping ground of earthly hell. This flimsy legion of justice, like the omnipresent eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, casts a shadow of pseudo-morality over a land spiraling towards pathos. But Albert Camus’s The Fall unfolds amidst the seedy Amsterdam underground--a larger, more sinister prison than the Valley of Ashes, whose center is Mexico City, a neighborhood bar and Mecca for the world’s refuse. The narrator and self-proclaimed judge-penitent, Jean-Baptiste Clamence, presides over his subjects every night to “offer his services,” although partially

Camus uses many literary devices in order to portray the theme or purpose of his novel. He uses these literary devices so the reader can uncover the meaning behind his novel. One device he decides to use is a motif. In a literary work, a motif can be perceived as an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic importance and is an influence toward the development of theme. Watching and observing is the motif that Camus includes in his novel. Throughout the novel either it is the main protagonist, Meursault, who is watching and observing others or it is others who are observing him. Meursault's emotional apathy influences to his general passiveness. Absent of ambition and aspirations of his own, Meursault infrequently appears to

Deutsche Bank made its entrance into the world in 1870 and it was one of the first banks to adopt universal banking as it promoted and facilitated trade relations between Germany and other overseas markets. Deutsche Bank acquired smaller banks in Germany in order to be the most prominent bank in their home base in addition to having a global reach. Following World War I, inflation took over Germany causing many borrowers to default on their loans forcing the bank to sell most of its assets in order to stay alive (however that diminished their global presence). The bank’s involvement during World War II with the transferring of the Jewish customers holdings to the German Government led to the Allied

In his novel, The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, irony within the protagonist’s ( Meursault ) contrasting perception of the human condition is used to illustrate and invoke the reader to question the contradictory nature of societal expectations. His indifferent and unprecedented reactions to experiences - relative to the characters that Camus laid before him - aid in displaying the absurdity of a world constrained by the chains of conventional wisdom. The contrasting nature of Meursault's demeanor in defying conventional wisdom in experiences such as love and death not only reveals the underlying hypocrisy of the human condition but further illustrates the arbitrary essence of defining a human life.

But what are the consequences of feelings? According to Camus, feelings affect how one perceives the world. If one feels the feeling of jealousy, he/she may view the world as not equal to him/her and so defines the world as unequal, or to madly expose this inequality between him/her and the other. Likewise, in the feeling of generosity, one tends to look the world or other people as good and generous to him/her or he/she would do good to others by sharing. Therefore, even though Albert Camus did not directly describe and define by the means of words the feelings itself, he instead bases the condition of that feeling on how it affects and influences one’s own perspective and how they acted toward the world.

The concept of our social methodology internally is flawed due to the multiple diversities of every individual who has ever lived or who has ever been considered to have “made an impact” in this world. Falling to the norm of any society doesn’t take much effort but going against it takes a portion of anyone’s soul in a unique way. What if everything you knew was a lie? Can someone else’s truth be another’s living lie? In the novel “The Stranger” by Albert Camus, the protagonist Meursault, ridicules his society’s apprehension regarding how an individual should think, act and behave. Meursault can be considered to be the “divergent” in his society. In a society where crimes are chased to solution, where being a benevolent person is what

Furthermore, Camus uses family and personal relationships as a way to develop the protagonists’ isolation in the novel, working in providing context for the developing plot. In The Stranger, the author uses this methodology

Widely recognized for philosophical writings as a French essayist and playwright, Albert Camus is a major contributor to exploring the absurd in modern Western literature. Characterized by highlighting the human condition, Camus’ writing style focuses on the everyday lives and inner psyche of individuals in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. Such a character-driven writing style is most notably displayed in his 1946 work, The Stranger, a tale of an emotionally-detached man known as Meursault, who lives in French-colonized Algiers during the intermission of the two World Wars. Consisting of two parts—The Stranger first explores his daily life as a free man, and in the second, delves more into the character’s own philosophy as Meursault contemplates during his remaining time in jail. At its core, the story explores the relationships and interactions of the odd Meursault through the character’s inner monologue and dialogue with those around him. The story itself is very ambiguous in its’ nature, and the idea of contemplating the meaning of life and purpose is prevalent throughout The Stranger. Evidently, Camus writes Meursault as a man who believes that life has no meaning, and therefore people are free to do as they please. To supplement the protagonist’s view, the author also presents Meursault alongside various personalities of key supporting characters, each with their own unique personality, and differing outlooks on life. Doing so thus enables Camus to get readers to contemplate about meaning through multiple perspectives. Stylistically, through many devices that emphasize diction, imagery, and story themes. Ultimately, The Stranger is a way for Camus to convey that there are multiple ways to perceive the meaning of life, using Meursault to directly project a different view than what readers are used to. Surely, with the intent of crafting a protagonist so strange, that Meursault becomes comparable to other characters; less so as a reflection of what the author personally believes the meaning of life is, but more of what such exploration of the idea could be.

Camus’ The Fall might be considered as a novel about the guilt and the responsibility of everyone, therefore

Albert Camus’ The Stranger, illustrates the absurdity that Camus himself believes to be true about the natural world. Camus’ view of the lack of control humans have on the world is one that is quite extreme, but undoubtedly hard to argue against. The belief that there is no meaning to life, and no real purpose, and no explanation to anything surrounding the world we live in has eluded its way from Camus through Meursault; our main character.

His life also included a series of events shaping his perspectives and philosophies ranging from working as a journalist for a multitude of political movements, joining the Communists, moving to Paris, touring the United States and even playing soccer (Bucko). All of these sharp changes in his life varied, but they emphasized a common value -- individual freedom. Camus additionally feared early death and worked incredibly quickly on his works before it would be too late for him to accomplish anything. Satirically, Camus’ life was relatively brief due to a loss in war against tuberculosis and a tragic car accident, yet he was an accomplished man who has received recognition internationally for his works, novels and underground short stories. Albert Camus has contributed immensely to the school of thought through his ideas extending from existentialism.Within his collection of stories from Exile and the Kingdom, “The Adulterous Woman” delivers an absurdist and existentialist perspective from the eyes of the main character Janine, or the alluded adulterous

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” As one transitions from childhood into adulthood, people often ask us what we want to be, what are our goals and aspirations, and what are we currently doing to accomplish them. These questions are meant to give meaning to our existence on Earth and sometimes that meaning gives way to a higher power and purpose. Some believe this to be the existence that when one does good, they are rewarded for it. Some even believe that their entire existence relies upon the acceptance of their higher being. There are those who do not share these beliefs and infact think the opposite. Albert Camus is a well-known author who expresses these values through his philosophy of absurd existentialism in the novel The Stranger

In The Stranger, author Albert Camus involves the sun throughout the novel in order to display mans vulnerability. He presents the sun as a powerful, unfortunate influence on main character, Meursault and describes him as a simple minded, easily influenced, mellow individual. The Main influence in Meursaults’ life is the sun. Meursault is bothered by it however he does not make much of an attempt to stop or ignore it. He simply permits the suns heat, accepting it and affirms his personality. Becoming vulnerable is basic however with a more vigorous charisma, persuasion can be avoided. However an able source such as the sun, Camus establishes is a little more difficult to avoid.

Growing up Albert Camus did not have an ordinary life. His family was not as fortunate as other families. He grew up poor and was raised solely by his mother due to his father dying during World War I. He was born in French Algeria. His mother was of Spanish descent and his father was from France (Heims). Camus never let this be a disadvantage to his career or interfere with it. He said “Poverty was never a misfortune for me: it was radiant with light. Even my revolts were brilliant with sunshine. They were almost always….revolts for everyone, so that life might be lifted into that light” (Heims). He used this through his career and it shows through his works.