The World Created by Camus

The world created by Camus

The issue of Camus’s intent in writing The Stranger is a controversial one. On one hand, the text could hold no meaning. On the other hand, it may hold a deep meaning of Camus’s view on the world. Consequently, I believe that The Stranger goes beyond the realm of an ordinary novel and Camus did in fact write The Stranger to convey his issues with the world and society. However, at first glance, the novel may not convey to the reader a very clear message about life or a deep philosophical revelation. But when you’re looking deeper much appears beyond the text; this is where one’s own interpretation comes in. Under my interpretation, in The Stranger, Camus creates a world based on irrationality and indifference in order to argue that our world is absurd. The world of Camus is documented in The Stranger by the crucifix and Meursault.

In a controversial fashion Camus takes aim and questions religion. During the investigation Meursault tells the Magistrate not “to dwell on it (the killing), because it really didn’t matter.” Meursaults statement triggers the Magistrate with a crucifix in hand to question his belief in God, “he cut me off…drawing himself up to his full height and asking me if I believed in God. I said no.” (Camus 69) When Meursault rejects the notion of the crucifix, he is rejecting religion and meaningful life. The crucifix used by the examining magistrate symbolizes religion, but more specifically Christianity (Notebook). According to the Christian belief the crucifix represents the self sacrifice of Jesus in human form to save all of man kind from their sins so that they can one day enter Heaven (O’Toole). This is evident by the words of the examining magistrate toward Meursault, “I am a Christian, I ask him(Jesus) to forgive you your sins. How can you not believe he suffered for you?“(Camus 69). With Meursaults rejection of the magistrate’s notion, he is rejecting a belief in Heaven. In relation, a Christian believes a meaningful life is one that leads to Heaven (Kauffman). A crucifix symbolizes a meaningful life, a life where one believes in God and works toward the realization of Heaven. The Magistrate states,” That was his belief, and if he were ever to doubt it his life would become meaningless”(Camus 69). On the contrary a meaningless life would be a life without an ultimate goal, the life the Meursault leads. From Meursault’s point of view, there is neither Jesus nor Heaven. To Meursault Christianity is irrational, he states “he(Magistrate) already thrust the crucifix in my face and was screaming irrationally, I am a Christian.” (Camus 69). With Meursault representing the ideas of Camus, the crucifix and Christianity stand in opposition of his views.

Using Meursault as an example, Camus paints a picture of raw human world, where reason does not always prevail but is overcome with irrationality, and where indifference takes the place of emotion. In The Stranger Meursault is designed to represent Camus’s ideas. Camus’s belief of Irrationality permeates in the novel as it is ever present in Meursault’s life. Meursault seems to lack clear reasoning in his actions. The lack of reasoning is obvious by his killing of the Arab and decision to help Raymond with a scheme against his girlfriend. Mersault does not consider or analyze what he is doing. He helps Raymond simply because Raymond asks him. “Since I didn’t say anything, he asked if I’d mind doing it right then and I said no,” Meursault says in reference to the letter Raymond asks him to write. (Camus 32) Meursault seems to go along with Raymond’s plan because he sees no reason not to. As to the killing of the Arab, Meursault seems to do it only because he cannot stand the heat and the sun. He does not anticipate the repercussions of his actions; the sun blinds him so he fires the gun. Afterwards, he continues to repeat that it’s all the same, that to shoot or not to shoot makes no difference. Through these two instances Camus seems to show the capacity of humans to act irrationally, without thought.

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