Friday, December 27, 2019

Absurd Actions of Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus

In â€Å"The Stranger† by Camus, Meursault’s actions throughout the story can be summed up in one word, absurd. From the start of the story Meursault showed no regard to human life. Life to him was meaningless. His action toward his mother’s death was the 1st encounter into how emotionless, cold, untouched unmoved Meursault was. Although he attended her funeral he was only there in the physical. Natures’ element and the environment around him was more of concern to him than the death of his mother. He was basking in how bright the sky was, and then got frustrated because the sun was so hot he was sweating, stating â€Å"The sweat was pouring down my face†. (Camus, 1988, pg. 16) He also couldn’t remember anything about the funeral except for one thing, stating, â€Å"everything seemed to happen so fast, so deliberately, so naturally that I don’t remember any of it anymore, except for one thing, the nurse spoke to me, she said â€Å"if you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke, but if you go too fast, you work up a sweat†. (Camus, 1988, pg. 17) Another disregard to human life showed up in his relationship with Marie, it was all about the physical, he was without emotion. â€Å"That evening Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. Then she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t love her.†(Camus, 1988, pg.Show MoreRelatedEssay Theory of the Absurd1667 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to critic Mark Esslin, the concept of â€Å"Theatre of the Absurd† relates to the â€Å"playwrights loosely grouped under the label of the absurd attempt to convey their sense of bewilderment, anxiety, and wonder in the face of an inexplicable universe† (â€Å"The Theatre†). 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