The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942)
7 videos • 4 views • by TimeLess Tales The Stranger (or L'Étranger) follows the story of Meursault, a detached and emotionally indifferent man living in Algiers. The novel begins with Meursault receiving news of his mother’s death. He attends her funeral, displaying a noticeable lack of emotion, which sets the tone for his character’s dispassionate nature. As the story progresses, Meursault becomes involved with Marie, a former co-worker, and befriends his neighbor, Raymond, who has a volatile relationship with his mistress. During an altercation on the beach, Meursault, almost inexplicably, shoots and kills an Arab man, an act that lands him in prison. The novel’s second half focuses on Meursault’s trial, where the court is less interested in the murder itself and more in Meursault’s character, particularly his atheism and lack of remorse. The trial reflects societal expectations and the absurdity of human existence, themes central to Camus’s philosophy of the absurd. Meursault is eventually sentenced to death, and as he faces his execution, he contemplates life’s inherent meaninglessness and finds a sense of peace in accepting the absurdity of existence. The Stranger explores themes of existentialism, the absurd, and the arbitrary nature of societal norms, ultimately questioning the meaning of life and human experience.