Stranger Journal #6

1) Does the sun have a symbolic value? If so, what? (Possibility for illumination of meaning?)

2) To what extent does Meursault "value" (or appreciate) things (all things, not just physical) while he is in jail?

3) Why does Meursault sometimes comply with what other people want (esp. to hear) and sometimes feel the need to make his point clear? Is there a particular pattern or formula to these differences?

4) What do you think Camus' view on women is? Is that portrayed in the book in any way?

5) In the book, Camus (mostly through Meursault) goes through an analysis of all the elements of Existentialism except Angst. Why do you think this is the case OR is there a place that this is reviewed that I can't identify? If so, where?

6) How does Camus reconcile the contradiction he makes on the meaning of life? Very much like a Deontologist, he seems to portray a situation where life can have no inherent meaning before turning around and providing his own interpretation of a meaning to life (I.e. physical relief)


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Anthony N.
1) The conclusion that I am begining to come to is that the real focus is on the light that the sun provides and how it illuminates the things he either does or does not want to be seen (esp in regard to meaning). Note that it does not bother him when he thinks he is enjoying something and that at other times it makes him tired (the pressure shown through heat)

2) To some extent I agree with Mrs. Wecker in that Meursault is not simply an irrational human being, although I do not go so far as to say that he is by any means 'normal'. In fact, I think he does a very good job in mirroring Camus in the sense of a similarly rational person who simply has a different perspective than everyone else. To us that appear irrational, from a literary standpoint, it's genius.

3) I think the answer lies in the middle. Even Camus pointed out that he was neither and Absurdist nor an Existentialist. He creates a netherworld where he critically analyzes all the different aspects of Existential theory and concludes in an Absurdist leaning viewpoint with key limitations that include still finding meaning.

Anthony Q.
1) It seems to me to be 1 part racist, 1 part literary. It extends throughout the book the portrayal of flat characters with nameless faces using ethnic classification (the reason it doesn't just happen to 'Arabs'. Kinda like a caricature? Whatever that Lit term was)

2) Raymond plays all sorts of parts. He is the catalyst for plot development and is a mirror of how Meursault acts with other people. Therefore all of the things that Camus demonstrates through Meursault are emphasized when there is a split between his thinking and his actions with Raymond.

3) I think that is the main part she plays, but the lady also defines purpose, hence the reason she intrigues Meursault. She is so directed that he can't keep up with her (symbolically, being left recognizing the Absurd). This shows that the world isn't inherently Absurdist, but rather that Absurdity is only necessary when one recognizes that somethings PURPOSE is meaningless (like Sartre's classic hammer analogy)

4) In this case, I think Camus simply uses Meursault to mirror himself.

6) "Don't play games" is a parallel to don't pretend something that is not. The idea is that when you do (in reference to finding a life purpose) that you only give the possibility to hurt yourself. The mother and sister come to represent that even in such a system, self-responsibility and INTERNAL punishment can still function. 

Isabel H.
3) While I agree with Kellsie, I have another theory as to why Camus gave it so much focus. I think that discrimination continues to emphasize Camus' point on the absurdity of external justice. (Esp. the scene where Raymond gets off with little more than a warning and Meursault's statement isn't even read)

Matt M.
1) I think the sun transcends something so fickle as mood and instead focuses on Meursault's perception of what is being valued.

5) I don't think that the lack of emotion is an attempt to characterize Meursault personally, just to highlight the focus on physical value in contrast to emotional value.

Kylee R.
2) My current theory on that is that the sun (and the contrasting night) are a symbolic representation of how illumination is affecting Meursault. When things are illuminated (with the sun) he sees the lack of meaning and is upset by it. When he thinks he sees a meaning like when he is with Marie, the sun is a positive force. The dark allows him the ignorance to recognize the futility of the searching but also the danger that poses (like the "night in prison"). Eventually his epiphany centers around the darkness.

3) I think this is done to further show that meaning only lasts in so far that we live. Past that, meaning doesn't matter.