REVIEW: The Stranger

At first, I struggled to follow and register the storyline of The Stranger, by Albert Camus, due to it being originally written in French and interpreted by Matthew Ward. Once I got used to the fast paced and non descriptive writing style used by Camus, I began to appreciate it for its simplicity. The plot doesn't hide behind endless adjectives and irrelevant details which was refreshing.

You are first introduced to the main character, Meursault, as he is coping with the death of his mother. "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." It is immediately clear to the reader that Meursault in unlike any ordinary person. He is emotionally unattached. He approaches the death of his mother with such a careless demeanor that it's almost as if it means absolutely nothing to him. Yes, it is true that people cope with things differently, but this isn't the only time that his detachment from the world around him is displayed. "A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that I didn't think so." He is asked by his girlfriend, who is named Marie, his opinions on their relationship, how he feels about her, and what he believes the future might hold for them on several occasions. Every time he is asked, he replies with the same indifference that he had before. It is unchanging. He sees no point in thinking or feeling anything, and sees no greater purpose for mankind or anything else in this world. This attitude is what creates eventual turmoil for Meursault when he kills a man for no apparent reason and his refusal to feel or show any remorse raises questions.

Meursault is put on trial for the murder and his mother's death is very quickly brought up. The prosecution, as well as Meursault's own lawyer, question why he did not grieve when his mother died, but Meursault felt no need to display feelings he did not feel. He simply refuses to adhere to the moral standards set by society and he is very quickly seen as a threat to those who are sentencing him. "I made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't understand me, and he was sort of holding it against me." This challenges the idea that society does away with what it can't control. So, that's exactly what happens to Meursault. Sentenced to death by beheading because he held a different understanding of life.

You must keep in mind that this story was told entirely from the point of view of Meursault, therefore, it's almost like yellow journalism because my opinion on Meursault's predicament is based entirely on observations made by Meursault. He still killed a man without motive, and that makes him guilty. What bothers me is how his sentence was so heavily based upon his generally indifferent views. Indifference is displayed so frequently throughout this story that it becomes one of the main themes. "for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the general indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-" He faces his execution with the same indifference he held in the very first sentence of this novel.

What I like most about this story is how it questions so many theories and views about life and death with an unbelievable amount of ease. The story expresses so much tragedy, but without expectations or beliefs that all means nothing.