THE STRANGER

During his lifetime, Camus perfected the philosophy of the

Absurd, although he resented the labeling of it as a philosophy.
In all his works, Camus incorporates existentialism while also
presenting the feeling of the Absurd. He insists that novels are
not a medium for preaching, but a medium where grave matters are
handled "comically" and "lightly," as if felt at a distance (King
57); Camus refers to this novel as an "exercise in objectivity,
the impersonal working out of the logical results of the
philosophy of the absurd" (qtd. in Thody 113). The Absurd
emphasizes man's freedom, a freedom where no good or bad choices
can be made. Man's desires conflict with the indifference of the
universe (King 56). The primary absurdity, Sartre states, is the
split between man's search for unity and the conflict between
mind and nature and the split between man's affinity with
infinity and the finite character of his existence (109). When
writing of the Absurd, Camus deals with chance, death, the truth
in nature, the beauty in nature, the desire to revolt, and the
unintelligibility of reality. Everyone of these characteristics
is apparent in The stranger.
Initially, Camus' desires were to create a novel that
praised nature, a hymn or a piece of work as eloquent as
Mozart's, yet he realized that he did not want to exclude human
tragedy since it exists as much as nature's beauty. Thody states
that Camus' aim in this novel was to "reduce the sum total of

14
human suffering" (119). Most importantly, Camus wanted to
present the feeling of his philosophy on the Absurd. He
published The stranger before publishing The Myth of Sisyphus in
order to present to the public the feeling of the Absurd prior to
the facts and explanation of the philosophy as presented in The
Myth. Camus desires that man reads this novel and becomes
disorientated and divorced from any reality of which he knows.
He must recognize that reality means that life exists and death
is approaching; Camus believes that these are the only truths,
and abstractions no longer exist. Man must extinguish all hope,
goals, and longings. Meaning becomes opaque and significance
vanishes. Man is left with the universe, himself, and death.
Camus writes in this novel that we think we choose our fate, but
"one and the same fate was bound to 'choose' not only me but
thousands of millions of privileged people" - that fate is only
death (152).
Although many critics would describe Albert Camus' The
Stranger as a bizarre compilation of events which seem to lack
coherence, the novel is actually a refreshing attempt to place a
philosophical idea into action - the action of everyday living.
Camus creates a situation with which all of his readers can
identify: a character with a banal job, who occupies his time in
his apartment and at a local cafe. Friends come, visit, and
leave. Sleep ensues after dining. The next day, the character
works again, dines again, and sleeps. Simplistically, this

15
description outlines a common human being's everyday life, but
amidst the ordinary living, humans tend to fill their days with
purpose, goals, and significance. However, in The stranger,
Albert Camus attempts to portray a being who fills his days with
common diversions while obliterating all meaning and significance
of every activity. Camus' character does not willfully choose to
exclude meaning and purpose in his actions, because purpose and
meaning are alien to him. He does not know why he does something
or what is the significance of his actions' ramifications. He
does not even entertain feelings or ideas that most people enjoy.
This protagonist subscribes wholly to the notion of the Absurd.
From the beginning of the novel, the protagonist uses
sporadic and simplistic dialogue, and he does not reflect on the
higher meanings of life. No transcendence occurs; no goals are
set or discussed; the protagonist does not search his soul or
contemplate the religious possibilities of the universe; in
other words, Camus presents man with a day by day situation that
he can understand without presenting any emotions, sentiments, or
reflections in his protagonist to which man can relate. Camus
abruptly presents the world of the Absurd, and he intends for man
to come to his own conclusion about the existence of the Absurd
by the end of the novel. Jean-Paul Sartre beautifully describes
the Absurd of The stranger:
The stranger, a work detached from a life,
unjustified and unjustifiable, sterile,
momentary, already forsaken by its author,
abandoned for other present things. And
that is how we must accept it, as a brief
communion between two ... the author and
16
 the reader, beyond reason, in the realm of the
absurd (112).
The stranger depicts a young French Algerian in a populated
town. At the beginning of the novel, Meursault, the young man,
experiences the death of his mother. He attends the funeral and
meets Perez who is his mother's best friend in the elderly home.
Meursault lives alone in a high-rise, but daily encounters his
strange neighbors, Salamano and Raymond. Over several hot summer
days, Meursault is befriended by Raymond, a neighborhood pimp,
who utilizes Meursault to escape the enmity of the Arab brothers
of an Arab prostitute he recently "beat-up." Unknowingly,
Meursault becomes involved in a heated battle between Raymond and
the Arabs. While visiting some of Raymond's friends at their
beach house, Meursault is attacked by the hostile Arabs. Under
the influence of the sizzling hot sun, Meursault returns to the
site of the ambush and is mesmerized into shooting the Arab
brother, not one, but five times. Meursault claims that the
sun's glint off of the Arab's knife and the pounding pressure of
the sweltering sun causes him to fire the five shots. Meursault
undergoes imprisonment after a trial in which Camus parodies the
prosecutor. During the trial Meursault's other friends testify
for him: Celeste, the owner of Meursault's favorite cafe;
Marie, Meursault's "girlfriend" of a few weeks; the doorkeeper
from the elderly home; Raymond; Salamano; Perez; and Masson,
the beach house owner. The novel concludes one year after
Meursault's imprisonment, where Meursault still awaits his
execution - decapitation in the public square; nevertheless,
17
Meursault finally realizes what is important to him right before
his death: happiness, the approach of death, and the realization
that nothing exists, not even God, other than the simple
pleasures in nature.
Philip Thody calls this novel a very controlled piece of
work in which each idea and event has a unique and independent
existence of its own (114). In The stranger, Camus uses a highly
dramatic style. The specific literary techniques that he uses
throughout the novel relay very precise meanings. He
incorporates symbolism, irony, and foreshadowing to expound on
the Absurd. Camus chooses these techniques in order to enhance
the Absurd ideas and behaviors, to provide man a mental image of
the Absurd, to demonstrate how man tries to find meaning in life
against the Absurd, and to demonstrate the protagonist's
motivation to face the Absurd.

The most distinctive element in Camus' novels is his highly

dramatic style. This technique is most effective in its
presentation of the Absurd. Camus' style resembles a "quest" in
which he discovers his feelings and expressions toward the world.
Sartre contrasts Camus' style with that of Kafka because Camus'
technique is a report of lucid views beyond which nothing is
hidden. He points out that Camus is not trying to say anything
beyond what is printed, and the text appears difficult only

18
because of the numerous views and the lack of transition between
them (116).
Critic Adele King calls Camus' style an art that separates
man from the story to remind him that it is only fiction. The
odd way that Camus starts chapter one is an example of the
dramatic style enhancing absurd behavior and absurd ideas; the
novel begins as if it were a diary entry or a monologue between
Meursault and himself: "Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday;
1 can't be sure" (1). Unusual chapter beginnings are accompanied
by a lack of transition between thoughts and days, for one day
begins and another ends without discussion. The stranger is not
a diary, but Meursault's use of past tense insinuates that he is
reflecting back in his life. The novel appears to be a
retrospective account at times; for example, Meursault states
that "1 even had an impression that the dead body in their midst
meant nothing at all to them. But now 1 suspect that 1 was
mistaken about this" (King 59). By having Meursault reflect on
his past, Camus demonstrates how the Absurd in life is always
present. Meursault realizes the Absurdities in his past and
present.
The medium that allows man to interpret and to judge
Meursault is the text; therefore, Camus influences man's judgment
of Meursault through his dramatic style and tone. Camus
purposefully creates situations that not only give man a mental
framework of the Absurd, but that also allow him to condemn

19
Meursault; for example, Meursault states facts without comment
or analysis. He appears to be an outsider in the community, and
he spends time noting tiny, intricate details of nature, "sensory
impressions," instead of dealing with his emotions. As an
example, while in jail and facing execution, Meursault recalls
the objects and their exact positions within his apartment
instead of the value of his life and the important, meaningful
events of his life (King 47). Camus, though, indirectly
indicates that Meursault possesses more complicated feelings than
might appear from his detached method of narration. In another
part of the novel, Meursault has insinuating comments which are
meant to reflect back to a situation where initially Meursault
did not reveal his emotions; for instance, at his mother's
funeral he said nothing to indicate emotion, loss, or grief;
however, when he views Salamano beating his dog, he makes a
comment that refers to a relationship between his mother and him:
"I told him that, so far as I knew, they kept stray dogs in the
pound for three days, waiting for their owners to call for them.
After that they disposed of the dogs as they thought fit .... For
some reason, I don't know what, I began thinking of Mother" (50).
Meursault insinuates his feelings but chooses not to explore
them. Later in the novel man understands that Meursault is not
the immoral monster that society says, but only a man who decides
not to explain or discuss that which he can not describe clearly
- love, hate, any emotion (King 50).
King states exactly the essence of Camus' style; he

20
restates Champigny's opinion that during the novel Meursault
appears to be retelling his experience from prison and that he
emphasizes the sensations that he felt during the events because
through these sensations comes the only truths in life: the
acceptance of the destiny of death. However, "we are left with a
realization that the novel [and Meursault] is an artificial
pattern imposed upon an experience" (59). The pattern is the
highly dramatic style, and the experience is nothing other than
the Absurd. King's assertion is correct because Camus takes an
idea and molds it into reality by using a protagonist that
encounters the Absurd at the same pace as man; however, the
pattern of the protagonist's dialogue which lacks emotions and
that persists with the encounter of the Absurd is initially alien
to the reader. This causes the string of ideas in the novel to
seem an "artificial" compilation.
Another aspect of Camus' style is his use of language.
Throughout the novel the dominant language is similar to that of
Hemingway: a matter-of-fact style; short, descriptive
sentences; restricted vocabulary; and a deficiency of commentary
or moral examination on the events. One other type of language
appears in only a few distinct passages, and it is a flowery,
poetic, emotional writing - "a room that smelled of darkness"
(Camus 102). When Camus describes the majesty of nature he
utilizes this subtle but powerful language. The stranger is
divided into two segments: 1. the death of Meursault's mother
until the murder of the Arab. 2. the trial until the last days

21
of Meursault's imprisonment. The dominant language, the short
and sporadic sentences, is found in both segments; however, at
the end of each segment Camus uses his poetic and expressive
style to "give the novel that balance - classical order that each
artist must impose on his work' (King 61). At the end of part I,
a break in tone is apparent. Meursault meets the Arab, and the
language becomes metaphorical: "The heat was beginning to scorch
my cheeks; beads of sweat were gathering in my eyebrows. It was
just the same sort of heat as at my mother's funeral, and I had
the same disagreeable sensations ... where all the veins seemed to
be bursting through the skin" (75). The new tone and language
are to represent Meursault versus the universe where the sun and
its sweltering power overwhelm Meursault into firing the gun into
the Arab; the sun is personified as an attacker. All of the
metaphors and imagery cause the passage to have greater
significance than just that of a murder - something mysterious
(King 61). Camus also utilizes his rare but flowery and
exuberant language at the end of part II. Meursault has an
outburst against the prison chaplain concerning religion. He
fervently denies the existence of any god and renounces all
meaning of any religion. The passion and conviction in
Meursault's beliefs has been nonexistent so far in the novel.
Camus purposefully uses this language to reveal the protagonist's
motivations against society's absurd conceptions: "I couldn't
stomach this brutal certitude .... There was a disproportion
between the judgment on which it was based and the unalterable

22
sequence of events starting from the moment when that judgment
was delivered" (137). The language is also used to demonstrate
Meursault's heightened state where he is at peace with himself
and with the approach of death. A pattern of poetry with
reconciliation appears.
Camus' eloquent, poetic language also conveys man's struggle
for meaning in the face of the Absurd. In the face of the
priest, Meursault is full of anger and conviction, but "this
washed me clean, emptied me of hope" (154). He realizes that he
is happy and ready to start life allover again in the face of
death. The indifference of the world means nothing to him.
Meursault's attitude toward life clearly emerges through Camus'
eloquent style: "And so I learned that familiar paths traced in
the dusk of summer evenings may lead as well to prisons as to
innocent, untroubled sleep" (123). Camus' brilliance in language
relays Meursault's motivation to live. The style gives conviction
to the idea that only physical existence matters in life and is
the only thing that can influence action in an absurd world
(Thody 113).
King asserts that Camus uses indirect methods in his
dramatic style to suggest the deeper layers of meaning in
L'Etranger (62). Events in the novel reflect on the ambiguity of
Meursault's appearance and mentality; for example, secondary
incidents and events suggest a relationship with his mother;
imagery demonstrates a symbolic theme of a revolt against the

23
universe; and a parallel of Christ and the protagonist
demonstrates Meursault as a character opposed to society (King
62) .

Another aspect to Camus' dramatic style is the humor and

satire. Camus' style accomplishes the important task of
portraying the ultimate forces of death, man, universe, and
truth, but the style presents them comically and satirically.
Germaine Bree claims that "Meursault, Caligula, and Clamence
integrate ... an extreme irony and an extreme humor which keeps
them clearly in the realm of fiction and out of the realm of
'confession' or self-analysis" (42). Effectively, Camus parodies
the judicial processes of Meursault's trial, and he exaggerates
the verdict to exemplify the exaggeration of human expectations
of others (King 57). Camus parodies the entire trial of Meursault
where the Prosecutor and Magistrate are exaggerated caricatures
of the misconstrued values of society. The satire and comedy show
how the Absurd can cause man to lose his morals and accuse
innocents. The use of satire also shows how the world can be so
oppressive toward man: it demonstrates the Absurd in the world.
Another interesting aspect of Camus' highly dramatic style
is his narrative style. The actual language is extremely
fascinating because of Camus' acute choice of sentence structure.
Each sentence is distinct and self-contained as if it were an
instance of breath with a beginning and an end. The very next
sentence comes "ex nihilo" from nothing. From one to another,
each sentence is a complete and individual unit: "[the

24
journalist] had a plain, rather chunky face; what held my
attention were his eyes, very pale, clear eyes, riveted on me,
though not betraying any definite emotion. For a moment I had an
odd impression, as if I were being scrutinized by myself" (107).
Fortunately, a certain unity is implied among all the ideas to
give us a sense of the Absurd. Camus links the sentences with
and, but, then, and just then; these conjunctions suggest
addition, contradiction, or disjunction, but not coherence; in
other words, the link of the sentences is external and not
meaningful. Camus insists on a unique, dramatic style to string
together isolated sentences, each with its own idea, to
demonstrate the Absurd. Sartre states that "all the sentences of
his book are equal to each other, just as all the absurd man's
experiences are equal" (120).
Camus' style represents a glass wall that separates the
reader and the characters. Although the wall is transparent to
all the gestures and images, it does not filter the meaning of
the actions. This perfectly describes the Absurd. The glass
wall is the stranger's mind, transparent to his thoughts, but not
to meanings; therefore, the reader is left with a succession of
events that entail no meaning and significance. The events are
just linked in time, a chronological order (Sartre 118). This is
exactly what Camus is trying to develop in the mind of the reader
- the reality of the Absurd in the universe and in everyday life.

25
 Symbolism is the second technique that Camus utilizes in The
stranger. The power of the symbolic images throughout the novel
is very overwhelming. This technique vividly portrays the
essence of the Absurd because it exemplifies how man faces the
Absurd and how man concludes with purpose and desire. Camus uses
descriptions of nature to be symbolic: "the dusk came as a
mournful solace in the face of death" (154) - Meursault and man
feel so much freedom to start life allover again near the time
of death. Camus also uses one set of characters to symbolize
another set. The two passages concerning Salamano as he abused
his dog and the one where Raymond beat his prostitute occur in
close proximity so as to suggest a parallel. They symbolically
represent each other and the Absurd treatment that one has for
the one he supposedly loves. This absurd treatment also
symbolizes the relationship between Meursault and his mother.
Obviously, symbolism throughout The stranger is abundant.
The character Meursault is the most prominent symbol within
The stranger. He represents a man who in the face of the Absurd
contains a passion. He does not desire to commit suicide; he
wants to live. He acknowledges no future, certainty, hope, or
abstract feelings, yet he goes on. Death is a passion for him,
and this is what liberates him. Sartre says that Meursault is
the "stranger confronting the world, man among man" and man
against himself, his mind, and the universe (Ill).
Meursault's purpose is to represent the Absurd and how man
deals with the Absurd in daily life. Meursault rids himself of

26
all hope; he faces the world at the end of his life with honesty
and the desire to "start life allover again" (154). Meursault
confronts the "benign indifference of the world" (Moseley 197).
Meursault accepts the inevitability of death and he holds no hope
for a different outcome. He faces himself in prison and decides
to be content and happy because he knows that man can not change
the onset of death. In the novel, he states that "all alike
would be condemned to die one day" (152), and this is why he
remains detached not only from other people (including his
girlfriend, Marie) but also from feelings and sentiments. Adele
King claims that Meursault "defends the life he has led, a life
with no transcendent value" (47). He is just narrating what
happens exactly as it does without any commentary or sentiment.
At times his honesty is jolting since he is one to relate exactly
without "smoothing over" tragic details. He accepts his life and
death and finds a peace with what will come.
Meursault represents the man against the universe, the
Absurd universe. Ironically, simple things in life are what
separate Meursault and the universe, for example, 1. the
oppressive heat and humidity; 2. a preference for cafe au lait;
3. clean restroom towels at work; and 4. smoking in prison. What
Meursault desires is forbidden by the universe. His desires are
to be used against him in the world (King 57). Meursault might
conflict with nature, but paradoxically, nature is his only form
of pleasure. In nature he can find truth and beauty, the simple
realities in life. Philip Thody states that "Meursault's

27
 _.... _----- '------------------

insistence to deal with the detailed perceptions of the external

world where objects illuminate him and where each detail is very
important ... is part of the expression of the absurdity of the
world (112). Camus uses these examples to show that the universe
is against man, but man can use nature as a source of pleasure.
Meursault is one to avoid speculation, subjectiveness, and
abstraction. He feels truth and appreciates it; however, beyond
that he will not commit. For example, he loves Marie's dresses
and her laugh, but he will not consent to a higher notion of
affection - love - because it is too abstract and full of
emptiness. He also will not admit to feeling grief at his
mother's funeral; grief also is an abstraction. Meursault is
concerned with only the "present situation," and "he uses his
intelligence only in situations that he can find certainty" (King
50). Sartre reiterates that feelings and sentiments are "merely
the abstract unity and the meaning of discontinuous impressions"
(113).
Meursault represents a silent, reserved individual. He is
very taciturn in all he does. Camus writes that a true man is
one whose virility lies in what he keeps to himself. In the court
scene of The stranger, Meursault comments on a witness' remarks:
"he admitted only that I didn't waste words." The witness
declares Meursault to be a "man," and "everyone knew what he
meant" (Sartre 113). Besides being taciturn, he is also
rebellious. Meursault revolts against bourgeois society because
he holds a lack of illusions and rejects the "emptiness of human

28
pretence" (Thody 118). Meursault is paralleled with other
characters who are also protagonists that revolt and say society
should be constructed on the values they hold, i.e. Sartre's
Roquentin, Malraux's Garine; however, none can compare to
Meursault's revolt and purity. In the face of execution, he
reveals the mask that conceals human tragedy and is still able to
have something to live for each day (Thody 118).
Meursault's approach to life is rare. Meursault does not
understand meaning in life so he does not strive for
social/economic ambitions because these goals assume man wants to
better himself, and that insinuates a meaningful existence.
Meursault represents the belief that "it's common knowledge that
life isn't worth living any how ... this business of dying ... [is]
inevitabl[e]" (142). Meursault's beliefs and morals do reveal
themselves at the end of the novel when he reconciles himself.
He says, "I was sure of myself, sure about everything, far surer
than he [the Chaplain]; sure of my present life and of the death
that was coming" (151). Nothing controls him - only himself.
Sartre correctly asserts one idea about Meursault: even though
man is familiar with the Absurd, Meursault still remains
mysterious. "He exists; we don't understand or judge him. He
lives and that's all" (Sartre 114).
The representation of Meursault as the pagan hero, the
antichrist figure, or the existential hero is very significant in
The stranger. Moseley (198) and King (51) outline the comparison
between the Christ and antichrist figures:

29
 Christ Antichrist
-has a persistent faith -denies any commitment
-can admit his mistakes -free from any abstractions
-"dignified transcendence such as feelings, grief
of his physical defeat" -"arrogant certainty that
-affinity with God death is an end"
-desire to detach from nature -epicurean moral code
-has a set of morals/values -desire to find happiness
-rejects society's values (happy= no physic/psychic
pain)
-seeks harmony with natural
world
-avoids suffering by
omitting "non-natural
needs."

In the novel, the Magistrate of the prison addresses Meursault as

"Mr. Antichrist" (Moseley 198); although this address is in a
friendly tone, Camus is suggesting much symbolism. Meursault
represents the antagonist to all the characters who represent
saviors. The first savior that Meursault indirectly denies is his
mother. Her funeral, the coffin, and the twelve people attending
the funeral represent a savior and the twelve disciples that
Meursault rejects as does Judas Iscariot. No grief or remorse is
shown by Meursault. Meursault rejects other saviors such as the
Magistrate - who offers a crucifix to him; the prison Chaplain -
who attempts to convert Meursault to Christian beliefs; and Perez
- who acts as a substitute father figure and is symbolically
separated more and more from Meursault during the long funeral
procession (Moseley 198).

30
 The word "stranger" has a two-fold meaning that is
paralleled with the christ and antichrist figures. Christ-like
figures usually are strangers and aliens to the society and
traditional ways of the people to whom they come to offer
themselves as a scapegoat. Meursault is a stranger to the
emotional, god-filled lives of society; on the other hand, he is
never viewed by others as the savior so Meursault is a stranger
not only to society, but also to life where he is recognized by
no one. In this manner, he represents the antichrist figure.
Camus states, though, that Meursault is the only Christ that
the readers deserve. In the text, Camus parallels him several
times to Christ to intensify the idea that Meursault opposes
society and all it stands for. Meursault is conscious of the
absurdity in life, not understandinnf society's zealous
and ridiculous beliefs. Meursault condemns society, and is
condemned in return; however, in spite of his unjustified
execution, he remains resolved until the end where he clings to
life, understands the truth, and is Camus' only version of Christ
for the reader. In the text, Meursault refuses three times to
tell the examining Magistrate why he fired four shots into the
dead body. He also refuses to see the prison Chaplain three
times. These occurrences symbolize the denial of Christ by the
apostle Peter in the Bible. Like Christ, Meursault is denied and
condemned because he is thought to be a menace to society. Also
like Christ, he agrees to be executed in public, and he faces
death with a message that is hauntingly similar to Christ's:

31
"For all to be finished" = "It is finished" (King 54).
Another dominant symbol within The stranger is the struggle
of man against the universe. In The Myth of Sisyphus Camus
insists that the fundamental traits of man are a desire for life
and truth; unfortunately, the universe places restrictions on
these needs of Meursault, causing him to conflict with nature.
The universe's hostility manifests itself into the image of the
sun in order to anger Meursault. It is the sun and its heat that
"sap" his energy and are responsible for the murder of the Arab.
The sun's blinding and unbearable presence confuses Meursault's
senses. The firing of the shots is his attempt to revolt and to
rebel against the overt hostility of the natural world. Critic
Adele King restates what Champigny proclaimed about man and the
universe - that Meursault is a pagan hero trying to live in
harmony with the world. But Camus knows that full harmony is
never possible, so he causes Meursault to revolt. Since revolt
and rebellion are a natural part of man's nature, Camus has
Meursault rebelliously and consciously fire the four remaining
shots into the Arab and against the control of the universe. As
Meursault is imprisoned he symbolizes man caught in a hostile
world. The imprisonment strips him of any confidence and causes
him to become a stranger to himself.
The symbolism of the myth of Sisyphus floods this novel.
Meursault in prison realizes that
to me it seemed like one and the same day
that had been going on since I'd been in
my cell, and that I'd been doing the same
thing all the time (101).
32
The futility of Sisyphus' punishment, the repetition of
meaningless labor and work, represents Meursault's life in
general and his countless days in prison. This symbol of
futility magnifies the fact that man's lowly existence in the
world is accompanied by an unsympathetic universe. Camus
demonstrates through the symbolism in The Stranger that in a
hostile environment, man continues to search for a meaningful
existence, for truth, and for happiness. Even if Meursault is
condemned an enemy to society, and even if the universe is
against him, Meursault continues to seek a harmony with the
universe because he can accept daily living as being valuable
within itself; he can accept death. Philosophers assert that
when man gives up his compulsion to change the world and avoid
death, he can then find happiness and will then no longer be a
stranger to himself (King 56).
Symbolism arises from the contrast of the two parts of the
novel: 1. the beginning until the murder. 2. and the trial and
the imprisonment of the protagonist. All that Meursault views
and describes in the first part of the novel is seen differently
in the second part. The two parts demonstrate the contrast of
his views on time and on the external world. While free,
Meursault enjoys nature and values each moment, each sensation.
His time spent with Marie is wonderful. During imprisonment,
though, he can not even see the outside world to enjoy its
beauty. All of Marie's visits are sterile and without sensation.
Even all of the days in jail seem to run together and resemble

33
each other (King 60). The restriction of jail, which represents
the universe's antagonism, gives Meursault a different view of
the world. Meursault's new view of the world becomes symbolic of
man's attempt to deal with the Absurd. Meursault learns to
evaluate life without having any of the usual pleasures he found
in the natural world. He must learn to accept the Absurd.
Throughout the novel are the frequent occurrences of light
and heat images. The presence of these images symbolizes the
themes of death and judgment. The many occurrences of light and
heat images also symbolize intense introspection, a cross
examination. Meursault's activity under the influence of the
heat and intense light is directed by the Absurdity of nature;
for instance, the sun blinds him on the beach before he shoots
the Arab; the sun glints on the revolver when Raymond hands it
to Meursault; the intense heat angers him in the Magistrate's
chambers; the Prosector says he will prove Meursault's guilt "by
the facts of the crime, which are as clear as daylight" (124).
All these instances of light reveal Meursault's character in the
face of the Absurd. The theme of death accompanies the light and
heat images; for example, the death of the Arab is related to the
influence of the sun. Meursault describes the procession of his
mother's funeral with phrases such as "sun-drenched countryside,"
"a shimmer of heat ... leaving bright black gashes," and "hidden by
the heat haze" (20).
To balance the heat and light symbolism, Camus presents
pleasing images of the coolness of the evening and the sea.

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These calm images symbolize acceptance and renewal for Meursault.
He thinks of his mother and Marie in the scenes that mention the
sea and dusk. King states that in Camus' universe the sea
symbolizes the feminine side of the universe, and the sun and its
heat represents the dominant, masculine opposing side. The
beauty and hostility of nature constantly confront man in life.
Camus suggests that man appreciates the beauty of nature but
revolts against nature's hostility. Meursault revolts against
the sun, feminine side, and embraces the sea in the first part of
the novel (King 62); however, in the second part, he must
reconcile himself to the universe to attain a state of peace.
Meursault's reconciliation with the universe's feminine source
symbolizes that he understands his mother and accepts his
approaching death. When the Prosecutor ridiculously states that
Meursault is not only responsible for the death of his mother,
but is also accountable for the upcoming case of parricide in the
courtroom, King states that this is symbolic of Meursault's
"murder of father to reach harmony with mother" (King 62).
Camus reveals the Absurd in life through his symbols of
pathetic fallacy. Time after time Camus refers to the
indifference of the world: "the benign indifference of the
universe" (154). His purpose is to enlighten man that he is
alone and without hope or meaning: Meursault realizes that there
is "something inhuman, discouraging, about this
landscape ... either way one was in for it" (Camus 18). Even in the
courtroom, "ironical indifference" is on the faces of everyone.

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No hope or refuge can be found in people or nature. Man must
fend for his being and nothing else. This indifference is used
by Camus to stress the importance of Meursault's search for
acceptance of the truth, and the importance of his struggle for a
motivation to live in the face of the Absurd.

Another important technique used to convey Absurd ideas and

behaviors is irony. So many ironical phrases and situations
appear in The Stranger. Meursault's entire trial is a parody,
and most of all an ironical situation. Meursault is never being
tried for a murder. The Prosecutor, the jury, and society are
more concerned about his actions and lack of apparent sentiment.
The Judge says "he was there to supervise the proceedings, as a
sort of umpire, and he would take a scrupulously impartial view
of the case" (108). However, the trial was never impartial or
within the spirit of justice. Even Meursault's lawyer realizes
that the Absurd is present in the courtroom when he asks, "is my
client on trial for having buried his mother, or for killing a
man?" (120). Moseley states that the trial was "Kafka-like" in
that the accused was condemned not on the facts but on the
failure to meet traditional expectations (197).
During the trial and in prison, Meursault makes several
ironic statements, ironic because they refer to events that will
actually happen and to the absurdity of the situation: "I
realized that this cell was my last home, a dead end, so to

36
speak" (89); "after all, it would be a shocking thing for the
court to be trying the wrong man" (180). These statements are
clear examples of verbal irony.
The trial starts on a "brilliant sunshine day" (102) as if
to convey hope and optimism; however, the irony is that Meursault
is to be condemned for his character long before he even shoots
the Arab and long before the trial even begins. In prison,
Meursault makes an ironically bizarre statement: "this aversion
[prison] had no real substance" (89). He does not understand
that the purpose of prison is to reform, for he does not see that
what man does has any consequence. The irony is that the
imprisonment has no impact on Meursault's philosophy; hence, no
reform occurs.
An obvious irony within The stranger is that Meursault is a
murderer of life. Paradoxically, he represent's man's desire for
life. He is not concerned with his victim, nor is life concerned
with Meursault, one of the universe's victims.
Another example of irony is that a man who is in revolt
against the universe can not find that "happy silence in the
tranquil homeland of the universe" (King 56); nature and the
external world hold the answer for man, the answer that can only
allow man to find meaning in an Absurd world - death. The irony
is that when man revolts against the universe, he can not find
the answer; once man reaches an acceptance of the natural world,
he can find happiness, but without hope. Camus believes that
revolt is a natural state for man in an Absurd world; therefore,

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he insinuates that due to his fight, man can not attain peace or
happiness. Man can only strive for it.

Like irony, foreshadowing plays an important role in

providing man a mental image of the absurd. Foreshadowing
presents the inevitability of absurd behaviors and ideas in the
context of the present dialogue and the upcoming future. Sartre
notes that not one detail of the novel was not planned or
intended to be commented on in future pages (121).
The foreshadowing occurs as early as the first chapter in
the discrepancy between tone and subjects in Meursault's lack of
emotion towards his mother's death. This unusual style in the
opening pages foreshadows Meursault's lack of conventionality
(King 46). At his mother's funeral, Meursault indicates that "for
a moment I had an absurd impression that they had come to sit in
judgment on me" (11). Obviously, he is unaware of the terribly
absurd circumstances that he will face on trial and in prison.
Meursault says that "just then it crossed my mind that one might
fire, or not fire - and it would come to absolutely the same
thing ... it came to much the same" (72). He forewarns that fate
is fate, and nothing one does truly matters because we are all
prejudged, condemned.
The most gripping example of all the foreshadowing is the

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premature realization that Meursault is guilty, condemned, and
destined to die. Early in the novel he has brief periods where
he feels guilty for something: "I had a feeling he [his employer]
was blaming me for something" (qtd. in King 61) and "obviously
under the circumstances, he [his employer] couldn't refuse.
still, I had an idea he looked annoyed, and I said, without
thinking: 'sorry sir, but it's not my fault, you know.'
Afterwards, it struck me I needn't have said that" (1). The
theme of judgment is foreshadowed throughout the novel. Even
after he has murdered the Arab, Meursault views himself as a
criminal: "I was on the point of replying that was precisely
because they were criminals. But then I realized that I, too,
came under that description" (87). The text forewarns several
times that the protagonist will have severe accusations formed
against him: "and each successive shot was another loud fateful
rap on the door of my undoing" (76). Camus effectively uses
foreshadowing in the dialogue and descriptions to show how
Meursault is always condemned by the world, in other words, to
enhance the Absurd that attacks man.

The purpose of literary techniques throughout The stranger

is to clearly present the Absurd. Sartre states that most of
Meursault's adventures "are intended chiefly" to highlight
aspects of the basic Absurdity of situations (114). Camus'

39
highly dramatic style, symbolism, irony, and foreshadowing are
especially meant to enhance all the Absurd ideas and behaviors,
to provide man a mental image of the Absurd, to demonstrate man's
struggle for meaning in life, and to reveal the protagonist's
motivations to live in the face of the Absurd. Meursault
realizes that "anyhow, one life was as good as another and my
present one suited my quite well" (47). He emphasizes that "I'd
been happy and that I was still happy" (154).
The most important aspect of Camus' The stranger, however,
is its ability to motivate man to evaluate the significance in
his life. Man struggles with Meursault as he is condemned and
absurdly isolated, but does man empathize with his character?
Camus' ability to restrict the overt emotions in his protagonist
causes a certain distance between man and Meursault, yet by the
end of the novel Meursault's genuine nature emerges, and man can
begin to relate with him. This nature of searching for meaning in
life and accepting what seems to the reader as an intangible
answer - death - is something present in everyone. Daily, man
struggles for some significance in the work that he does.
Meursault is presented to man as a lesson, a lesson to face the
absurd situations in life with a perseverance to continue to find
the beauty in nature and a perseverance to live day to day with
out having the need of hope. Each day is a unit, each moment,
each sunrise; therefore, as each sentence in Camus' novel has an
independent beginning and end with no transition to the next,
it represents an example for man's life. Each moment carries its

40
worth in itself. Man must not search for a transcendent meaning;
he must be content to live each day. Like Meursault, man must
reach "a tranquil homeland where death itself is a happy silence"
(King 56).

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