Book Report on The Stranger
An Exploration of "The Stranger" by Albert Camus The Stranger is a book of many facets and meanings most of which are not immediately apparent. In fact without in depth analysis the entire point of the book is easily missed. The manner of story telling in The Stranger is unique and at first hard to come to grips with. It is not the story which is especially complex but the manner in which it is told. It is done by a narrator. In his telling of his tale he neglects to mention several important aspects of his internal state, (which after a great deal of speculation seems to be what the book is really about). One soon learns that it is exactly that which is most important for complete understanding of the book, which is so carefully omitted. But, these features are not completely forgotten about, they are implied and inferred creating the need for careful analysis. For example, Camus himself, on the back cover of the book says the book is an exploration of "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd"; at first glance this book seems to have an almost unhealthy lack of the absurd and Camus' statement seems meaningless. That is until the book as a whole is explored and one realizes that the lack of such is exactly what i
Mersault describes the entire course of events very clinically and with very little feeling. What he is doing, who he affects or how he is perceived. Raymond draws a gun before anything is said, Mersault takes it off of him saying that it wouldn't be right to shoot a man, especially without saying something first. He refuses to acknowledge the chaplain's title of father, instead addressing him as monsieur, and only speaks at all of his real father on the last few pages of the book. He tells her of his mother's death and she asks how long ago. While in prison one learns of Mersault's father and their relationship, or lack thereof. That is until Raymond, his friend Masson and Mersault take a walk down the beach. Raymond invites Mersault into his place and they begin to talk. It's as if all the passion, emotion and feeling that he has kept bottled up and ignored for so long finally bubbles to the surface and manifest themselves in the murder of another human being. Mersault continues to see Marie and life is going pretty well. Raymond's plan worked, so well in fact that screams of the woman draw the tennants' attention and the police are called. One can almost feel the nonchalant manner in the way it is written, yet it is not immediately obvious. It is clear that Mersault doesn't really like Raymond but he also has no reason to dislike him and so decides that yes, they are friends. The matter remains unresolved and the two opposing forces separate. He never seems to get bored or feel like doing something else.
Common topics in this essay:
Camus Stranger,
Poor Mersault,
Arabs Raymond,
Raymond Raymond,
Mersault Maman,
Raymond Mersault,
Mersault Raymond,
Salamano Salamano,
Masson Mersault,
Marie Raymond's,
total lack,
beach house,
mother's funeral,
camus' statement,
walk beach,
mother's death,
mersault doesn't,
raymond invites mersault,
mersault walk,
raymond mersault,
draws gun,
friend's beach house,
mersault runs neighbor,
day mother's funeral,
mersault walk beach,
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Acceptance Essays
