The Myth of Sisyphus

Plastered into the unwritten constitution of society is the innate need for reason and conformity to commonly accepted standards. From a young age people have role models which exemplify who they wish to transform into. When someone goes against this involuntarily adopted policy, they are seen as different. In The Stranger by Albert Camus, the reader is exposed to the judgments and differences of the main character, Meursault, from society. By Camus’ usage of stylistic techniques and symbolism,…

Mapping the elements of absurdism in Albert Camus’ The myth of Sisyphus Nirmit Bhatnagar B.A(hons) English Vth Sem…

Nagel belief is that everything is absurd in life. He believes that life has no tangible meaning and there is no reason why we should think we could make life meaningful at all. But, we continue to live with defiance, despair, or with an ironic smile. Life is not as important as we had once thought, but that is not a reason to hate life or to feel sadness. Nagel does not believe that life is absurd is about life meaning nothing because it will mean nothing in the distant future. He says “In…

Saleem Sinai – a native alien and a hopeless and hapless victim of history, leads a life of anguish and isolation. Since he cannot undo the historical injustices and establish his “rootedness”, he takes recourse to fantasy and myth to discover his “imaginary roots” which lies here and everywhere, dispersed and scattered. Saleem seeks to resolve his agonizing problems of identity by withdrawing himself into the realm of fantasy: Saleem sees the isolated facts of history only as they relate to him…

Keats' Philosophy of Life And Death A man who avoids death will never mature, and he will never profoundly understand and solve the problem of existence. In life, people inevitably encounter a variety of problems, the limited life and unlimited desires, the eternal desire to live with the inevitable death of the fate of the contradictions, etc., contained in the lives of everyone , Thus constituting the predicament of human existence. Life and death, as a phenomenon, reflects people's concern…

In the genre of philosophical literature, Albert Camus’ novel The Stranger examines the life of an ordinary man, whose actions portray the concept of Absurdism. The main character, Meursault, feels like an observer of the world and lacks purpose and strives toward nothing more than having the freedom of personal choice. His choices define his personality when he is forced to face death and murder, to which he reacts in a way that shows his perception and understanding of human mortality.…

It’s common knowledge that life isn’t worth living, anyhow (The Stranger,121). His belief that life is meaningless allows him behave immorally and to accept his death without feeling any remorse. Right before Meursault dies, he says, I opened myself for the first time to the tender indifference of the world (The Stranger, 129) A poetic line that reinforces the idea that Meursault’s nihilism causes his amorality and disregard for his own life by reminding himself that life does not care about…

Works in Translation: The Stranger The Use and Development of Absurdism in “The Stranger” by Albert Camus Absurdism plays an important role in the novel, The Stranger, because it allows the author to relate to humanity in an ironic and freakish way Meursault takes death so lightly. The central theme is that the significance of human life is understood only in light of mortality, or the inevitability of death; and in showing how Meursault 's consciousness changes through the course of…

Throughout the first unit it is evident that the focal point is how man finds identity and purpose in the face of the often random and cruel nature of existence. In the novel The Stranger, Meursault was very blunt when Marie asked why he was mourning. This section emphasizes Meursault’s direct and honest nature, and indicates that he is easily adaptable to life changes. He presents a life-goes-on attitude, which the reader may not understand at first glance because of the recent death of his…

The existence of violence within literature serves a purpose in the sense that it helps to decipher the personality and background of a character. We psychoanalyze people in our everyday lives based upon the violent nature of a man or woman. In Albert Camus’ The Stranger, the protagonist, Meursault, it is witnessed that this man does not seem to have some sort of abnormal behavior, based on his expressions. However, we cannot judge a person without seeing the true nature of this man. Within the…