Analysis Of Meursault In The Stranger, By Albert Camus

The psychological theories of Sigmund Freud suggests that the motivations for “human behavior in the irrational and sexually driven realm of the unconscious, which is revealed mainly in our dreams”. People who are more likely unconscious will have terrible actions toward people or things because they want to avoid their faults from the past. In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, although Salamano refuses to honestly address the past by transferring his problem to the dog, Meursault turns his punishment into victory by accepting his struggles when he takes responsibility for killing an Arab, as revealed by the diction and irony, illuminating the idea that one must face their past struggles to be conscious of the truth. In the early of the story, …show more content…
For example, Meursault gets upset after the chaplain comes to him and talks about his belief in the jail without permission. Camus shows, “Everybody was privileged. There were only privileged people. The others would all be condemned one day. And he would be condemned, too” (121). The atmosphere is sadness because Meursault believed “everybody was privileged” and “the others would all be condemned one day” as well as “he would be condemned, too” which reveals Meursault accepts to be “condemned” for the responsibility for the death of an Arab. Additionally, Meursault confesses his fate of his actions from the past when he reviews his life in the jail. Camus explains, “As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world” (122). Meursault is happy because he accepted “the gentle indifference of the world” that “had washed him clean, rid him of hope” which reveals Meursault became more spiritual of his life. Therefore, Meursault faces his fate to be condemned for the murder of an Arab and accepts the social perspective of the French people because Meursault is now conscious of his