Throughout the Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault is portrayed as an ordinary human being but is amoral and focuses only on the present. He is very psychologically detached from the world he lives in, and significant events for most people would hold no meaning for him. This passage is used as the beginning of change in the character of Meursault. Normally murder would be a significant moment in anyone’s life and Camus uses this to illustrate how it might affect Meursault. Camus’ language in most of the novel is very passive and simple, however in this passage it intensifies. Through this intensity, Meursault is distinguished as an absurd character that is possibly searching for meaning by killing the Arab, while dealing with his uncontrollable
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He goes so far as to endure the torment from the sun which was basically a magnification of the irritation he felt during Maman’s burial, as well as risk losing the “exceptional silence of a beach” where he had been happy (59). This reveals the mindset of an absurd person, that finding purpose in his life was the most important thing to him. However, Meursault is unlike most characters considering that he lacks the society’s accepted moral standards. Meursault is drawn to do something that normal people in a society would not. A newfound determination is shown in Meursault as he pushes himself to accomplish his goal of searching for his purpose and the meaning of his life. The constant use of imagery and simile places focus on the struggles reveals his will to push on, despite it being overly dramatic. This turns a simple moment on the beach into one of torment and pain. Meursault continues to push on thinking that this means that he is close to achieving his goal. It builds up to the climax, the moment when he is standing over the Arab with his gun in hand. Absurdism is revealed here as he ultimately fails to find his purpose in this action. He had been so determined, thinking that this would solve his absurd life but instead ended in
He goes so far as to endure the torment from the sun which was basically a magnification of the irritation he felt during Maman’s burial, as well as risk losing the “exceptional silence of a beach” where he had been happy (59). This reveals the mindset of an absurd person, that finding purpose in his life was the most important thing to him. However, Meursault is unlike most characters considering that he lacks the society’s accepted moral standards. Meursault is drawn to do something that normal people in a society would not. A newfound determination is shown in Meursault as he pushes himself to accomplish his goal of searching for his purpose and the meaning of his life. The constant use of imagery and simile places focus on the struggles reveals his will to push on, despite it being overly dramatic. This turns a simple moment on the beach into one of torment and pain. Meursault continues to push on thinking that this means that he is close to achieving his goal. It builds up to the climax, the moment when he is standing over the Arab with his gun in hand. Absurdism is revealed here as he ultimately fails to find his purpose in this action. He had been so determined, thinking that this would solve his absurd life but instead ended in