An Existentialist is someone who exercises their ability to be a free person, and takes responsibility for their own actions in life. Meursault, the main character of “The Stranger” written by Albert Camus, was not originally an Existentialist, but the events that occurred throughout the story forced him to contemplate the true meaning of life, and unintentionally transformed him into one. While this does lead to his death, he is at peace with what he has done in his life, and decides to just accept the fact that he will never be able to avoid death.
Someone who is an Existentialist is a selfish person. They have no need for other people other than for keeping them company. Meursault’s first example of this is when his mother dies. Everybody …show more content…
Death has never been something that has phased Meursault. There are two examples of this, the earlier mentioned death of his mother, and the killing of the Arab man. Both times he shows no sympathy, but the second time it was intentional. Throughout all his time in court, Meursault realized if he had just shown some small amount of sympathy in killing the Arab man, he could have gotten off on a much lighter sentence. But Meursault never gave in because after all the time he had spent in jail he had learned to accept death as something he can not avoid. This is one of the major pieces of evidence of him becoming an Existentialist thinker, as this is one of the biggest parts of being one. Then later, when the chaplain is trying to force Meursault to give in to religion, Meursault tells him that he is “living like a dead man.”(Camus 120) This is Meursault’s first open example to the world that he has accepted Existentialism as a way to make reason of his life. There is lots of evidence at the end of the book that proves he is an Existentialist, and a majority of people arguing that Meursault is not an Existentialist use evidence from only the beginning of the
Someone who is an Existentialist is a selfish person. They have no need for other people other than for keeping them company. Meursault’s first example of this is when his mother dies. Everybody …show more content…
Death has never been something that has phased Meursault. There are two examples of this, the earlier mentioned death of his mother, and the killing of the Arab man. Both times he shows no sympathy, but the second time it was intentional. Throughout all his time in court, Meursault realized if he had just shown some small amount of sympathy in killing the Arab man, he could have gotten off on a much lighter sentence. But Meursault never gave in because after all the time he had spent in jail he had learned to accept death as something he can not avoid. This is one of the major pieces of evidence of him becoming an Existentialist thinker, as this is one of the biggest parts of being one. Then later, when the chaplain is trying to force Meursault to give in to religion, Meursault tells him that he is “living like a dead man.”(Camus 120) This is Meursault’s first open example to the world that he has accepted Existentialism as a way to make reason of his life. There is lots of evidence at the end of the book that proves he is an Existentialist, and a majority of people arguing that Meursault is not an Existentialist use evidence from only the beginning of the