Advanced Placement level texts are chosen based on their literary merit or worth. One such novel is The Stranger by Albert Camus. The story describes a young man with a rather indifferent view on the world whose life is permanently altered by one rash decision: murder. After impulsively killing a man on a beach, Meursault is put through a series of tedious trials in which his fate is to be settled. The verdict is unfavorable and Meursault is assumingly put to death though the result of his trial is never made clear. Although The Stranger is a text with relatively informal language and sentence structure, Camus addresses the controversial topic of guilt and innocence through his distinctive indifferent and borderline apathetic voice which adds
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After killing a man on a deserted beach, Meursault is brought into questioning where he maintains his indifferent outlook. By looking at the court system through the eyes of such an impartial observer, Camus is able to address the controversial topic of guilt verse innocence and the death penalty. His crime is a strange one. Before firing his gone, Meursault says that the sun is blazing down upon him and “that’s when everything began to reel” (Camus 59). The fact that his vision is “reeling” suggests he is not in stable state of mind when the gun is fired and therefore could be interpreted as an accident. The crime was impulsive and quick (Poore).His trial is the exact opposite. In fact, the meticulous and exacting prosecution “slowly and methodically condemned [him] to death” (Poore). Surrounded by a crowd of people confused by his mannerisms and horrified by his murder, Meursault’s half-hearted desire to defend himself dissipates. He sits back and watches as his life is volleyed back and forth. The presiding judge and the prosecutor not only prolong the trial, but they also include evidence materials that are inconsequential to the actual case (Poore). They discuss his mother’s death and his unconventional lack of sorrow. At one point, Meursault’s lawyer cries out, “Come now, is my client on trial for burying his mother or for killing a man?” (Camus 96). However, to the jury these offenses are one in the …show more content…
There is psychological complexity in Meursault’s seemingly indifferent behavior as well as the actions of those around him (“Albert Camus (1913-1960).”) When told that he was guilty, Meursault says, “I didn’t know what a sin was. All they had told me was that I was guilty, I was paying for it, and nothing more could be asked of me” (Camus 118). This new look at the psychologically complex and philosophy provoked further study into the presented way of thinking (Cruickshank 14). While most individuals would be consumed by anger, fear, or desperation when facing an imminent beheading, Meursault merely says that “it doesn’t matter whether you die at thirty…whether it was now or twenty years for now; I would still be the one dying” (Camus 114). The complexity and sometimes utter absurdity of the main character adds a plethora of levels to the complexity not only to Meursault, but also to the story. Although he story on the surface seems to be simply about the troubles of an unaffected young man, there are many different underlying questions and aspects that make The Stranger a complex novel with great literary
After killing a man on a deserted beach, Meursault is brought into questioning where he maintains his indifferent outlook. By looking at the court system through the eyes of such an impartial observer, Camus is able to address the controversial topic of guilt verse innocence and the death penalty. His crime is a strange one. Before firing his gone, Meursault says that the sun is blazing down upon him and “that’s when everything began to reel” (Camus 59). The fact that his vision is “reeling” suggests he is not in stable state of mind when the gun is fired and therefore could be interpreted as an accident. The crime was impulsive and quick (Poore).His trial is the exact opposite. In fact, the meticulous and exacting prosecution “slowly and methodically condemned [him] to death” (Poore). Surrounded by a crowd of people confused by his mannerisms and horrified by his murder, Meursault’s half-hearted desire to defend himself dissipates. He sits back and watches as his life is volleyed back and forth. The presiding judge and the prosecutor not only prolong the trial, but they also include evidence materials that are inconsequential to the actual case (Poore). They discuss his mother’s death and his unconventional lack of sorrow. At one point, Meursault’s lawyer cries out, “Come now, is my client on trial for burying his mother or for killing a man?” (Camus 96). However, to the jury these offenses are one in the …show more content…
There is psychological complexity in Meursault’s seemingly indifferent behavior as well as the actions of those around him (“Albert Camus (1913-1960).”) When told that he was guilty, Meursault says, “I didn’t know what a sin was. All they had told me was that I was guilty, I was paying for it, and nothing more could be asked of me” (Camus 118). This new look at the psychologically complex and philosophy provoked further study into the presented way of thinking (Cruickshank 14). While most individuals would be consumed by anger, fear, or desperation when facing an imminent beheading, Meursault merely says that “it doesn’t matter whether you die at thirty…whether it was now or twenty years for now; I would still be the one dying” (Camus 114). The complexity and sometimes utter absurdity of the main character adds a plethora of levels to the complexity not only to Meursault, but also to the story. Although he story on the surface seems to be simply about the troubles of an unaffected young man, there are many different underlying questions and aspects that make The Stranger a complex novel with great literary