"The Guest" is a short story that displays multiple examples of irony, Albert Camus uses irony to get his theme across. The theme being, making what one believes is the right moral choice despite the consequences. This theme heavily reflects Camus' philosophical logic, he strongly believed in one's responsibility for their wrongdoings. In the short story, Daru has multiple choices to make, he has been given the choice to deliver the Arab to prison- respecting and obeying the government's rules. But with that choice, he will be endangering himself, but also further isolating himself from his community. Or, he has the choice of setting the Arab free- pleasing his community but going against the rules of the government. Both of these choices put
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The title itself is the most ironic part of the story, the irony can be viewed from both points of view of Daru and the Arab. If viewing from Daru's eyes- the title is still very fitting. Daru's view of the Arab is that it is none of his concern. Daru feels as though the task was forced upon him and he is uncertain of the outcome. On the other hand, looking through the Arab's eyes it would still be just as ironic, Daru treats the prisoner as a guest- he questions why Daru eats his dinner with him, and Daru simply tells him he is hungry as well. The unconcerned attitude towards the Arab creates a certain amount of trust. By calling the man, "the prisoner" or "the Arab" almost dehumanizes him. He does not have a name, is forced to walk behind the horse while being transported, has been shackled, and is only clothed in a thin shirt, and sandals during a blizzard. The two men slept in the same room, and his breathing irritated Daru, not directly his breathing but that he could sleep after what he had done. "He listened to that breath so close to him and mused without being able to go to sleep. In this room where he had been sleeping alone for a year, this presence bothered him. But it bothered him also by imposing on him a sort of brotherhood…he knew well but refused to accept in the present circumstances. Men who share the same rooms, soldiers or prisoners, develop a strange alliance as if, having cast off their armor with their clothing, they fraternized every evening…" The crime that the Arab committed disgusted Daru, but he would not tell him that- because, welcome or not Daru would treat the prisoner as his
The title itself is the most ironic part of the story, the irony can be viewed from both points of view of Daru and the Arab. If viewing from Daru's eyes- the title is still very fitting. Daru's view of the Arab is that it is none of his concern. Daru feels as though the task was forced upon him and he is uncertain of the outcome. On the other hand, looking through the Arab's eyes it would still be just as ironic, Daru treats the prisoner as a guest- he questions why Daru eats his dinner with him, and Daru simply tells him he is hungry as well. The unconcerned attitude towards the Arab creates a certain amount of trust. By calling the man, "the prisoner" or "the Arab" almost dehumanizes him. He does not have a name, is forced to walk behind the horse while being transported, has been shackled, and is only clothed in a thin shirt, and sandals during a blizzard. The two men slept in the same room, and his breathing irritated Daru, not directly his breathing but that he could sleep after what he had done. "He listened to that breath so close to him and mused without being able to go to sleep. In this room where he had been sleeping alone for a year, this presence bothered him. But it bothered him also by imposing on him a sort of brotherhood…he knew well but refused to accept in the present circumstances. Men who share the same rooms, soldiers or prisoners, develop a strange alliance as if, having cast off their armor with their clothing, they fraternized every evening…" The crime that the Arab committed disgusted Daru, but he would not tell him that- because, welcome or not Daru would treat the prisoner as his