Luigi Pirandello or Albert Camus

The Stranger by Albert Camus

First published in 1942 , Albert Camus ' The Stranger is more than a mere manifestation of literary genius . It is also a reflection of the author 's own theory of absurdity and existentialism . Camus ' theory of absurdity and existentialism is succinctly illustrated throughout The Stranger by virtue of his portrayal of role players whose lives are patterned in a manner that follows no rational or meaning . These patterns are developed around literary symbols and motifs . Despite this characterization of the futility of structured being , Camus ' main character

Meursault tries to identify some meaning in life although he eventually comes to the realization that life is intrinsically absurd

The opening passage of The Stranger adequately sets the stage for death as a symbol of detachment and indifference in the context of absurdity and the theory of existentialism . The narrator and the novel 's key character observes

Maman died today . Or yesterday maybe , I don 't know . I got a telegram from the home : Mother deceased . Funeral tomorrow . Faithfully yours That doesn 't mean anything . Maybe it was yesterday

While this passage introduces the reader to Meursault 's indifference to personal matters , it also introduces the reader to the novel 's overriding theme of the intrinsic meaningless existence of human beings The entire novel is characterized by this fundamental aspect of Camus theory of absurdity and the theory of existentialism as a whole

The absurdity of life is marked by three deaths throughout The Stranger . These deaths can be compartmentalized into three distinct stages of Meursault 's realization that life is meaningless . The first death occurs at the beginning of the novel and is someone very close to Meursault . The first death is his mother 's and although this death occurs immediately prior to the start of the novel it marks a turning point in the meaningless life of Meursault , a native of Algiers . It is at this stage that the reader becomes aware of a subtle shift in Meursault 's attitude toward life . His response to the news of his mother 's death and the immediate aftermath is demonstrative of a young man who is losing touch with intimacy . The reader reaches the inescapable conclusion that Meursault is a man without a conscience

Rather than express sadness at the death of his mother or reflect on her life in any way , Meursault is preoccupied with observing the mannerisms of the people in attendance at his mother 's wake . His thoughts following the wake and upon his return home are centered on what he should do to occupy his time away from work . For instance the morning following the wake Meursault laments that he had a difficult time getting up since the day before had tired him out and he adds

While I was shaving , I wondered what I was going to do and I decided to go for a swim

The second death occurs mid-way through The Stranger and involves the death of a stranger . Although...