Albert Camus LEtranger Essay Example For Students

Albert Camus LEtranger Essay The passage I am going to discuss from Albert Camus LEtranger is very significant in the book for a number of reasons. The passage comes at the point in the book in which we are nearing the end of Meursaults trial for the murder of a man. Within the section I am going to discuss, Meursaults unique character traits are highlighted: (The fact that he behaves and thinks differently from others around him and does not act in a conventional way as one might expect. ) I am going to discuss how Meursaults nature forces him to play the role of the victim in the courtroom. I will also discuss Meursaults emotional detachment from the case and his greater concern for his physical well-being. The passage is largely a grim and negative description of what happened towards the end of Meursaults trial. He reflects on things other than the trial to begin with, which lets the reader know that his mind is wandering. He is bored. The first few lines of the passage reflect the tedious and lethargic feelings Meursault has with regards to his case. It is interesting to note that A la fin to jusqua moi is one long sentence with little punctuation. Camus uses this technique to highlight the monotonous ambience. The word continuait also emphasises this. In addition, the passage includes much pessimistic and negative vocabulary such as les pauvres, les tenaces and assailli, which reflect the mood at the time. However, we know that the opinions expressed are solely Meursaults and no one elses due to the fact that Letranger is narrated throughout by Meursault himself. This differs from traditional methods in which there is usually an omniscient narrator. The narration makes the passage especially interesting due to the fact that Meursault is a thinker. He is sceptical and often reflects on life in an existential manner. In this particular passage Meursault speaks of le remords eternal, which is to be his punishment for what he has done. He is also portrayed as melodramatic when he says je sentais mon coeur ferme. In addition to the factors I have aforementioned, Meursault has another trait which makes him different from the other characters in the book. Heat and light have a strange influence on him and are therefore important motifs in Letranger. His physical state is more important to him than his emotions and he is only truly affected by things that he can physically feel, such as temperature. It is to be expected that during a trial one would feel frightened or anxious, but Meursault does not seem to be affected emotionally. He simply describes to the reader that, le chaleur i tait moins forte. Following on from the previous point, I am going to discuss how Meursault is portrayed as a disinterested spectator. This is obviously most unusual considering that, for Meursault, whether he wins his case or not will determine his fate. He does not seem to acknowledge this fact in the passage and allows his thoughts to wander to other things. For example, when he says Aux quelques bruits de rue que jentendais, je devinais la douceur du soir, he is thinking about the climatic situation outside rather than paying attention to what is going on in the courtroom. At one point he also states, Jai encore regardi la salle, which gives the impression that he has not been looking at, or paying attention to the room and what is going on in it for a length of time. In addition to his lack of interest in the courtroom activities, there is also a lack of speech on Meursaults part. People speak to him and at one point he replies (Jai acquiesce) though it should be noted that this reply is not in direct speech. The lack of direct contact with Mersault isolates him from the other characters. .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .postImageUrl , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:hover , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:visited , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:active { border:0!important; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:active , .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8038ed0442a916fa85ed248047c3162d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Home essay on The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeHe is more a spectator than a participant which is ironic since the case would not exist had it not been for his actions. In the last sentence of the passage Meursault states: Je nai mi me pas pu ri pondre i son sourire, making clear that at this point in time, he is not willing to make any contact with another. As a result, Meursault separates himself from the rest of the courtroom, though at the same time, brings himself closer to the reader. The fact that he is separated allows the reader to feel sympathy towards him and obligingly listen to what he has to say. Listening to Meursaults reflections, it is clear that he is an intelligent spectator. He reflects critically on the events that take place around him: Tout i tait dans le meme i tat que le premier jour. Evidently, no one else has taken note that a substantial amount has not changed since the first day of the hearing. Camus presents Meursault as intellectually superior to the lawyers the jury and the audience. He is disinterested and bored and notices things that they do not.