Please post your additional comments about Camus's The Stranger here. If you are summarizing or responding to a particular day's discussion, please mention the date. Feel free also to add comments about the book even if they are not connected to a class discussion.
10 comments:
Blog Post:
1/26/09
I would like to take time to note the beauty of Meursalt’s emotionless perspective. Camus seems to create a euphemism through simplicity. This may be difficult to perceive, but Camus may have attempted to tap into the romanticism of human life – without the emotion and bias. This can be noted in Meursalt’s consistent observations of the nature’s scene and social interaction amongst seemingly radical character personas. There is a great portion of the book left to read and analyze, but I believe it is important to observe through an objective lens.
I also believe that there is a correlation between the characters Meursalt and Gregor in The Metamorphosis. Here is a short blog post I made four years ago regarding existentialism:
Existentialism
Perspective
Living in the moment
Defining your own life
Making your own path
The process and identification of becoming human
In The Stranger, Albert Camus created a character, Meursault, that was indifferent to cause and effect. Nor does the reader see him cry, angry, or react to everyday situations.
After reading The Stranger, my second existentialism novel after the The Metamorphosis, I concluded that existentialism is the indifference to society; however I did pick up the reasons why an individual may be indifferent. Though these individual's actions seem inept for readers, his/her decision upholds a truth. It is not naivety, nor stupidity, but personal morals and perspectives which affect his/her decisions. These decisions do not define a wrong or a right to another, but a wrong and a right for an individual. Though most of society may inquire how and why this individual came to their particular decision, which they should, it is important to identify the causes for their decisions and not choose to label it a "malfunction." Everyone does not follow an instructor's manual of "how to live life" or "be like me." No one should choose to conform to the rest of society.
"The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
The real world we live in, everyone conforms to a trend off of a moving picture at their home. Do I have a problem with this? Yes and no. Television creates a sociable atmosphere for other human beings to connect, to share ideas among each other. Many of them will be similar, according to the clique of people. In short, this repels conflicts among society, but does this progress our intellect? As F. Scott Fitzgerald says, "intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas" and conforming does not excel our intelligence. Diversity creates a field of original ideas for others to ponder.
1/27/09
First off, I greatly enjoyed your post Dan. I remember talking about that Fitzgerald quote a while back, and I still find it full of truth. Many people in our world need answers and fundamental truths so badly, that they shut themselves off from the world. One of my favorite quotes is by Ken Kesey:
“The answer is never the answer. What's really interesting is the mystery. If you seek the mystery instead of the answer, you'll always be seeking. I've never seen anybody really find the answer -- they think they have, so they stop thinking. But the job is to seek mystery, evoke mystery, plant a garden in which strange plants grow and mysteries bloom. The need for mystery is greater than the need for an answer.”
As conformity goes, I find that too often in today's society people turn to a counter-culture simply to be nonconformists, when in fact they are still allowing themselves to be defined by the societal norms. In this way, Mersault is the truest nonconformist since he is neither a reflection of society nor its perfect antithesis.
While listening to some music, I was reminded of Mersault by the Beatles' Nowhere Man. Though certainly not an exact fit, the lyrics to this song provide an interesting perspective of Mersault from without:
He's a real nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, please listen,
You don't know what you're missin',
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.
He's as blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?
Nowhere Man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all 'till somebody else
lends you a hand.
Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere man please listen,
you don't know what your missin'
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command
He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.
Hmmm... Let me know what you think of the song if you read it. I think the connection is open to interpretation.
Thanks Spencer! Before I speak, I'd like to post another quote similar to yours - just a little simplified. This is by my favorite human being that has lived, thus far:
"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will be content to begin with doubt he shall end with certainty."
- Sir Francis Bacon
I agree with you Spencer that Meursalt is the epitome of the nonconformist, but I believe that‘s the byproduct of his character. Yes he does not respond to societal pressures and interests, but I think his goal is not to become a nonconformist. Granted that we do not know what his goals are, it seems to me that Meursalt’s only interest is to respond to his desires. A critic may retort that Meursalt lacks emotion to respond to his desires, but Camus is not intending to display a true hollow-being, rather distinguishing his characteristics to be hollow. He has emotion, but Camus decided to portray Meursalt who lacks an identity. Meursalt exists and in order to exist, one does not have to identify himself, to make him presentable to society.
I like your selection of music. The lyrics describe the surface and intentions of Meursalt. I know this song is not perfect, but I must say the second stanza contrasts with the definition of existentialism. Yes we can talk philosophy all we want, but one who believes in existentialism has a purpose and has a point of view, just a unique perspective. Other than that, the lyrics fit well to Meursalt’s “personality.”
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation-
- Thoreau
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die,discover that I had not lived-
-Thoreau
Mersault, to my mind does not live, he states nothing affirmative, and nothing negative, he is a bystander watching the parade pass him by. While Spencer has pointed out that he is a non conformist, I wonder why that should matter. Society is comprised of a mass of individuals seeking their best interests. Someone has an Idea, other people like the idea, a smaller group disagrees. The larger group invariably becomes "society" an establishment which has "forced its will" upon the "outsiders", when all that has occured is an unconscious shift from what was to what will be.
While I agree with Dan in that society requires a diverse field of ideas to glean from, eventually the field must be gleaned and the chaff must be discarded and the grain kept.
Anyway back to my point, life is for the living, to be interacted with, participation, and mersault is more annoyed by life as an inconvenience. Society is ultimately beside the point. It is, as a homogenous mixture of individuals, without comment on the goings on in the mundanity of ones everyday life, this is why I believe that Camus has made Mersault's life and opinions initially imperceptable.
They dont matter.
Why dont they matter?
Because he is not living his life he is unfulfilled, and content to remain so. Mersault would not care if he went through life without so much as a whimper. For anything else would be to him an inconvinience.
Oh and I really liked the song choice Spencer.
And I would like to point out that the end result of Doubt, according to Francis "MMMMM" Bacon is certainty.
And Please clarify your last point for me Dan because if Camus wrote him without an Identity then, by your statement he doesnt exist either to himself or to society.
Two last quotes
All Mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies a chapter is not torn out of the book but translated into a better language...No man is an island entire of itself; every man is part of the continent part of the main. If a clod of dirt is washed away then Europe is the less... any mans death diminishes me because I am invoved in mankind; therefore do not send for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.-
-John Donne
Mankind Was My Buisiness-
-Jacob Marley's Ghost A christmas Carol Charles Dickens
Hey guys! Just a couple notes from Monday's discussion to keep in mind while you keep posting:
We started off by out by posing some questions and opinions concerning book and main character with answers ranging from "wierd" to "interesting."
The first/starter question was the relationship between the mother and narrator. Many people described the main character as "robotic" and we debated for awhile his emotion or lack thereof throughout the first 33 pages. Look for quotes on pages: 24 ("Soon afterwards," the last sentence on pg. 24)
We also focused on the idea of judgement, and whether or not the narrator feels judged by humanity. (pg. 10/11 were mentioned here)
We mentioned the distance the reader feels from the character. No mental thoughts can really be derived from the narrator, though the novel is in the first person narrative. Why is this significant?
Comparison of society in humanity versus people in humanity. Which is more judgemental? In this novel?
Focus here on the beating and abuse of the dog and the woman.
So, hopefully thats a decent bit of brain food for you! Enjoy
Dear Paris,
My last comment did not intend to demote Meursault's humanity, to deny his existence by restricting his identity, but to state that Meursault does not identify with society - he still identifies with himself.
Previous Post:
"Meursalt exists and in order to exist, one does not have to identify himself, to make him presentable to society."
He does not have to vindicate himself, to defend his identity. He will do what is necessary to exist on his own.
I must disagree with your previous statement:
"Anyway back to my point, life is for the living, to be interacted with, participation, and mersault is more annoyed by life as an inconvenience."
Meursault never displays distaste in life, an emotional detachment from society, nor pities himself. Throughout part one; Meursault is a trustworthy narrator who objectively observes society around him. He never takes an introspective position - at least in part one. One may criticize that Meursault has taken an introspective stance in part one when he says that he may have loved Marie, but Camus is purposely vague in his description in order to avoid a biased opinion of Meursault.
Check out Metallica's Nothing Else Matters ! I think there are some images that can be related to Meusault.
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/metallica/nothing+else+matters_20092049.html
The link may or may not be functional ... so here are the lyrics.
**Did you know that the word lyric is derived from the word lyre?!
Nothing Else Matters
So close no matter how far
Couldnt be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I dont just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know
So close no matter how far
Couldnt be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I dont just say
And nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters
Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know
So close no matter how far
Couldnt be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No nothing else matters
A few thoughts for those who read the blog, a couple in the form of quotations:
Where is it I’ve read that someone condemned to death says or thinks, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that he’d only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than die at once! Only to live, to live and live! Life, whatever it may be!
Crime and Punishment, p. 139
O God, I could be bounded in a nut shell and count
myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I
have bad dreams.
Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2
Also, if you're interested in song lyric coonnections, Google "arab" and "The Cure."
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