alt title(s): ptitleilqeoav 6
Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know.
The first novel of Albert Camus, published in 1942-which subsequently launched his writing career.
Short version: An emotionally detached young man learns that his mother's dead, gets engaged to his girlfriend for no particular reason, shoots a man for
getting the sun into his eye at that time, has a bunch of philosophical existential internal monologues and conversations in prison, and is convicted and executed for
no particular reason other than being a Jerkass.
Long version: The narrator is one M. Meursault (
we never get his first name), a man who lives in French-colonized Algeria sometime between the two World Wars. The book opens with the news of his mother's death. He visits her nursing home, muses on the life she led there, then attends her funeral, most of which he finds quite boring. He goes on about his daily life: working in a nondescript office, spending time with his girlfriend, observing his neighbors. One of those neighbors, Raymond, enlists Meursault's help in getting revenge on his girlfriend, an Arab woman, who he thinks was cheating on him. Later on, Meursault and Raymond encounter the brother of Raymond's ex. Meursault, somewhat drunk and dazzled by the sunlight, ends up shooting the man with Raymond's revolver, for no particular reason. Thus ends Part One.
Part Two details Meursault's time in prison, and gets much more abstract. The judge who talks to Meursault doesn't seem to care much about the murder of the Arab, but takes offense at Meursault's atheism. Meursault sits in his cell, wishes he had cigarettes, and ponders the meaninglessness of life. The prosecution at his trial uses his lack of grief at his mother's death as evidence against him; he doesn't deny anything. A priest visits Meursault and is, like the judge, appalled at his atheism; Meursault ends up assaulting him. The book ends with Meursault about to be executed, hoping people will watch.
Provides examples of:
- Alternate Character Interpretation: Meursault
- Anti Hero: Meursault is probably a Type V on the Sliding Scale Of Anti Heroes
- Beware The Honest Ones
- Cannot Tell A Lie: It never occurs to Meursault to say anything but the truth.
- Character Witness: Meursault and Raymond for each other.
- Chekhovs Gun: Literal, with a side of irony. Meursault takes Raymond's pistol away from him so that Raymond won't shoot the Arab.
- Empty Shell: Meursault, a rare protagonist example.
- Foil: Meursault and just about everyone else.
- The Hero Dies
- Heroic Sociopath: Meursault, possibly.
- Hollywood Atheist: The law officials' attitude towards Meursault changes when they find out he's an atheist, and afterwards attempt to portray him as an violent Complete Monster.
- Incriminating Indifference: The prosecution's argument against Meursault is, essentially, "He didn't cry at his mother's funeral, therefore he's psychotic, therefore he's a Complete Monster who deserves to die." Of course, it doesn't help that Meursault admits his guilt from the get-go.
- Last Name Basis: Meursault.
- Light Is Not Good: Meursault mentions the sun being particularly bright on the day of his mother's funeral, and when he shoots the Arab.
- Loners Are Freaks
- Red Oni Blue Oni: Raymond and Meursault.
- The Stoic: Meursault, of course. He feels emotions, but not for the same reasons as most people, and he doesn't really show it.
- Too Dumb To Live: Meursault. Or rather, Too True Neutral To Live.
- True Neutral: Meursault. He does things, usually, because there's no reason not to do them; the few things he enjoys are immediate pleasures like smoking and sex.
- What Do You Mean Its Not Awesome: The shooting. Very long description. Justifiable, since it triggers the whole second half of the book.
- What The Hell Hero: Meursault shooting the Arab. For no reason other than the sunlight and sweat got in his eyes.
