The Outsider

Novel | Albert Camus

Do you think that the title of The Outsider is justified?

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Do you think that the title of The Outsider is justified Albert Camus s most celebrated novel is The Outsider The novel is set in Algiers Its hero is Meursault He is different from others He does not cry at his mother s funeral He does not show love for Marie Cardona He kills an Arab without reason At his trial society calls him a monster His indifference makes him an Outsider Outsider to Family The novel begins with death Meursault gets a telegram from Marengo It says his mother has died He says Mother died today Or maybe yesterday I can t be sure From the very first line he shows indifference Before the funeral he drinks coffee and smokes He does not weep Thomas P rez nearly faints under the hot sun Meursault only feels the heat Later he says Mother now was buried and tomorrow I d

be going back to work as usual Society sees this as shocking A son who cannot cry becomes an outsider to family and society Outsider to Love The very next day Meursault meets Marie Cardona at the beach They swim They laugh They go to the cinema and watch a comedy At night they sleep together Marie loves him truly Meursault says Marie came that evening and asked me if I d marry her Meursault answers coldly I said I didn t mind if she was keen on it we d get married This reply surprises Marie She stays with him but he never shows passion Even in prison she visits him But he remains calm and indifferent His lack of love makes him an outsider in personal life Outsider to Neighbors and Morality Meursault s neighbors show another side of alienation Salamano curses and beats his old dog Yet when the dog runs away he cries bitterly Meursault only listens silently He gives no judgment Raymond Sint s is violent He beats his mistress He asks Meursault to write a letter to bring her back Meursault agrees without feeling Later the police slap Raymond He asks Meursault to testify He accepts calmly He does not think of right or wrong He is outside morality His neighbors show emotion but he remains detached Outsider at the Murder and the Trial At Masson s beach house Meursault Marie and Raymond enjoy swimming Later they meet the Arabs One is the brother of Raymond s mistress A fight breaks out Raymond is injured Later Meursault walks alone The sun blinds him He fires five shots The Arab dies At the trial the court forgets the crime Instead they discuss his mother s funeral The Director the Caretaker and Marie testify The Prosecutor calls him a monster He says a man who does not cry at his mother s death is dangerous When asked why he killed Meursault replies It was because of the sun This makes him a complete outsider in the eyes of the law and society Existential Outsider and Anti-Hero In prison Meursault thinks about life The Magistrate shows him a crucifix He refuses faith The Chaplain asks him to believe in God He shouts I didn t believe in God He accepts death He accepts that life has no meaning Yet he feels peace He says the world is indifferent He finds joy in truth He faces death calmly He does not act like a hero but becomes an existential outsider He accepts the absurd The title The Outsider is fully justified Meursault is an outsider to family to love to neighbors to morality to society and to religion His indifference makes him different Society cannot accept him He is condemned to death not only for murder but for his emotions He is an anti-hero yet an existential hero The title fits him perfectly

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