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Question: How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the interactive oral?
Work used:The Stranger by Albert Camus
During the interactive oral, one of the most notable topics discussed was Meursault’s outlook on life versus Camus’. They initially seem at odds. Meursault is generally very passive and detached during his life. In another ofCamus’ works, The Myth of Sisyphus, he seems to give a very different perspective on life than does The Stranger. In this work, Camus himself discusses how Sisyphus, condemned to endlessly push a boulder up a mountain, might still be able to lead a happy existence. Although this initially appears to contradict Meursault’s outlook in The Stranger, Sisyphus and Meursault share many similarities. They are both placed in a sort of illogical world; Sisyphus must endlessly repeat his task for no reason but the appeasement of the gods, and Meursault’s surroundings, actions, and even thoughts show little coherency and make little sense. They both, too, came face to face with what Camus calls “the absurd,” the state of being in which there is no meaning in one’s life, but it is still pursued. Both characters come to embrace this realization, and, in the end, are able to achieve happiness.
The film we watched in class, The Battle for Algiers, gives political perspective to The Stranger as well. The 1966 film depicts the Algerian struggle for independence and the stark contrast between the wealthy French and the poor Arabs, as well as the discrimination the Arabs face. The Arabs are considered inferior and disposable by the French. In The Stranger, Meursault kills an Arab for no legitimate reason, and the reactions of his friends and the court are very minimal; they show almost no concern or surprise at his crime. The Battle for Algiers helps to explain this reaction. Camus, who we learned sympathized with the Algerians, might have wanted to convey the injustice the Arabs faced and the prejudice of the Europeans. Furthermore, the relationship between France and Algeria is reflected in the relationship between Maman and Meursault. Meursault has a curious relationship with his mother; he loves her, but is not overly attached to her. He is independent, and unable to care for his mother in her old age, he puts her in a nursing home. This could be seen as mirroring Algeria’s relationship with France; although they are in many ways connected, Algeria is ready for independence and separation from her mother country.
Word Count: 391