The story of Albert Camus "Outsider" is pure existence, going right along the fairway of the philosophical direction of the mid-twentieth century. Here, like pebbles at the bottom, all the characteristic distinguishing features of existentialism are visible: the uniqueness and absurdity of human existence without any sense of life and death.
Predecessors and fellow travelers
The main features of existentialism were identified in the nineteenth century by the Danish philosopher S. Kierkegaard. The development of this philosophical trend began many years later, when humanity was tired of the benefits of technological progress. And indeed: on the one hand - the telephone, telegraph, jets and bikini mini, and on the other - the most severe world wars, totalitarian regimes and man to man - the wolf.
The installations of existentialism were observations of the existence within existence itself, the study of the inner world in borderline situations, when even if there is a choice, it is always false, and there is no ability to adequately evaluate one’s actions. However, if there is an adequacy, this is no longer existentialism.
The foundations of the philosophy of existentialism were laid by Jean-Paul Sartre in his works of the thirties of the twentieth century: "Imagination", "Sketch of the theory of emotions" and many others. Along with Sartre, Albert Camus had a great influence on the minds of European readers who were searching for true answers.
The idea
The notebooks of the writer told about the emergence of the plan and determining the theme of the future story of Camus. The "Outsider" was thought of by the writer as a story about a person who does not want to make excuses, who does not care what other people think about him, and he will not persuade them. Moreover, even when he dies, he knows that he is right and understands that this is not a consolation. Since the spring of 1937, for three years the author has settled this plan , works, writes, and rules. In 1942, the story of Camus "Outsider" was published.
Summary of the first part
An Algerian of French descent living in the suburbs, petty official Merco, learns about the death of his mother. A few years ago, he took her to an almshouse, because the salary did not allow her to be kept. Merceau goes to the funeral.
In an almshouse, he behaves clearly inappropriately to his grieving son: after talking with the director, he goes to bed with his mother’s grave, but doesn’t even want to look at her body, talks about nothing with a guard, calmly drinks coffee, smokes, sleeps, and then sees his mother’s friends at the grave from the almshouse, which clearly condemn his insensibility. Mother also buries indifferently and returns to the city.
He sleeps at home for a long time, then goes to the sea for a swim and meets former co-worker Marie, who is very sympathetic to his loss. In the evening they become lovers. The next day, Merceau spends at the window, slowly thinking about the fact that for some reason practically nothing has changed in his life.
On the evening of the next day, Merceau returns from work and meets with his neighbors: the old man Salamano and the storekeeper Raymond, who is known as a pimp. Raymond has an Arabian mistress, whom he wants to teach a lesson: asks Merceau to help write a letter, which will invite her on a date to beat her there. Merceau sees their violent quarrel, which is stopped by the police, and agrees to be a witness in Raymond's favor.
Prospects and Failure
The chief at work offers Merceau a promotion with a transfer to Paris. Merceau does not want: life will not change from this. Then Marie inquires from him about the intention to marry her, but Merceau is not interested.
On Sunday, Marie, Meursault and Raymond go to the sea to visit Masson, Raymond's friend. At the bus stop, they are alarmed by a meeting with the Arabs, among whom is the brother of Raymond's mistress. After breakfast and swimming for a walk, having noticed the Arabs again, friends are already sure that they were tracked down. A fight ensues in which Raymond gets stabbed, after which the Arabs run away.
After a while, after treating Raymond's wound, all three again go to the beach and again stumble upon the same Arabs. Raymond gives Merceau his revolver, but the quarrel with the Arabs did not work. Merso is left alone, drugged by heat and alcohol. Seeing the Arab again, injuring Raymond, he kills him.
Summary of the second part
Meursault was arrested and summoned for interrogation. He thinks his case is very simple, but the lawyer and investigator do not agree. The motives of the crime are not clear to anyone, and Merceau is only annoyed by what happened.
The investigation lasts eleven months. The camera has become home, life has stopped. The will ended even in my thoughts after a date with Marie. Merceau misses, recalls the past. He comes to understand that even one day of his life can fill a hundred years of imprisonment, so many memories remain. Gradually the concept of time is lost.
Sentence
The case is being heard by jury. A lot of people in a very stuffy room. Merceau doesn't distinguish between faces. The impression that he is superfluous. Witnesses are questioned for a long time, the picture is sad. The prosecutor accuses Merceau of heartlessness: not a single tear at the mother’s funeral, didn’t even want to look at her, a day went by, he got in touch with a woman, is friends with a pimp, kills for no reason, neither the human feelings, nor the moral principles of the defendant . The prosecutor demands the death penalty. The lawyer says the opposite: Merceau is an honest worker and an exemplary son who kept his mother as long as he could, he was killed by a momentary blinding, and the heaviest punishment for him is repentance and conscience.
The sentence, however, is the death penalty. On behalf of the entire French people, Meursault will publicly chop off his head in the square. He does not understand the inevitability of what is happening, but still resigned. Life is not so good to cling to. And if you still have to die, then there is no difference when and how. Before the execution, Merso quarrels with the priest because he does not want to spend the remaining small time. God knows what. Eternal life does not make sense, and Merceau does not believe in it. But at the very threshold of death, already feeling the breath of darkness, he sees his fate. And, finally, shockedly opens the soul to the world. The world is indifferent affectionate. Like Merceau himself. It was such a hero that Albert Camus described: an outsider. Not identifying one’s own existence with the realities of the world. They are strangers to an outsider.
Brief analysis
The story, written by Albert Camus ("Outsider"), a generation of readers deprived of the future, read with greed and considered Meursault to be his own hero. Features of the contemporaries of the author were the same: lack of hypocrisy, rejection of lies, even for their own benefit.
The story is clearly divided into two parts that overlap. The second part is a crooked mirror of the first. Reflected in the mirror, as Camus sought, an outsider. A man without roots. A man who has come from nowhere and going nowhere. The fact that the composition and plot are linear makes even a brief summary clear. Camus ("The Outsider" - a work that carries the idea, however, very deep) wrote his creation so that it turned out to be understandable to many. The reaction to what is happening in the main character is the absence of any reaction. That is, the ideological hero Camus is an outsider, there are no reviews for events in him. He does not participate emotionally in any of them, like an alien.
In Camus’s story “Extraneous” text analysis is possible according to two semantic levels - social and metaphysical. The first reflects the reality and the manifested reaction of others, and the second breaks away from reality and floats into the inner world of the protagonist. Who is an outsider for Camus? A brief mention of the fact that Merceau likes to look into the sky already makes the hero close to the reader, not alien to romanticism. So, the author understands and loves his hero.
About copyright and style
The author's style is very bright, despite the fact that the entire text of the story is a narration in half with first-person descriptions and in the past tense, that is, as simple and clear as possible. In this story, the author himself, Albert Camus, is an outsider to the same extent as his hero. Concise, passionless. Especially in the list of actions of the hero: drank coffee, went to the cinema, killed a man. But what power and what depth is in this simplicity! It’s easy to just outline a summary. Camus is an outsider, perhaps in anything, but not in literature.
The method selected is too accurate. Too lively heroes, as if only from the street. And a very finely woven atmosphere of the absurd, where literally everything is absurd: the actions of the heroes, their inner world. Even the jury’s arguments: the main argument for the death penalty was that Merceau did not cry at the funeral - this is the pinnacle of absurdity.