Alba also goes through a process of reflection on life. She overcomes the wish to escape through death, and eventually finds the strength to fight for her life. She comes to the realisation that it is by choosing to fight and live rather than escape through death that she can come out victorious over the evil of Esteban Garcia, “she was beyond his power” (471). The two characters’ attitudes towards and conclusions on the meaning of life are contrasting as a result of the experiences they go through. Alba’s attitude is to embrace life and appreciate its worth, whereas Meursault’s attitude is more fatalistic. He accepts the cruelty and “benign indifference of the world” (117).
The shock of the realities of prison brings about a discovery of inner strength and the forming of survival strategies in both characters. Alba is forced to find strength within herself that she never thought existed, and the shock and horror of her ordeal catalyse a powerful struggle for survival and the discovery of her courage. She has to rely entirely on herself, as she has discovered that she cannot rely on spirits or others for help. Yet once she has found the internal spiritual strength to survive on her own, Alba is more able to help others and accept their help. Allende writes “this allowed her to venture slowly out of the private circle of her terror”(467). She succeeds in converting negative emotions of despair and hopelessness into compassion and caring for others: “her fear began to ebb and she was able to feel compassion for the others” (467). Meursault, on the other hand, remains isolated throughout his ordeal, alone in his last hour as in every other hour of his life. He answers to no one, therefore he is made to face his demons alone, and through his acceptance of his situation and his survival, he is alone. After all, he faces no “divine justice” (113), only he reflects on his own life and actions and finds peace through his final judgement of himself: “I was guilty and I was paying for it and there was nothing more that could be asked of me” (113). The existentialist nature of Meursault’s character and his detachment from other human beings does not allow him to connect with others during his struggle, nor does he need to in order to achieve final peace within himself before his death.
Alba’s and Meursault’s contrasting attitudes to life are also, to some extent, related to guilt. In Meursault’s case, the absurdity of his judgement comes across in his realisation that he has been sentenced to death not because he killed a man, but on the basis of his character: “what did it matter if he was accused of murder and then executed for not crying at his mother’s funeral.” (116). Nevertheless, Meursault realises the inescapable, unalterable reality of his guilt, which leaves no room for hope or optimism. In contrast, Alba becomes aware of the cyclical nature of life and events in her family history. Allende writes:
Alba understood that he (Esteban Garcia) was not trying to learn Miguel’s true whereabouts but to avenge himself for injuries that had been inflicted on him from birth and that nothing she could confess would have any effect on her fate as the private prisoner of Colonel Garcia.(467)
In addition, Alba later reflects, “I am beginning to suspect that nothing that happens is fortuitous, that it all corresponds to a fate laid down before my birth…” (489). There are strong implications of fate determining events in Alba’s life, and that her punishment is part of a plan that involves an payback for her family’s past mistakes. Alba’s absolute certainty of her innocence and the injustice of her punishment allow her to sustain hope throughout her ordeal and feed her inner strength.
There is a remarkable similarity in the way that Alba and Meursault pull themselves away from their current suffering by focusing their minds on trivial tasks. Camus describes Meursault’s listing of items: “I’d start thinking about my room…walk around making a mental note of everything I saw on the way” (77), and his deliberation on the possibility of physically escaping the guillotine (106-7). This focus on the practical can have a symbolic meaning, in that when Meursault says “I was caught in the mechanism again” (105), he is really referring to being mentally framed, trapped in a system of psychological inquisition. What is expected of him, like all others in his position that have been stripped of individuality and soul, is a confession followed by remorse and a giving away of oneself to God. By defying the system yet again, Meursault is able to find an individual place for himself and leave a final stamp before his death. It is this defiance that makes him unique, the outsider, for he stays true to himself even at a place where others would surely break under constant social pressures. Alba’s writing in her mind on imaginary paper is like “assembling a jigsaw puzzle in which each piece has a specific place” (490). This technique gives her focus and a sense of purpose in the middle of utter chaos. Her emotions would be intense to the point of being unbearable if she let herself experience them fully. The relative simplicity of the exercises she employs her mind in are the reason for maintaining her sanity in the face of hopelessness and desperation.
The two characters’ personal realisations on the meaning of life are opposing, and this determines their attitude towards their imprisonment. While it is true that the two characters’ personalities were the deciding factors in their ultimate outlook on life, Meursault's indisputable guilt dashes any hope he may have had, and Alba’s innocence drives her in her fight for freedom. Equally importantly, Alba’s ability to relate to those around her through mutual compassion and support is a key motivator for her fight to live, whereas Meursault’s solitary nature contributes to his fatalistic attitude. Alba succeeds in surviving her ordeal and through her strength defeats Esteban Garcia. This is her victory, her legacy. Meursault goes to his death with the realisation that the world is indifferent to his existence, and leaves no legacy behind. Nevertheless, I feel that his death isn’t pointless. There is some victory in that he stays true to himself right until the end and I am sure that he leaves a lasting impression through his refusal to succumb to any social pressure, most notably his refusal to fake emotions that he doesn’t feel.
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