Existentialism and Nature.

Ian Clubb

Yr. 12

Existentialism and Nature

‘The Outsider’ or ‘L’Etranger’ was written by the French author Albert Camus and was published in 1942. Albert Camus lived in Algeria, where the location of his story is set. Camus believed in existentialism, a belief that life had no meaning and there was no existence of an afterlife. The protagonist in the Outsider is Meursault, who Camus uses to portray existentialist beliefs.

Meursault was a working class man living in Algeria. During that period racial and religious discrimination was a common occurrence. Meursault eventually kills an Arab man during his vacation by the beach, not a particularly heinous crime at that time if you are white and a Christian. However, Meursault gives his motive for the murder as the power of the sun. His attorney and the police offer him a chance to get away with the crime by manipulating the truth and repenting his acts. Being an existentialist and with strong individual moral beliefs he chooses not to repent or lie and takes the full punishment.

Throughout the book Meursault responds to nature as if he himself is part of it. At crucial moments in the novel, such as the murder of the Arab, natural imagery is used to reinforce Meursault’s personality. (quote)

The Outsider begins with the death of Meursault’s mother; this is the first sign that Meursault does not fit into society, as an uneasiness is established for the reader through the opening lines of the novel, ‘Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know.’ (P. 1) When Meursault casually strolls into the old age home, he is greeted by the warden who has watched out for his mother has also arranged the funeral. Meursault believes that his mother was not a religious person, ‘Mother had never given a thought to religion in her life’. (P.14) but through her friends the warden was led to believe that ‘She wished to have a religious funeral.’(P. 14).The reader now questions the relationship between Meursault and his mother. How could a mother and son not know each other’s beliefs? In contrast the warden who had helped Meursault in organizing the funeral. This was contrary to Meursault’s existentialist beliefs. Meursault’s mother could have come to a final realization and acceptance of religion before she died, or she had been placed into an environment where religion surrounded her and she could find comfort in it.

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Meursault must have felt that he had grown apart from his mother; there was no sign of emotion during the time that he attended her passing. ‘I’m very fond of white coffee, so I accepted and he came back a few minutes later with a tray. I drank. I then wanted a cigarette.’ (P. 14) He drank coffee and then smoked in front of his dead mother, both symbols of his indifference. Luxuries that should not be indulged during the time of mourning, yet again Meursault through these simple everyday actions is being judged and remains unaware of this happening. ‘The sky was full of red streaks’. (P.17) Camus emphasized the colour red, a colour that is never associated with funerals. A colour relating to happiness, romance and blood. This relation to the natural imagery is foreshadowing the future for Meursault. The use of red streaks also emphasises the blood bursting from the Arab who he murders. ‘And the breeze coming up over the hills had a salty tang to it’. (P. 17) The sensual quality of the descriptions emphasizes the awareness of Meursault for his natural surroundings. A sense of relaxation and lightheartedness was coming over Meursault and he displayed no remorse for the death of his mother and felt that attending her funeral was a great inconvenience. ‘I knew how much I’d have enjoyed a walk if it hadn’t been for mother.’ (P. 17) Meursault felt that his life must go on and the natural surroundings were pulling him away from the more socially important event (his mother’s funeral). The temptation within Meursault was raised to a higher level and a contrast between Meursault’s true nature and social expectations is established.

The day after his mother’s funeral Meursault decided to go out for a swim. Socially and religiously an unacceptable act, as Meursault should be in mourning. During this outing Meursault meets Marie, who he feels attracted to. Meursault feels at home, physically alive and free from troubles when he is in the sea. ‘The whole sky in my eyes and it was all blue and gold’. (P. 24) The use of these royal colours represents the feelings that he has within him. The sky is an indicator to Meursault, which he allows him to follow but it can also cause him harm. ‘When the sun got too hot, she dived off and I followed.’ (P. 24) Marie at that point leads Meursault into imitating her actions as heat imagery is brought in. Jumping into the sea is a way of avoiding the sun. Metaphorically Marie is the sea and Meursault is the sky and Marie is allowing Meursault to seduce her.

Marie is astonished at Meursault when he tells her that his mother died the day before after he had invited her to the movies. ‘I told her that mother had died. She wanted to know when, so I said, ‘Yesterday.’ She recoiled slightly, but she made no remark.’ (P. 24). Marie must find this very strange, since Meursault’s mother had died just the day before and he was inviting her to the movies. Meursault can clearly tell when someone is viewed differently by society. ‘Seeing him with his wife, I understood why local people said he was distinguished.’ (P.25-26) Meursault also prefers to observe and judge people during that time, with his own view of the people compared to what society has labelled them with.

Meursault is described to the reader as if he were an animal, because of the lack of emotion that is involved in his thoughts. Camus uses a first person narrative to describe the story; which helps the reader see Meursault’s thoughts, which are limited to basic essentials that are directly related to animal instincts and feelings. This link to animals gives the reader an impression that Meursault is instinctual, ignorant and perhaps therefore, ultimately innocent.

People felt uncomfortable with Meursault’s attitude, as does the reader due to lack of emotion. Meursault drifts through life being neither ??? or emotional. He is cold about his mother’s death and treats it as if it was an ordinary day, and being reluctant to lie, Meursault tells people his lack of feelings towards her death. This behavior makes people uncomfortable around Meursault.

Marie falls in love with Meursault, yet the only attraction that he has for her is a physical one. He sees Marie as a person who fulfills his sexual desires, because of her physical beauty. Marie falls in love with Meursault and even asks if they should get married as she feels her connection to him. Yet Meursault can only reply honestly, ‘I didn’t mind and we could do if she wanted to. She then wanted to know if I loved her. I replied as I had done once already, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t.’ (P. 44) Marie still stays together with Meursault, even though he admits to not loving her. To Meursault love and marriage is not a big issue as his existentialist beliefs tell him that life has no meaning.

Society treats Meursault as if he was like Old Salamano’s scabby dog. He is allowed to survive if he is kept under the leash, but if society is ever given a chance they will do as they are pleased. The society fears Meursault’s indifference, he is like the scabby dog that Old Salamano has. The dog feels as if it has to break free and do as it pleases, with no goal or achievement in mind. Yet everyone around this dog fears it because it may either be dangerous or have a sickness that could spread through society. The dog symbolizes societies fears of those who are different.

When Meursault is in the court room, he is judged by the jury which does not judge him for his crime but for his reaction at his mother’s funeral. The questions that the witnesses and Meursault receive have no real relation to the murder. The court was not trying Meursault for the murder of the Arab, but for his behavior at his mother’s funeral, ie social behaviour. Camus’ strategy was for the reader to judge Meursault’s actions as an individual prepared to die for the truth and set reviled and feared of being different by society.

The court room was hot and Marie was present at his trials, Meursault was not interested in the jury’s verdict but the current physical attraction towards Marie. ‘Marie came in. She was wearing a hat and she still looked beautiful. But I preferred her with her hair loose. From where I was sitting I could just make out the slight swell of her breasts and the familiar little pout of her lower lip.’(P.90) After being separated from Marie for so long, he still has the physical attraction to her body, which for most people would appear superficial when compared to the predicament he is in. Meursault was only longing for Marie’s body and not her personality.