Nothing but a Metaphor - 'The Outsider'.

Alyssa Al-Dookhi

December 13, 2003

Nothing but a Metaphor

“Why are we here?” The trivialities of man’s existence and this question in particular have plagued philosophers and laymen alike for centuries. In The Outsider, the author—and existentialist—Albert Camus states his answer to this question and illustrates his belief that there is no meaning to life and that mankind lives only to die. The author’s beliefs are most clearly illustrated in his manifestation of the unimportance of acquaintances, the role of institutions in society, and the people in society themselves.

Throughout the novel, many characters are introduced and seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Meursault, who is the voice of the author in the book. As one goes through the story, the author clearly distinguishes that acquaintances are of no consequence since life itself is pointless. When the “peculiar little woman” (45) arrives at Celeste’s, the main character is fascinated by her “but fairly soon [forgets] about her” (46). Camus shows that even someone who is fascinating is ultimately of no importance and has no significance in an already insignificant life. Even in more prominent characters and the way they are treated or how their questions are answered—such as when Marie asks Meursault if he wants to marry her, the author states in the narrative that “it [does not] mean anything” (44). Meursault also asks at the very end of the book: “What did it matter that Raymond was just as much my mate as Celeste who was worth more than him?” (116).

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The author explicates his feelings about institutions as well. Camus puts forth the idea that institutions are merely there to make the meaningless existence of man seem more purposeful. Some institutions directly mentioned in the novel are the law, marriage, and religion. A prime example of the law trying to make sense of something completely nonsensical in the novel is when the elderly reporter tells the protagonist that his story and that of the parricide to be judged the next day were the only stories worth covering. The author tries to show that normally, not so many reporters would be at his trial, because it is meaningless. The crime Meursault has committed has no meaning. The Arab need not have died, thus making his death irrational and senseless. There is no rational reason behind Meursault’s murder of the Arab, but Camus presents his lawyer, prosecutor, and everyone in the courtroom as trying to make it seem as if there is because that is their role in society—to make the masses feel more comfortable in the chaotic, senseless world they live in. Camus also introduces the institution of marriage. He states that it “really [does not] matter,” (44) because why should someone be concerned with matrimony when it is only part of a hollow life that leads to death and thus the dissolution of this false uniting of souls? In addition, Camus writes through Meursault that he “wasn’t interested in her any more if she was dead” (110). Thus, all bonds are broken in the inevitable case of death. Matrimony also plays a large part in another institution that is seen a great deal in the second part of the book: religion. Religion is an institution that plays a major part in the second part of the novel because the protagonist’s beliefs—or lack thereof—are questioned. The chaplain in chapter five of part two asks Meursault if he is sure that he does not believe in God and Meursault replies that “it didn’t seem to matter” (111). Camus is trying to say here that in life belief in God or any religion in particular does not matter to him and it “didn’t interest [him]” (111).

Finally, Camus focused, in his novel on society and the fact that people need something that they believe is rational to hold on to so that they can believe they are making sense of their lives, be it companion, belief, or lover. Salamano, for instance, could be used as a symbol of society when faced with loss of the companion he depended on. He got his dog when his wife died because “he’d felt very lonely” (47). Camus gives us no indication that Salamano has anything else to live for so the loss of his dog is a hard blow and it is stated that he “didn’t quite know what he was going to do” (48). The magistrate in chapter one of part two also clings fervently to something to make his life feel relevant: religion. When the magistrate brandishes his crucifix in Meursault’s face the author comes right out and uses him when he says that the idea that all men had to believe in God “was his belief, and if he should ever doubt it, his life would become meaningless” (68). Camus clearly states in his manifestation of the magistrate part of society devoting themselves to something so that they can make sense of all of the absurdities of their existence. Thomas Perez and Meursault’s mother are good examples of members of society needing each other. “There at the home, where lives faded away” (116) Camus depicts Madame Meursault and Monsieur Perez as manifestations of society who, knowing that they didn’t have much time left on the earth, decide to live their lives by sharing it with someone else. This could be countered by the argument that companions are unimportant, but because these people are trying to stop themselves from seeing the mundane meaninglessness of their lives, they use them to stay comfortable.

In his novel, The Outsider, Albert Camus expresses his belief that man’s existence is meaningless and that they have nothing to live for because he lives “in the belief that you are to die outright” (112). He asserts this in his novel by using the insignificance of friends and acquaintances, the role of institutions in society as safety nets that people use to blind themselves from the fact that their lives are pointless, and the fact that society needs something to hold on to to make it feel as if they have something to live for rather than just going through the motions of living a full life.