Is a novel only a philosophy expressed in images? If you read “The Stranger” by Albert Camus, the answer would appear to be yes. In broad terms, philosophy is a way one thinks about the universe. There are many different types of philosophies. The philosophy Albert Camus wrote most about was existentialism. His novel does show that a novel is only a philosophy expressed in images because throughout the novel the main theme was existentialism. It is shown through the character Meursault.
The theme of existentialism is shown throughout the entire novel through the character Meursault. One attitude of an existentialist is that they do not care about the past or the future. Meursault definitely demonstrates this attitude. In chapter 2 of part 1 it says, “I asked her if she wanted to go to the movies that evening. She laughed again and told me there was a Fernandel movie she’d like to see.” The day after his mother’s funeral, Meursault asks Marie out on a date and they go to see a comedy. This shows that he isn’t really concerned about his mother’s burial that happened literally the day before. He was just concerned about what was happening at the moment.
Another attitude of an existentialist that Meursault demonstrates is that he is oblivious to the correlation of action and consequence. In chapter 1 of part 2 it says, “I was even going to shake his hand, but just in time, I remembered that I had killed a man.” Meursault had killed an Arab man for no reason other than the fact that it was very hot outside. He did not realize that this was actually a big issue, which was why he was having a hard time remembering that he was a criminal now.
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Another attitude of an existentialist is believing that no set moral standard exists. In chapter 3 of part 1 it says, “I tried my best to please Raymond because I didn’t have any reason not to please him” Raymond asked Meursault to write a letter to his ex to lure her back to him so he could punish her and Meursault agrees to do it because he didn’t see a reason not to. This shows that Meursault doesn’t believe in a set moral standard because any moral person would realize that this is a cruel thing to do.
Some may argue that this novel is not all about existentialism. They may claim that Marie challenges the way that Meursault thinks. In chapter 2 of part 2 it says, “Marie shouted to me that I had to have hope. I said, ‘Yes.’” It may seem like Meursault is starting to become hopeful and thus becoming less of an existentialist, but he wasn’t actually hoping for what Marie wanted him to be hopeful for. What Meursault was thinking about was touching Marie again because he is always more concerned for his physical needs over everything else. This shows that Meursault only cares for what he wants at the moment and doesn’t think about the past or the future, which is an attitude of an existentialist.
In chp 3 of part 2 it says, “I felt a stirring go through the room and for the first time I realized that I was guilty.” An opposer could make the argument that since Meursault realizes his guilt here, that he is not an existentialist because he is acknowledging the past and his consequence which is not an existentialist attitude. However, in chapter 5 of part 2 it says, “I opened myself up to the gentle indifference of the world…I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate.” Even though Meursault was uncomfortable with the hate from the crowd at the trail, in the end he embraces the indifference of the world and welcomes the hate. Believing that the world is indifferent is a key existentialist belief, so Meursault is still embodies the attitudes of an existentialist.
Through the character Meursault, Albert Camus spreads existentialist philosophy which proves that a novel is only a philosophy expressed in images.
