Existentialism

Analysis: Existentialism in life Existentialism is a concept that is often explored to display a character’s interaction with society. One idea of this concept is that one must accept the risks and responsibilities associated with the choices that a person makes. Once a decision is made, there is no going back. In the existentialist point of view, many things could be absurd or irrational without explanation. Albert Camus explores existentialism through “The Stranger” and “The Guest.” Throughout much of The Stranger, Meursault could care less about his life as it was shown through the choices he made during the first two chapters. He lacks the interest in his or another’s life and his atheist beliefs. But in the overall outcome of life, no matter what choices you make, your life turns out to be the same either way. Meursault realizes this from the beginning and it shows through him throughout the chapters. Meursault immediately reveals himself to be indifferent toward emotion and interaction with others. Instead of grieving at the news of his mother’s death, he is cold, detached, and indifferent. When he receives the telegram, his primary concern is figuring out on which day his mother died. The fact that he has no emotional reaction at all makes Meursault difficult to categorize. If he were happy that his mother died, he could be seen as immoral or a monster. But Meursault is neither happy nor unhappy he is indifferent. The protagonist, Daru, in “The Guest” lived his life "with such poverty, he who lived almost like a monk in his remote schoolhouse, nonetheless satisfied with the little he had and with the rough life" (Pg. 1243). Daru had so little yet was satisfied with what he had, and took his position to set an example for others to follow. By allowing the Arab to choose his fate, which he chose to go to prison, it proves him to be existentialist to accept his responsibilities and consequences. The Arab had several opportunities to escape Daru's house. During the night, the Arab had a chance to escape Daru's house. However, the Arab chose not to escape, but to accept what he did. Once left on the hill to choose his destiny, Daru saw "the Arab walking slowly on the road to prison." (pg. 1252) By choosing to go to prison, he has accepted his actions and was accepting the consequences. Albert Camus’s story “The Guest” illustrates how difficult it is to sometimes make the right decisions. Daru was faced with the choice of whether or not he should follow orders and hand over the Arab to police headquarters. In “The Stranger” Meursault immediately reveals himself to be indifferent toward emotion and interaction with others. Both these stories share something with existentialism. I n conclusion, the idea of this concept is that one must accept the risks and responsibilities associated with the choices that he or she makes. I believe this is brought to everyday life like in these two novels. I agree with Camus’s idea that in existentialist is to accept one’s own responsibilities and consequences. I believe his statement is true in the way that he revealed it in these two novels.