The Stranger by Albert Camus - A Review
⚰️ Mother:
The most noticeable aspect of the stranger is his indifference to everything. He appears not to be concerned about the pain of others. The narrative begins with the passing of his mother, and he seems to be satisfied with the fact that he will be taking time off work. Additionally, her death occurred close to a weekend, giving him even more time off. The positive aspect is that his boss cannot fault him for this, as it is not his fault that she passed away. Even at his mother's funeral, he refuses to view her face, fails to shed a single tear, and smokes a cigarette with a cup of coffee as her friends pay their final respects. Meanwhile, his mind is occupied with thoughts unrelated to the funeral. During the service, he becomes irritated by the heat, which is causing him discomfort. He displays no emotion for his recently deceased mother.
🔫 Murder:
He eventually befriends Raymond, a simple-minded man, simply out of curiosity, as interesting events tend to occur around him. However, Raymond brings trouble with him, as the brother of his mistress, an Arab woman he used to physically abuse, is after him. One day, a group of Arab men follow them to the beach. The Stranger kills the man pursuing Raymond without hesitation, in a cold-blooded murder, and shows no remorse afterward. He only becomes annoyed that his good day has been interrupted as he now anticipates the police will come to question him about the murder. The case goes to court, and his lawyer argues that he was in an emotionally disturbed state due to the recent loss of his mother and that, when provoked, he acted impulsively in a moment he will forever regret. However, the stranger appears to be indifferent to the proceedings. He is bored by the proceedings and finds the discussions to be circular. He believes the case is hopeless, accepting that what has happened has happened. All he desires is to return to his jail cell and get some sleep, as it is hot outside.
The sentence is passed, and he must be executed in the name of the French people. It is at this moment that the reality hits him. He curses himself for not paying attention to accounts of public executions. If he had read books and studied such cases, he may have encountered an account of someone who escaped. He regrets not being able to take advantage of such a story. It is difficult for him to accept his death passively; he yearns for freedom once more.
💀 Memento Mori:
As his last days approach, a chaplain visits him. The chaplain implores him to open his heart to God, as the punishment from people is nothing compared to the punishment from God. He still has time to save his soul and may not be able to avoid the guillotine, but he can avoid the wrath of God. The stranger, of course, refuses, as he does not believe he has committed a crime and does not believe in God. It seems that the stranger hates the idea of submitting his will to God. He recognizes that he may attain inner peace, but he refuses to pay the price of submission. The chaplain disagrees with this perspective, causing the stranger to become angry and begin yelling at the chaplain, leading to their eventual separation.
After his outburst of anger, he feels at peace, accepting his impending death. He reflects on the idea of "Memento Mori" and thinks of his mother for the first time since her death, imagining her final moments. He realizes that death is always present and walks hand in hand with us, but it is only by making peace with it that one can truly live. He appreciates the beauty of the stars through the bars of his cell, but laments his solitude. The only thing left for him is to await his execution, where he will be greeted by the screams of a hateful crowd and he will finally have company.
