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Pastimes : The Literary Sauna (or Tomes in Towels)
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To: The Philosopher who wrote (239)7/19/2001 4:51:49 PM
From: R. Balan  Read Replies (3) of 466
 
Christopher,

The two questions you raised crossed my mind as well. I’ve been hoping someone would address your questions; meanwhile, I’d like to bounce off you, my take on those two points.

‘The Stranger’ is my first attempt to read Camus. I was a bit surprised that this novel is made out to be a ‘classic’. Since neither English nor French is my mother tongue, maybe, I’m missing some literary ‘nuance’! I read the novel with interest but it did not engage me intensely. It simply did not grip my imagination.

1. As for the word ‘stranger’, are we supposed to equate that word with some kind of an allegorical persona in monsieur Meursault? The reason he kills the young Arab without any provocation or premeditation suggests that he was almost a ‘possessed’ man when he pulled the trigger. He did not show any hesitation or faltering. It was not him who did it and hence ‘the stranger/outsider’. Is it too much of a stretch to justify the title?

2. Monsieur Meursault constantly refers to the sweltering heat and the blinding sun. The effect of the heat seems to cripple him often and weakens him both physically and psychologically. If at all, there is a strong negative connotation and I don’t see how it (sun) could represent ‘power’ or ‘strength’ as has been suggested.

I’d appreciate your comments.

Thanks.

Roberto
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