Meursault is eventually convicted and sentenced to death because of his inability to conform to the societal expectations of French Algeria in the 1940’s. 3. Characters: Meursault- the protagonist and narrator of the novel, Meursault is a young shipping clerk who has detached himself from the world around him. He is indifferent
Michael Ignatieff believes that, for one to truly fit in with their peers, they must apprehend to the unspoken codes that reside among them. These unspoken rules are frankly actions and thoughts that society believes are unacceptable and shouldn't be preformed. As easy as it may sound, many characters throughout literature and people of today’s generation find following these unspoken rules quite difficult, mainly due to the fact that these codes are never vocalized, but expected of all. Unspoken rules, or tacit codes, are destructive to young people’s creativity and individuality as they produce the unsatisfactory results of a homogenous society. In J. D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield doesn’t follow the restrictive tacit codes that were set in place during the 1950s, mainly due to
Through the use of diction, Meursault perceives life is meaningless, which leads him to have the absence of strong bonding with acquaintance around him. He indicates that he lacks empathy from personal and social level. Meursault is a simple man who lives his life in a stickler type and changes annoy him. As the novel introduces Meursault mother being dead, he shows lack of concern and a burden to visit his mother for the last time. “Maman died today...
In both novels, there are societies with strict norms that the majority of the people conform to. People who desire to step out of said norms are ridiculed or outcast at best, and seen as threats at worst. This essay will analyze how the two authors employ similar sets of characters to explore this conflict between conformity and individuality: main characters who question—and defy—the system in place,
The Blacker the Berry is a remarkable, well-known novel by Wallace Thurman that explores and investigates prejudice and all types of pressures that are placed upon women but more importantly, the black community. The famous saying “The Blacker the Berry, the sweeter the juice” means the more unique qualities one may have- the better, but in this novel it takes another turn. During this time period, African Americans and whites were heavily segregated and they endured a lot of discrimination so when the novel told the reader that there was discrimination within the black community, it was completely unheard of. Wallace Thurman received a lot of criticism since he published The Blacker the Berry during a time period where most literature was
When both, Meursault and Marie, see the abuse of Raymond to his girlfriend and how they react to it shows how Meursault lacks a moral code by trying to avoid getting in the middle of it but earlier he was willing to write a letter for Raymond showing his hypocrisy to certain situations. Examples: • “Marie said it was terrible and I didn’t say anything (34).” Marie shows emotion and horror at the sight while Meursault looks at it with silence. • “She asked me to go find a policeman…
During the beginning of the novel, Meursault goes to his neighbor Raymond’s house. The visit results into a physical fight due to insults made towards Meursault. Relating to aspects on violence, this scene was made to show simple
The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, It follows the story of our tragic hero, Meursault, shortly after his mother dies through the events that lead to him being sentenced to death. Camus uses the motif of weather to express Meursault’s emotions. The Stranger shows how even when a person does not explicitly express emotion they are shown in some way. How emotions are expressed is a window to a person's personality. I will first discuss how Meursault appears emotionless, than how Camus uses the motif of weather to express Meursault’s emotions for him and lastly what impact this makes.
He disagrees with the society’s way of living and is arrested for it, but he takes a step forward to change it. The author takes on different varieties of tone throughout the story such as gloominess, despair, and joy, which clarify the idea that he disagrees with this society’s
Each day, people make decisions that are influenced by what is considered normal in society. Whether it’s the clothes they wear, the activities do, the things they say, or the way they act, everybody participates in conformity on some level. The archetype of conformity is represented all throughout the short film, Destino, and the Broadway play, Sunday in the Park with George, by showing how one can stay true to themselves despite social norms, how one is forced to conform to social norms within society, and the struggle of attempting to remain true to oneself despite conformity around them. Is it always in one’s best interest to conform to these social norms? Conformity is a concept that is prevalent in society and hard to overcome, but the girl in the dress
Individuality vs. Conformity The future is one idea that many authors try to write about, but only a few capture the essence of what society can truly become. Ray Bradbury has created astonishing works about how technology influences people's lives and one’s choices can affect their life. One of his works, a dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451 is about firefighters who start fires rather than stop them.
Their inability to connect with him stems from Meursault 's distinctive behaviour that is not influenced by society. This individualism instils dread in the jury. According to society, an individual such as Meursault, who is authentic and not shaped by society, has no place on Earth. And so, because it is a jury, filled with biased humans, that convicts the defendant, there is injustice in the justice system. As a result of the fallibility of the court of law,
Jean Valjean, a character from the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, was a victim of this cruel system. He had just been released from prison, thus leaving his clothing torn and his face ragged. Hugo wrote, “The few persons who at this time were at their windows or their doors, regarded this traveler with a sort of distrust.” (page 7). By simply looking at him, the people of D——— had already marked him as someone to avoid and be wary of.
From Valjean’s shift from Hedonism to a selfless Utilitarian lifestyle, to Javert’s strict Kant’s Categorical moral code and Thenardier’s despicable Hedonistic life, each had a very real impact in the people they met and the course that the story took. It shows that based on one’s experiences, their lives could be greatly improved, or worsened. Hugo advocates to the reader to lead a Utilitarian lifestyle, but also urges the real impact that Hedonism and Kant’s Categorical has on society. One must always strive for good, but also accept the fact that sometimes evil and ignorance
In his novel The Stranger, Albert Camus creates an emotionally incapable, narcissistic, and, at times, sociopathic character named Meursault to explore and expose his philosophies of Existentialism and Absurdism. Throughout the story Meursault follows a philosophical arc that, while somewhat extreme - from unemotional and passive to detached and reckless to self-reflective - both criticizes the dependent nature of human existence and shows the journey through the absurd that is our world. In the onset of The Stranger, following his mother’s death, Meursault acts with close to utter indifference and detachment. While the rest of “maman’s”(9) loved ones express their overwhelming grief, Meursault remains unphased and, at times, annoyed at their
