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The Stranger By Albert Camus: Transcendental Singularity Essay

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Transcendental Singularity Gonzalo Santos, Victor Miranda, Faviola Saucedo, George Garcia In The Stranger by Albert Camus, the protagonist Meursault represents Camus’ atheistic existentialist mindset by depicting emotional and psychological detachment from the world. Not only does Meursault symbolizes Camus’ atheistic existentialist beliefs, he also exemplifies Camus’ argument that “nothing matters.” Meursault’s display of apathy towards societal standards such as his indifference to his mother’s death, his deviant behavior in his relationships with Marie, Solomon, and Raymond, and his immoral action of killing the Arab highlight Camus’ atheist existentialist perspective. Camus believes that individual lives and human existence have no rational meaning or order. Camus channels his beliefs through his character Meursault by illustrating that Meursault, near the end of his life, has the epiphany that makes him believe that the universe, similar to him, is totally apathetic to human life. Meursault also concludes that since human existence has no meaning, …show more content…

To revisit the conversations he had with the magistrate will provide insight to his atheistic values. He “... was asking me very earnestly if I believed in God. When I said “No”, he plumped down into his chair indignantly” (The Stranger, 43). The following simply affirms that he is indeed an atheist. For Meursault he does not feel remorse for any of his actions or antics because there is no purpose to life; There will be no judgement or ‘Hell’ for Meursault after death. Normally people of faith abide by certain commandments that would thus grant them acceptance to ‘Heaven’. Meursault finds such beliefs as silly and pointless, much like everything else. Meursault holds a pessimistic and absurd outlook on life; Camus made it apparent to infuse his atheistic and existentialistic values into the form of

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