CamusCamus

The StrangerThe Stranger

What are The AbsurdsWhat are The Absurds When escaping the Nazi's in France, When escaping the Nazi's in France,

Camus carried with him three Camus carried with him three manuscripts, which he called "The manuscripts, which he called "The Absurds”Absurds”

The Absurds are:The Absurds are:

Three of Camus’ works:Three of Camus’ works: Novel: Novel: L'EtrangerL'Etranger (The Stranger) (The Stranger) Essays: Essays: Le Mythe de SisypheLe Mythe de Sisyphe (The (The

Myth of Sisyphus)Myth of Sisyphus) Play: Play: CaligulaCaligula (a cruel, sexually (a cruel, sexually

perverse, and insane ruler of island perverse, and insane ruler of island of Capri)of Capri)

For Camus:For Camus: the absurd was not negative, not a the absurd was not negative, not a

synonym for "ridiculous," but the true synonym for "ridiculous," but the true state of existence. state of existence.

Accepting the view that life is absurd Accepting the view that life is absurd is to embrace a "realistic" view of is to embrace a "realistic" view of life: the absence of universal logic.life: the absence of universal logic.

One might rephrase Camus' One might rephrase Camus' Absurdism as "G-d? No thanks… I'm Absurdism as "G-d? No thanks… I'm on my own."on my own."

Camus and meaningCamus and meaning Many mistakenly believe Camus saw no Many mistakenly believe Camus saw no

meaning in life; even Camus and meaning in life; even Camus and Nietzsche seek "meaning" in life, but not in Nietzsche seek "meaning" in life, but not in manners familiar to most. manners familiar to most.

For Camus, meaning was in the human For Camus, meaning was in the human experience. experience.

Absurdity does not render life meaningless Absurdity does not render life meaningless -- people have meaning because they -- people have meaning because they interact with each other, while remaining interact with each other, while remaining in control of their own destinies. in control of their own destinies.

ExistentialismExistentialism group of attitudes that emphasizes group of attitudes that emphasizes

existence rather than essenceexistence rather than essence sees the inadequacy of human sees the inadequacy of human

reason to explain the enigma of the reason to explain the enigma of the universe universe

Basically the existentialist ASSUMES Basically the existentialist ASSUMES that existence precedes essencethat existence precedes essence

ExistentialismExistentialism we and things in general exist, but that we and things in general exist, but that

these things have no meaning for us these things have no meaning for us except as we CREATE meaning through except as we CREATE meaning through acting upon themacting upon them

It attempts to codify the irrational aspect It attempts to codify the irrational aspect of human nature, to objectify nonbeing or of human nature, to objectify nonbeing or nothingness and see it as a universal nothingness and see it as a universal source of fear, to distrust concepts, and to source of fear, to distrust concepts, and to emphasize experiential concreteness.emphasize experiential concreteness.

MeaninglessnessMeaninglessness produces discomfort, anxiety, produces discomfort, anxiety,

loneliness in the face of limitations, loneliness in the face of limitations, and desire to invest experience with and desire to invest experience with meaning by acting upon the world, meaning by acting upon the world, although efforts to act in a although efforts to act in a meaningless, "absurd" world lead to meaningless, "absurd" world lead to anguish, greater loneliness, and anguish, greater loneliness, and despairdespair

AnxietyAnxiety Human beings are totally free but are Human beings are totally free but are

also wholly responsible for what we also wholly responsible for what we make of ourselvesmake of ourselves

This freedom and responsibility are This freedom and responsibility are the sources for their most intense the sources for their most intense anxietyanxiety

Jean Paul SartreJean Paul Sartre

Sartre was largely responsible for the Sartre was largely responsible for the "trendy" nature of existentialism – "trendy" nature of existentialism – – the lingering images of men and women the lingering images of men and women

wearing black, smoking Turkish wearing black, smoking Turkish cigarettes, drinking black coffee. cigarettes, drinking black coffee.

Sartre’s ExistentialismSartre’s Existentialism maintains that in man, and in man maintains that in man, and in man

alone, existence (concrete) preceded alone, existence (concrete) preceded essence (abstract).essence (abstract).

Man must create his own essence: it Man must create his own essence: it is in throwing himself into the world, is in throwing himself into the world, suffering there, struggling there, that suffering there, struggling there, that he gradually defines himself. he gradually defines himself.

More on SartreMore on Sartre merely stating that man, as the only merely stating that man, as the only

sentient being on earth, was forced sentient being on earth, was forced to define who he was through living, to define who he was through living, while objects are what they are until while objects are what they are until destroyed. destroyed.

Take Sartre's notion that "in man, Take Sartre's notion that "in man, and in man alone" there is first the and in man alone" there is first the body, then an essence is defined body, then an essence is defined through actions. through actions.

Sartre’s view on all other objectsSartre’s view on all other objects

Objects: essence precedes existence; Objects: essence precedes existence; they have meaning then form.they have meaning then form.

Man exists, then his essence formsMan exists, then his essence forms

NietzscheNietzsche his approach to philosophy is more his approach to philosophy is more

radical than Camus’radical than Camus’ Nietzsche's view: "G-d is dead." Nietzsche's view: "G-d is dead."

NihilismNihilism the complete disregard for all things the complete disregard for all things

that cannot be scientifically proven that cannot be scientifically proven or demonstrated (such as religion)or demonstrated (such as religion)

Nietzsche's claimsNietzsche's claims did not claim that nothing exists did not claim that nothing exists

that cannot be proven, nor that that cannot be proven, nor that those things should be disregarded. those things should be disregarded.

What Nietzsche did suggest was What Nietzsche did suggest was that many people used religion, that many people used religion, especially Judeo-Christian especially Judeo-Christian teachings, as a crutch for avoiding teachings, as a crutch for avoiding decisive actions. decisive actions.

NietzscheNietzsche His contribution to existentialism was His contribution to existentialism was

the idea that men must accept that the idea that men must accept that they are part of a material world, they are part of a material world, regardless of what else might exist. regardless of what else might exist.

As part of this world, men must live As part of this world, men must live as if there is nothing else beyond life. as if there is nothing else beyond life.

A failure to live, to take risks, is a A failure to live, to take risks, is a failure to realize human potential.failure to realize human potential.

The StrangerThe Stranger

French titleFrench title: l'Étranger: l'Étranger

Written 1938Written 1938Published 1942; 1946 EnglishPublished 1942; 1946 English

The titleThe title The U.S. title, The U.S. title, The StrangerThe Stranger, implies , implies

the main character, Meursault, has the main character, Meursault, has been viewed as a "strange" or "odd" been viewed as a "strange" or "odd" person for some time. person for some time.

ArchetypeArchetype Meursault is the Meursault is the archetypearchetype of a middle- of a middle-

class man. class man. He works as a clerk, rents an apartment, He works as a clerk, rents an apartment,

and draws no attention to himself. He is, and draws no attention to himself. He is, if anything, ordinary. if anything, ordinary.

Meursault might even be boring. Meursault might even be boring. He lacks deep convictions and passion. He lacks deep convictions and passion. If he is estranged from any aspect of If he is estranged from any aspect of

French society, it is religion.French society, it is religion.

MeursaultMeursault He is not a stranger, but rather an He is not a stranger, but rather an

observer without an emotional observer without an emotional connection to the world. connection to the world.

Meursault's name is symbolic of the Meursault's name is symbolic of the Mediterranean. Mediterranean. – Mer means "sea" and Mer means "sea" and – Soliel is French for "sun."Soliel is French for "sun."

Arabs at the timeArabs at the time Arabs were traditionally the targets Arabs were traditionally the targets

of racism in Algiers.of racism in Algiers. The culture and religion of Arabs The culture and religion of Arabs

were deemed simple and barbaric. were deemed simple and barbaric.