The Stranger Character Sketch

Character

Character

Philosophy

Character

Philosophy Absurdism

Character

Philosophy Absurdism

Solution?

Character

Philosophy Absurdism

Solution?

Character

Philosophy Absurdism

Solution?Behavior

Character

Philosophy Absurdism

Solution?Behavior

AbsurdismView

Absurdism

Perception

Chronicle

View Solution

Perception

Perception

The Stranger

Himself

The Others

Perception

The Stranger

Himself

The Others

irrational

Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Irrational (without reason)

Doesn’t try to rationalize his actions

No excuse

Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Irrational (without reason)

Doesn’t try to rationalize his actions

No excuse

“doesn’t matter” “no reason” “doesn’t mean anything”

Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Page 8Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Page 20Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Page 28Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Page 32Question 1

Perceive his own actions

Page 41Question 1

Perception

The Stranger

Himselfirra

tional

The Others

Question 1

Perception

The Stranger

Himselfirra

tional

The Others

irrational

Question 2

Perceive other’s actions

Irrational (without reason)

Doesn’t try to rationalize their actions

No judgment

Simple description

Question 2

Perceive other’s actions

Page 10Question 2

Perceive other’s actions

Page 23Question 2

Perceive other’s actions

Page 43Question 2

Perception

The Stranger

Himselfirra

tional

The Others

irrational

Question 2

Perception

The Stranger

Himselfirra

tional

The Others

irrationalrationalize

Question 1

Others perceive Meursault

His behavior should be rational

Try to rationalize his actions

A lot of judgment

“I think” “I felt” “I accuse” “I …”Try to explain his thought

(To Meursault, his thought is irrational just like the universe and has no reason, and cannot be explained.)

Question 1

Others perceive Meursault

Page 96Question 2

Others perceive Meursault

Page 102Question 2

Others perceive Meursault

Page 102Question 2

Perception

The Stranger

Himselfirra

tional

The Others

irrationalrationalize

Question 1

Perception

Universeirra

tional

The Others

The Stranger ra

tiona

lize

Perception

Universeirra

tional

The Stranger

Perception

Universeirra

tional

The Stranger

doesn’t care

Perception

Others

The Stranger

Social Norms

Differences

doesn’t care

Perception

Others

The Stranger

Social Norms

Differences

doesn’t care

Question 4

Perception

Maman=Undertaker=Marie=Raymond=Salamano=Céleste=Robot woman=Arab=Chaplain=Meursault=Condemned person

Question 4

Everyone is equally meaningless

Page 121Question 4

Perception

Others

The Stranger

Social Norms

Differences

doesn’t care

Question 7

Perception

Social norms are absurd

Courtroom represents the SocietyMeursault cannot understand social norms

Meursault doesn’t see reason to follow them

Question 7

Society/Courtroom is absurd

Page 85Question 7

Society/Courtroom is absurd

Page 88Question 7

Society/Courtroom is absurd

Page 107Question 7

Perception

Others

The Stranger

Social Norms

Differences

doesn’t care

Question 3

No reason to change

Page 41Question 3

Perception

Differences are ultimate the sameAll are meaningless after death

Cannot see reasons to pursue to be same

Question 3

Perception

SummaryMeursault considers the universe to be irrational. All efforts trying to find inherent meanings will ultimately fail.Absurdism

Absurdism

Perception

Chronicle

View Solution

Chronicle

Chronicle

Before “acceptance of the absurd”

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursault

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultcompletely

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultlive

satisfy need

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultfail

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultfail

hope

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultfail

hope

hope?

Question 5

Before imprisonment

Page 100Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultfail

fail

Question 5

Chronicle

Past

Present

Future

Meursaultfail

fail

killing time

Question 5

Past is just a proof of the absurd

Page 79Question 5

Chronicle

Only the present can satisfy Meursault’s physical need.When the present fail to satisfy Meursault, Meursault may hope the future.Past cannot satisfy Meursault’s physical need.

Question 5

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after death

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after death

believe

disbelieve

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after deathmeaning

believe

disbelieve

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after deathmeaning

Theistic existentialism

believe

disbelieve

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after deathmeaning

Theistic existentialism

Absurdism

believe

disbelieve

Question 6

Chronicle

Meursault

Chaplain

after deathmeaning

Theistic existentialism

Absurdism

believe

disbelieve

Question 6

Belief cannot be explained, proved, or changed.

Page 69Question 6

Belief cannot be explained, proved, or changed.

When belief is challenged, one will become upset.Because they cannot prove it.Meursault insists his own belief (atheism).

Question 6

Page 120Question 6

Page 121Question 6

Page 121Question 6

Chronicle

SummaryMeursault is only in the present because only the present satisfies his need.Meursault doesn’t believe in life after death, so he cannot find any meaning in his life, and this is the reason of his final absurdism.Meursault believes that everything ends after death and so life has no meaning.

Question 6

Absurdism

Perception

Chronicle

View Solution

Solution of absurd

Possible solutions:•Suicide•Religious belief

chaplain•Acceptance of the Absurd

Meursault at lastCamus

Page 122

Find a solution to absurd

Question 8

Page 123

Find a solution to absurd

Question 8

Absurdism

Perception

Chronicle

View Solution

Question 8

AbsurdismMeursault

Solution

Question 8

AbsurdismMeursault

Solution

Question 8

AbsurdismMeursault

Solution

Stranger

Question 8

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

Absurd arises out of the fundamental disharmony between the individual's search for meaning and the apparent meaninglessness of the universe.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

Before Meursault was put into prison, he didn’t find a way to resolve the dilemma. He is not living for a meaning.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

This kind of philosophy inside his unconscious mind makes him seem to be unemotional, indifferent, and passive.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

When he was put into prison, he got a chance to think about his philosophy and the solution to the absurd.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

The belief of the Chaplain makes him upset, but because a belief cannot be proved or explained, Meursault insists his own belief.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

Meursault finally has his own philosophy, and decides to accept the absurd while living.

ConclusionMeursault believes in the absurd and is looking for a solution to the absurd. He embraces the absurd at last as a solution.

Meursault’s belief also makes him a complete “stranger”.

Page 123

The Stranger

The Stranger Character Sketch