Introduction to The Stranger
Introduction to The Stranger
About the Author
Albert Camus was born in Mondovi, Algeria, on November 7, 1913. His father was killed at the Battle of the Marne the following year, and his mother went to work as a cleaning lady in Algiers. Albert, his older brother, his nearly-deaf and illiterate mother, his uncle, and his grandmother all lived in a two-room apartment. Albert spent a great deal of time outdoors, where natural beauty, sunlight and sports could be enjoyed despite the family’s poverty. As a schoolboy, Camus showed great promise, and an interested teacher helped arrange a scholarship to secondary school for him.
He began writing in 1932, at the age of 19; he married at 20, divorced at 21, and joined the Communist Party. This affiliation lasted only about three years. Camus ran the Theatre de L’Equipe from 1935-1938, then suffered a great disappointment in 1938 when he could not pass the medical examination required for him to continue his government-funded studies at the university, where he was studying philosophy and hoping to become a full professor.
Camus turned to a career in journalism, writing social-justice pieces for the left-wing Alger-Republican, which was soon suppressed by Algerian authorities for its pro-Arab slant. In 1940, Camus moved to Paris and began working for the daily paper, Paris Soir. He married again that year, and wrote and edited Combat, an underground Resistance newspaper published during the Nazi occupation of France.
The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus were published in 1942, bringing Camus almost instant fame. These were followed by The Misunderstanding (1944), Caligula (1944), State of Siege (1948), The Plague (1947), The Rebel (1951), The Fall (1956), Exile and the Kingdom (1958), Possessed (1960), and Resistance, Rebellion, and Death (1960). When Camus died in an automobile accident in 1960, The First Man – an autobiographical novel – was in progress. (It was finally released in 1995.) His Notebooks and Lyrical and Critical Essays were also published after his death. Camus received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957.
The writings Camus left behind continue to stimulate thought and discussion in literary and philosophical circles today. More than 3,000 critical pieces have been written about Camus and his work, with varying interpretations.
To understand the philosophy of absurdism, it is important to consider the events that took place in history during Camus’ life. He was 20 when Hitler’s rise to power began in 1933. His twenties were spent watching the escalation of World War II, the establishment of concentration camps, and the occupation of France. He was 31 when Paris was liberated, then witnessed Communist takeovers all over Europe and violent conflict in Algeria. As a philosopher, intellectual, and artist, Camus tried to make sense of the turbulent times through which he lived.
About the Title
The Stranger was written by Camus in French. Although it was titled L’Etranger, which literally translates into English as “the stranger,” it was called The Outsider in Great Britain. The Stranger was first translated into English by Gilbert Stuart, and published in 1946. What connotations do “stranger” and “outsider” have for you? Do they seem synonymous? How about “alien,” “foreigner,” or “intruder,” all of which are synonyms for “stranger” in Roget’s Thesaurus?
About the Setting
The setting of The Stranger takes place in French Algeria in North Africa. The tropical climate is particularly important to the story. The highest temperature ever recorded, 136 degrees Fahrenheit, was next door in Libya. What associations to you have with tropical climates and intense heat and sun? What do you imagine it is like to walk along a tropical beach, the bright sunlight glaring off the water and sand?
About the Characters
Meursault: The narrator and main character of the narrative.
Maman: Meursault’s mother, a character solely through reference. Maman’s death begins the story.
Thomas Perez: Maman’s fiancé from the home.
Marie Cardona: Meursault’s girlfriend, formerly a typist at Meursault’s office.
Raymond Sintes: An acquaintance of Meursault who befriends him.
Salamano: An old man with an old dog.
Celeste: A friend of Meursault’s, who owns a nearby restaurant where Mersault dines
Emmanuel: A friend of Meursault’s from his office.
Masson: Owner of a beach cottage and Raymond’s friend.
Others: Meursault’s boss, Director of the home, Caretaker, Nurse, Examining
Magistrate, Meursault’s Lawyer, and Chaplain
About Absurdism
“The absurd” is a term often applied to literature portraying the sense that the human condition is without purpose, meaning or value. Absurdist writers – led by Camus – wrote stories in which characters found themselves in unfathomable predicaments. These writers felt the true absurd nature of human existence could only be expressed in literature that was equally absurd. A number of 1950s playwrights wrote in a style that was later termed “theater of the absurd.” Camus’ Caligula, State of Siege, and The Misunderstanding are all absurd dramas.
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