"The Stranger" - Having Power Takes responsibility.

Essay by res0zsfaHigh School, 10th gradeB+, January 2006

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Throughout the novel "The Stranger", by Albert Camus, Meursault lives a life with no passion or hope that could possibly disappoint him and still managed to meet a tragic end from unfortunate circumstances. He lives a life only because it is given to him and not to fulfill his purpose. He leads a very quiet life until the day he commit's a murder. Meursault's action of shooting the Arab is the turning point in which at that moment, he will live a life of regret and hopelessness. Their are 2 parts in the novel. 1st part of the novel is Meursault's life after the death of his mother. 2nd part of the novel is Meursault's life in prison after shooting the Arab. Through the use of symbolism, irony and imagery, Camus creates a tone in which the protagonist Meursault, undergoes an outside force controlling to take less responsibility of his actions, in which as it goes through the end, he ends up living a life of burden and comes across a point in which he can no longer live and be part of a society.

Albert Camus uses the sun as a symbol of a force onto Meursault overpowering him physically. As the heat rises and the sun is glaring, the heat shatters his balance and blinds his conscience. It was when Meursault was standing on the beach, the sun "[started] this burning, which [he] could't stand anymore, and that made [him] move

forward." Meursault is controlled by the sun. He had given up his self-control causing him to reject the responsibility of his actions. The motif of the sun bothering Meursault is stopped after he releases the trigger to shoot the Arab. After "[shaking] off the sweat and sun," he gains consciousness and realizes...