Crucified by Society

Essay by bbairdHigh School, 12th gradeB-, May 2004

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Unknowingly Mersault spends his last few months of freedom oblivious to society's conformity. In one slash of the sun's ray he changes his very being of existentialism. Through harsh reality and the judging of society Mersault sees what it has to offer, but yet he rises up, Christ-like and dies without conforming. The existential novel " The Stranger" by Albert Camus shows such a man and his indifference to society.

Mersault's lack of emotion and opinion is the very basis of his daily life. Events surrounding him have no effect on or provoke any kind of action from him. To society this would be recognized as abnormal. An event such as death of a loved one even receives a passive notion from Mersault " Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know" p1"Mamans death was one of those things that was bound to happen sooner or later, I thought so too"p33.

This to society is a big non-conforming action. In society the death of a loved one is one of the most painful things one must go through, where as Mersault talks of it as something insignificant. Marriage in society is taken pretty seriously, given that over the years the ability to divorce has become more acceptable as well as easy. When Mersault is asked about the subject he doesn't think much of it and states that if she wanted to then it was fine "so why marry me, then? I explained to her that it didn't really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married"p41. Another aspect of society is authority and morals. One knows that their actions can affect them, in saying that there is procedure like concepts to everything. If a house is burning one would call the fire department, if someone...