#92 - The Stranger

Fiction Capsule Review: The Stranger by Albert Camus. My first foreign language novel (French) was this Absurdism / Existentialism classic.

The plot concerns a young Frenchman, Meursault, living in Algiers who kills an Arab man - a stranger (get it?) to him - without any provocation. The major theme is (from SparkNotes):

After committing murder, Meursault struggles against society's attempts to manufacture and impose rational explanations for his attitudes and actions. This struggle is embodied by Meursault's battle with the legal system that prosecutes him.

I liked this book and Camus' absurdist philosophy. And on even-numbered days I tend to agree that there is something inherently irrational about the universe - at the very least it is indifferent to humanity / human suffering. And that it is futile to attempt imposing a rational order onto an irrational universe. With that in mind, Camus makes the case that life ultimately has no higher purpose or meaning.

Oddly this doesn't lead either Camus or his protagonist into despair but actually happiness. The inevitability of death leads to an acceptance of station and a resolution to be at peace rather than struggling against an indifferent, irrational universe.

Now like I said this resonates with me somewhat. But on odd-numbered days I do tend to see a certain logic and purpose and design to the universe. This is probably my math and science background coming into it. And latent Catholic school :) . Also, I am of, as they say, a melancholy disposition so thinking that life is ultimately meaningless all the time would a slippery slope of despair from which I could not recover.

Because if life is ultimately meaningless then why would I be doing this list? Why do anything? You'd be like a bug trapped in amber. Perhaps the universe doesn't care if I complete this list, but I care. I guess really I'm not struggling against the universe so much as struggling against myself.

Which, I think is where Camus and the Absurdist philosophy actually lands. Free from pleasing the universe/God, man is free to create his own meaning within himself. Well, crap, I guess I'll have to get on that.

Watch this space for updates.