Albert Camus

Through the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach, Camus explored what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd." First published in 1946; now in a new translation by Matthew Ward.

The Stranger

juana de arco si estuviera cronicamente online

“I laid my heart open to the gentle indifference of the universe“

sheera ⁠✷

For the first time, perhaps, I seriously considered the possibility of my marrying her.

Minsho Limbu

surtified™

And I felt ready to live it all again too. As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.

What would it matter if he were accused of murder and then executed because he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral?

ngl, everything that's happened to him is actually good for him, he lowkey went from no emotion, no reaction, no nothing, to emotive and expressive. chances are it'll soften the heart. 

Then, I don’t know why, but something inside me snapped. I started yelling at the top of my lungs, and I insulted him and told him not to waste his prayers on me. I grabbed him by the collar of his cassock. I was pouring out on him everything that was in my heart, cries of anger and cries of joy

“No, I refuse to believe you! I know that at one time or another you’ve wished for another life.” I said of course I had, but it didn’t mean any more than wishing to be rich, to be able to swim faster, or to have a more nicely shaped mouth

But the face I was looking for was as bright as the sun and the flame of desire—and it belonged to Marie.

No offense but he's carrying no burden at all.

He was expressing his certainty that my appeal would be granted, but I was carrying the burden of a sin from which I had to free myself

Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn’t much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living—and for thousands of years. In fact, nothing could be clearer. Whether it was now or twenty years from now, I would still be the one dying. At that point, what would disturb my train of thought was the terrifying leap I would feel my heart take at the idea of having twenty more years of life ahead of me. But I simply had to stifle it by imagining what I’d be thinking in twenty years when it would all come down to the same thing anyway. Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter. Therefore (and the difficult thing was not to lose sight of all the reasoning that went into this “therefore”), I had to accept the rejection of my appeal

Girl. Stop. I think you might lowkey be better off not living. 

I would always begin by assuming the worst: my appeal was denied. “Well, so I’m going to die.” Sooner than other people will, obviously. But everybody knows life isn’t worth living.

 Maman used to say that you can always find something to be happy about.

it's so obvious how do you misunderstand this honest man for a criminal with no place in society you absolute jokes

What he read was that I was an honest man, a steadily employed, tireless worker, loyal to the firm that employed him, well liked, and sympathetic to the misfortunes of others.

So if you're aware he has a hardened soul,and that this is hardly his fault, more so society's, then why in the world does 11 months or so in prison make you feel that this will soften it? 

Especially when the emptiness of a man’s heart becomes, as we find it has in this man, an abyss threatening to swallow up society.”

“Here we have a perfect reflection of this entire trial: everything is true and nothing is true

with such glee and with such a triumphant look in my direction that for the first time in years I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all these people hated me

and I realized that all that time I had been talking to myself.

 My reflection seemed to remain serious even though I was trying to smile at it

Getting used to the annoyances and yu don't feel its struggles

But by then I had gotten used to not smoking and it wasn’t a punishment anymore.

I thought she looked very beautiful, but I didn’t know how to tell her

The day of my arrest I was first put in a room where there were already several other prisoners, most of them Arabs. They laughed when they saw me. Then they asked me what I was in for. I said I’d killed an Arab and they were all silent.

A hard heart is the worst punishment from god x

 I have never seen a soul as hardened as yours. 

Ah, this is one of THOSE existentialist books 

He said it was impossible; all men believed in God, even those who turn their backs on him. That was his belief, and if he were ever to doubt it, his life would become meaningless.

i had the same inner monologue when i was 13

can’t help but think I’d like this more if I was smarter

Grace M

brie

“𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝙸 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍.“ 


is there a word for when you are completely stunned and at the same time unable to fully process the overwhelming emotions a book makes you feel? i am simply not okay. i was so mad that i had to reread this even though i didn't remember the story and now i cannot believe i had the audacity to be mad. this book perfectly encapsulated the mental dilemma and conclusions i have always struggled with regarding questions of self and existentialism. 

the answer was simple and has always been simple to me: "𝑁𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑦.“







Popsugar challenge: a book you should have read in high school.

Abigail marie

ruan

Sammy

2.5~ hard to trust our boy meursault and everything he says, yet i find his mentality comically easy to understand and sympathize with… but then again there could be something wrong with me. 

we technically never get to find out why he has suddenly come to feel indifferent towards the world around him—as in, a detailed glimpse into his childhood, not the brief accounts of his days living with his mother—nor an event that hints that it has always been a part of his character (as, i’m assuming, camus intended). 

again, it can be hard to believe what he says due to the way in which he sees the world, or on the contrary, very easy to because of his honesty and indifference. either way, he’s an odd fellow and his priorities seem to be all over the place (but for us), definitely in the right place in his eyes, i guess—not that he cares, though.

Meursault leads an unremarkable, bachelor life in Algiers, but his sudden involvement in a violent confrontation throws him into turmoil as he is forced to question the fundamental values of society. Camus creates a world without a God but a society that is still subject to restrictive, man-made rules capable of alienating any who transcend them. In this most memorable of existential novels, Camus pits the lone and courageous individual against the benign indifference of the universe. Meursault's deception perfectly reflects the absurdity of life.

The Outsider

maitha mana

The first part was going agonisingly slow, but the second part is where the explosion happens. It is about a man being charged for murder, and focusing mainly on him being "strange" and devoid of emotions, for not crying over his mother's death and not being able to maintain relationships. Until faced with execution, he finally has a burst and lets it all out.

dian

raelynn faye

Tenía la impresión de que leer el extranjero sería complejo. 
Fue todo lo contrario, en este pequeño libro se encuentra un lenguaje bastante simple, sin adornos que plantea una idea básica y universal. Que en mi caso, es ideal para todo público y para empezar con el autor. 


  Mi experiencia:

Ahora, ¿Qué sentí yo? Sentí que no estaba leyendo un pensamiento nuevo, ya otros grandes autores han profundizado en el existencialismo y no me sentía maravillada por lo que estaba leyendo. 
Si un personaje te agrada o no, siento que esto no tiene que influenciar en la opinión final.
Yo puedo amar un libro y encontrar al protagonista detestable. En este caso me pasaron las dos cosas, aburrirme de la vida tan superflua del protagonista y no sorprenderme con el libro. 
Sentí que eran páginas y páginas cargadas de victimismo, con un discurso (eso sí) interesante del ateísmo y como socialmente, el perdón y la redención está ligada con la religión. 
Albert Camus le da un final nuevo con su pensamiento ateísta. 
Por lo regular estaba acostumbrada a que enfocarán el existencialismo en el lado cristiano religioso. Dónde el protagonista para sentirse lleno y lavado de todo pecado, tendría que rendirse ante Dios. 
Cómo dije anteriormente, en este caso fue diferente y eso es lo único que me pareció rescatable de la obra. 

Haré una pequeña comparación de dos libros cortos, que tocan el pensamiento existencialista; la religión, la vida y la muerte: 
Por un lado tenemos a el extranjero de Albert Camus y por el otro a la muerte de Iván Ilich de Lev Tolstoi.

Los dos encierran a sus protagonistas, en el segundo caso, el protagonista se encierra en su cárcel espiritual, no tan tangible, en dónde su vida está en un pico, dónde se siente obligado a reflexionar sobre todo lo que vivió. 
Y por el otro lado, tenemos a este protagonista que se encuentra en una cárcel (más literal) dónde también profundiza en estos aspectos y ese lado me pareció asombroso porque para mí, los dos lados están completamente validos. La introspección que tuvieron y las diferencias de cárceles hace que podamos tener los dos lados de la vida. 

 "¿Qué es lo que quieres? -fue el primer concepto claro que oyó, el primero capaz de traducirse en palabras -. ¿Qué es lo que quieres? ¿Qué es lo que quieres? -se repitió a sí mismo-. ¿Qué quiero? Quiero no sufrir. Vivir -se contestó. Y volvió a escuchar con atención tan reconcentrada que ni siquiera el dolor le distrajo. -¿Vivir? ¿Cómo vivir? -preguntó la voz del alma. -Sí, vivir como vivía antes: bien y agradablemente. -¿Como vivías antes? ¿Bien y agradablemente? -preguntó la voz. y él empezó a repasar en su imaginación los mejores momentos de su vida agradable. Pero, cosa rara, ninguno de esos mejores momentos de su vida agradable le parecían ahora lo que le habían parecido entonces; ninguno de ellos, salvo los primeros recuerdos de su infancia. Allí, en su infancia, había algo realmente agradable, algo con lo que sería posible vivir si pudiese volver. Pero el niño que había conocido ese agrado ya no existía; era como un recuerdo de otra persona." –La muerte de Iván Ilich

 "Como si esta tremenda cólera me hubiese purgado del mal, vaciado de esperanza, delante de esta noche cargada de presagios y de estrellas, me abría por primera vez a la tierna indiferencia del mundo. Al encontrarlo tan semejante a mí, tan fraternal, en fin, comprendía que había sido feliz y que lo era todavía." –El extranjero 

Otra cosa que me pareció interesante recalcar es que noté una inconsistencia en el libro.
El extranjero empieza con el protagonista enterrando a su madre. 
Lo curioso de esto, es que el no sé ve afectado por esto y a lo largo de la obra, se verá que no profundiza mucho al respecto.
Ahora, cuando la rutina del protagonista cambia tan drásticamente, es cuando estará pensando y recordando a su madre (parece que fuera un acto involuntario)
Este suceso re repite varias veces y lo raro, es que en la siguiente y última vez, el protagonista dirá que es la primera vez que la piensa cuando es algo erróneo. mi única teoría es que demuestra que la racionalidad del hombre, no sé encontraba muy bien.


 "Sin duda quería mucho a mamá, pero eso no quería decir nada. Todos los seres normales habían deseado más o menos la muerte de aquellos a quienes amaban." –pagina 54/98


 "mamá tenía la idea, y la repetía a menudo, de que uno acaba por acostumbrarse a todo." –pagina 61/98


 "Recordé en esos momentos una historia que mamá me contaba a propósito de mi padre..." –pagina 88/98

 "Mamá decía a menudo que nunca se es completamente desgraciado." –pagina 90/98

 ""Por primera vez desde hacía mucho tiempo pensé en mamá." –pagina 98/98

Curioso...

Por último, no digo que el extranjero de Albert Camus sea un mal libro, solo que no cuenta nada nuevo, nada sorprendente. Creo que sí es el primer libro que lees con este planteamiento filosofíco, lo más probable es que te fascine. En mi caso era más de lo mismo.

I read this in one sitting and I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed the ending! It’s like coming full circle to the very first sentence of the book. I think it’s that type of book you’ll either love or hate, but overall, it’s a fairly good read especially if you like existentialism.

nikki

some chapters felt pretty drawn out but i grew to enjoy the more descriptive style. definitely a classic for a reason, it had some of the best endings I've ever read

Isabella 

philosophically amazing. has thought-provoking themes such as existentialism, meaning(less) of life, physical experience, etc. didn't really stand out tho.

If I process the final chapter too much I’ll explode 

chrundle

Our main character is presented as an indifferent creature to the outside world, and yet he deeply takes part in it, commits violent acts, dives into memories, thinks about love, about loyalty, but tries to somewhat deny himself anyway. 

It seems like his feelings mirror those of others, but at the same time shares a deep indifference for everything. 

And the narrative procedes to show that he is rightful in his thinking, that the world is an harsh place made of contradictions. Which is definitely true, but it seems to imply that he does not share this contradiction in his mind.

The world is articulated, vast, different, blooming, but gray, meaningless, shallow. As if the only thing that matters on planet earth is our own romanticised version of it. As if the only colors from which the its painted are the ones exclusively employed in our own minds.

This is what I find unappealing, I sense a rather mistaken logic.

He can reason with the arguments in his own mind, give a "meaningless" meaning to his needs, but others are not allowed to do so. If the message is that reality is absurd, than it must be the case for every sentient being. Believing in the absurd is not any more true than any other idea. For this is the essence of absurdism: nothing makes sense, not even the notion itself of not making sense.

But the narrative seems to imply that we should question, we should engage and debate points of view: religion, love, freedom, justice, violence, family.. but for what purpose? What to fight for when in the end is all absurdly meaningless?

The character seems ruthless in his sense of rightfulness, losing temper, getting annoyed, giving in to his inner most instincts. Legitimising and acting on those thoughts, but denying the same capacity to everyone else.

No. Reality is absurd, God isn't real, my actions make sense and you got it all wrong. 

A childish attitude unsympathetic to any other mind. And yet he understands others point of view, and the narrative seems to imply that whatever his needs and wants are, he is not keen to act on them, he is merely an observer, which is noisily untrue.

Ray Remnant

Our main character is presented as an indifferent creature to the outside world, and yet he deeply takes part in it, commits violent acts, dives into memories, thinks about love, about loyalty, but tries to somewhat deny himself anyway. 

It seems like his feelings mirror those of others, but at the same time shares a deep indifference for everything. 

And the narrative procedes to show that he is rightful in his thinking, that the world is an harsh place made of contradictions. Which is definitely true, but it seems to imply that he does not share this contradiction in his mind.

The world is articulated, vast, different, blooming, but gray, meaningless, shallow. As if the only thing that matters on planet earth is our own romanticised version of it. As if the only colors from which the its painted are the ones exclusively employed in our own minds.

This is what I find unappealing, I sense a rather mistaken logic.

He can reason with the arguments in his own mind, give a "meaningless" meaning to his needs, but others are not allowed to do so. If the message is that reality is absurd, than it must be the case for every sentient being. Believing in the absurd is not any more true than any other idea. For this is the essence of absurdism: nothing makes sense, not even the notion itself of not making sense.

But the narrative seems to imply that we should question, we should engage and debate points of view: religion, love, freedom, justice, violence, family.. but for what purpose? What to fight for when in the end is all absurdly meaningless?

The character seems ruthless in his sense of rightfulness, losing temper, getting annoyed, giving in to his inner most instincts. Legitimising and acting on those thoughts, but denying the same capacity to everyone else.

No. Reality is absurd, God isn't real, my actions make sense and you got it all wrong. 

A childish attitude unsympathetic to any other mind. And yet he understands others point of view, and the narrative seems to imply that whatever his needs and wants are, he is not keen to act on them, he is merely an observer, which is noisily untrue.

The outsider

Maximus

I found myself really attached to Mersault when I read this book. His story can be interpreted in multiple ways, most certainly. Here is my interpretation:

Mersault seems to be the only character in his conservative and judgemental world who gives a truthful and unapologetic portrayal regarding the more misunderstood and underdiscussed nature of the human being. The non-malevolently honest, introverted, emotionally deatched and seemingly carefree person refuses to adhere to things such as the opinions, assumptions and expectations of society and its members within. In essence, an "Outsider" because he does not try to become someone he isn't in order to fit in. He isn't predictable. He is, however, a natural non-conformist who is uninfluenced by the herd mentality of how people are expected to behave in a "civilised society". Simply speaking, he is a living and breathing symbolic expression of what it means to be an individual. Minus the murder bit, he is pretty relatable. Although, like most of us I'd be prone to the classic questions such as: "What was it like?" or "how did it feel?". Maybe he's more alarmingly relatable than we'd care to admit.

Camus based Mersault on his friend Galindo, who he considered both intelligent and strange. Given that the novella was published in 1942 (a time before Asperger's Syndrome was defined) it is suggested that Camus essentially produced the first account of a character with this disorder. Being autistic, I can now see why I had connected so deeply with the novella.

Camus's fluency and ability to deliver throughout this story are simply magnificent. 

- Highly recommended.

andrea valentina 

I agree, he has to die because he is annoying af

Liam Ellul

A fashion piece I'd have around my room in university.

carla t ho

'The sky seemed to rip apart from end to end to pour fire down upon me' Meursault will not conform. When his mother dies, he refuses to show his emotions simply to satisfy the expectations of others. And when he commits a random act of violence on a sun-drenched beach, his lack of remorse only compounds his guilt in the eyes of society and the law. Albert Camus' portrayal of a man confronting the absurdity of human life became a classic. Yet it is also a book filled with quiet joy in the physical world, and this new translation sensitively renders the subtleties and dreamlike atmosphere of The Outsider. A new translation by Sandra Smith

Ned Summers 

“I looked up at the mass of signs and stars in the night sky and laid myself open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world.”

---------------------------------

A man completely detached from the world, his emotions and thoughts echoing within his own mind and body only, mistranslating to the world outside of him. The Stranger is indeed a strange story written with a deceptive simple prose that will have you peering through the hollowed, nihilistic perspective of Meursault on what it means to stand removed from a family, a nation, a community.

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3.5/5

Ava Luke

A phenomenal book that I couldn’t put down. There was something about the setting and descriptions that felt very rich and alive, and really brought Mersault’s emotions to life. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer so that I could live in Mersault’s head for a while more, and see the world through his eyes for a few hundred more pages. 

The Stranger

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