Of all the books that man must
read in his
life, some must certainly be more striking than the others. L’Etranger, by Albert Camus would most certainly be in the list that readers would create of their most favourite novels. L’Etranger is a novel that will definitely not go unnoticed. It is a work that delights all who read it, and lets those who have read it reflect on what they have read. From the first line of the
book, the reader is plunged into a virulent, philosophical universe and uses an elaborate metaphor which says much of the character of Meursault. But what or who is the
Foreigner of Camus? And what does one allot to the success of the book? In my opinion, it is the Foreigner that makes the book. The beautiful phrases of a well known and greatly cultured writer are a mea culpa on the facets of life of which everyone was unaware until they read the book. L’Etranger of Albert Camus is a novel of pre psychology and is the live portrait of a man who
lives in
society but whose existence society ignores. We therefore are struck when this same society begins to accommodate the Foreigner when it learns of his existence. The Foreigner is like a Jesus Christ, a man to whom the faults and features of character are unforgivable. Only provided just till they are pointed out during his life! Provided only if he dies in eternal anonymity! We are unaware of the exact number of people abroad whose lives have been taken away. How many are there? Ten, Fifteen, Twenty? The philosophy of Albert Camus is a word of tolerance and piety and I believe that all of us are foreigners deep inside and we can all reach the point of insanity where we can embed three shells from a revolver into the body of another innocent person, just as the radiant sun releases far too much heat. When one comprehends Camus’ point of view, it is one which invited society to revise its behaviour with regard to the Foreigner and to empathise with him. However, many people commit injustices and leave others with ruined lives. The Foreigner as described by Camus is like a spoiled child- he wants the whole world to save him and understand and sympathise with him but the world refuses to pay him any attention. His isolation that emerges from his is thus, a disease of the spirit and thanks to Camus, we can now commiserate with compassion to others, foreigners.
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