existentialism, albert camus, and the...

Existentialism, Albert Camus, and The Stranger

Albert Camus (1913 - 1960), a French philosopher of the absurd,

novelist, and dramatist

Albert Camus

• born in French colonized Algeria in 1913

• Father killed in WWI

• settled in Paris and studied philosophy and literature

• member of the Algerian Communist party; worked as propaganda agent

• one of the principal persons of the existentialist movement

• writings often considered controversial

• writings affected by the time period, especially the horrors of WWII

Camus, cont.

• Work is characterized by:

• simple plots

• effectiveness of dialogue and dramatic effects

• extreme racism

• political corruption

• mistreatment of women

• hypocrisy of American life

A Poem by Stephen Crane

A man said to the universe:

“Sir I exist!”

“However,” replied the universe,

“the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.”

What does “obligation”

mean?

What is the relationship

like between the man and

the universe?

What does this poem say

about our role in the

world?

1. “a philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will”

2. “A body of ethical thought centering about the uniqueness and isolation of individual experience in a universe indifferent or hostile to man, regarding human existence as unexplainable, and emphasizing man’s freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of his acts”

What is Existentialism?

What is Existentialism?

• The word first appeared in 1941

• Individuals must not allow their

choices to be constrained by

ANYTHING -- not even reason

or morality. One has the

ultimate freedom to choose.

BACKGROUND

Sartre said: “Existence precedes Essence,” meaning:

1) Nothing controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us.

2) We are free to act independently from outside influences.

3) We create our own human nature through these free choices.

4) We also create our values through these choices.

The Basic Existentialist Standpoint:

• Existence precedes essence.

• Essence: the basic, real nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features

• Man exists without a predetermined purpose

• Man exists as a conscious being, and not in accordance with any definition, generalization, or system.

More Existentialist Themes

• Identities are constructed by the

individual only.

• Values are subjective- no preset right or

wrong.

• We are all condemned to be free.

Death: According to Existentialists

• Simply put: Life is short, then you die.

• According to Sartre, death is an absurd birth…it is nothing but the wiping

out of my existence as a conscious being

• What’s the point of anything if everyone dies?

Moral Individualism

• No standards for what’s right and wrong

• No single standard for moral decisions

• I decide what’s moral.

• I’m responsible for the consequences of my actions.

Choice and Commitment

• What makes people different from other

beings is the freedom to choose; these

choices create a person’s nature

• Everything is a choice, even refusing to

choose

• Freedom of choice involves commitment;

one must accept the risk and responsibility

of following that commitment.

The Stranger

• Published in 1942 – smack in the middle of World War Two

• Also called The Outsider

• Camus’ first novel

• Focuses on the philosophies of absurdity and existentialism

• Takes place in Algeria

• First-person POV (Meursault)

• Separated into two parts (first part leading up to a major incident; second part after the incident)