TITLE OF THE NOVEL:

THE OUTSIDER
“Nobody realizes that people spend tremendous energy merely to be normal.”
~ Albert Camus

‘Albert Camus’ was a French Philosopher, author, and journalist. He was one
of the people who led to the rise of the philosophy known as Absurdism. He
was also considered to be an Existentialist, although he rejected the same
throughout his life.

‘Absurdism’ basically refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek
inherent value and meaning in life, and humanity’s futile attempt to find rational
order where none exists.

‘Existentialism’ is a philosophical theory that people are free agents who have
control over their choices and actions. Existentialists believe that society should
not restrict an individual's life or actions and that these restrictions inhibit free
will and the development of that person's potential.

The title The Outsider, can be interpreted in many ways. It can suggest cultural
differences , social isolation or alienation. It can also be interpreted in a way that
shows that how if one acts or behaves in a peculiar manner can be set apart from
others in a society.

The main character of the novel is Meursault, around whom the story revolves
in two parts. Part one is where his mother dies and his day to day activities are
explained with its ending being him committing murder of the Arab with whom
his friend Raymond had a altercation with. Part two is where his jail life is
described and how he awaits his fate in the end.

Throughout the story Meursault is seen as an absurd character whose

perspective in small and big events which occur during the course of his life are
considered to be weird and outrageous. His way of life is seen to be rejected by
the societal norms as a whole. Meursault even though being around people he
still seems to be in a distant reality where he is seen as a stranger among the
other people. He seems to be totally isolated mentally, emotionally, spiritually
and at the end of the novel physically when he is imprisoned.
His approach which lacks human feelings, emotions and customs is totally out
of societal norms thus making him an outsider. For instance, in the opening line
of the novel when he is informed about his mother’s death and funeral he seems
to be emotionally detached from humanity as he doesn’t ask about anything
related to her demise from the authorities of Home For Old Persons where his
mother used to reside. He even refuses to see his mother’s body in the casket
and doesn’t mourn. His idea behind the same attitude however is,that everyone
eventually has to die and their lives do not matter in the end, so why to ponder
and feel heartbroken over it. Here, the society fails to understand his
existentialist beliefs which led him to believe that there is no meaning behind
his life.

The disorienting sensation of feeling like a foreigner in one's own familiar space
is one that is likely familiar to both Camus and his creation, Meursault.
Camus stated that he had described Meursault and his role in life as an outsider
and Meursault is a character who rejects to play the sport of God and society.

The significance of the title the outsider basically relates to the person's
behaviour and its results. It shows how socially excluded and isolated Meursault
is in the absurd world.

Very little about the actual Meursault is known to the readers. His first name
also for that matter remains a mystery. His possessions only include a small
amount of furniture and a small amount of belongings which show that unlike
the people present in today’s time he does not care much about materialistic
things.

When he commits the murder of The Arab there is no apparent or logical

reasoning to why he does so.

Thus,through all this his indifference and alienation from the rest of the world is
seen.

To the contrary it can hardly be said that he is a stranger to himself as he is fully

aware of every sensation he has. He is bitterly honest, direct about his desires,
intentions and emotional feelings that in the end it makes readers also think
twice if he is actually a threat to society or not. Even though projected as a
person who is excluded from society and a threat, Camus shows us the image of
a modern man who lives alone in this universe.

In the twentieth century, where the old values, like religion, honor and love of
country, are viewed as no longer compelling or fulfilling to many intellectuals
and others. Camus's "message" can be seen as an injunction to man to create his
own values in a world where inherent meaning is lacking.

It is only on the final page of The Outsider that Meursault seems to grasp this
idea, as he states that, at his coming execution, he wishes there will be a huge
crowd that will address him with howls of hatred. In committing murder and
thus destroying his own life as well, Meursault welcomes his punishment for an
act committed in violation of the values that man himself has created. Thus
understanding the sport of God and Society.

On the whole, Meursault is a “stranger” in society, where society fails to

understand that he is not a quintessential monster, but a simplistic man with
little needs and has different morals than everyone who does not know how he
thinks. Meursault is a man who feels that the life of one man is not going to
change the whole universe and affect every human being living. Thus, overall
making him different from society because of his lack of emotion and having a
different morals.

Therefore, Camus, a master in absurdism, manages to portray that Meursault is

different from society, a stranger, an outsider and an alien and how beneath the
mask that everyone carries to fit in the society everyone to some extent is an
outsider to this absurd world.