Albert Camus &

The Stranger Introduction

English 12
The Stranger by Albert Camus
• Born: November 7, 1913,
Mondovi, Algeria
• Nationality : Algerian/French
• Died: January 4, 1960 in Sens,
Algeria, car accident
• Occupations: Writer,
Journalist, Editor, Theatrical
Producer, Actor

• The Stranger (1942)

Different poses of Albert Camus
 Novel Setting

Algeria: capital: Algiers

1830 became a French Territory,
economic power held by minority of
white settlers, Independence July 5,
1962
 Historical Background
The Stranger takes place
in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, a
North African country located on the
Mediterranean Sea. Algiers is a port
city at which many ships dock
bringing a broad mix of people. It was this situation which gave rise to
the tension and unrest reflected in
The Stranger.
In 1942 Algeria had been a French
Colony for 100 years. Many people
with different backgrounds & beliefs
ended up living in a overcrowded city.
 Historical Background

The climate of North Africa, with its

heat, sun, and beaches, also has a
powerful influence on the events and
characters in Camus’ book.

WWI and WWII brought great racial

tension and political unrest to Algeria.
Wholesale slaughter took place in
both wars making the certainty of
death a major theme of Camus’ work.
 Novel Themes
The Stranger has
become an enduring work of fiction
because it is concerned not only with
politics and racism , but also with
universal themes and
basic dilemmas of the human
condition.

1. Absurdity is a view at 2. Colonialism there are no hints that the

which one arrives when one is forced novel takes place in a colonized
out of a very repetitive existence. country but there are hints that racial
tension exist.
 Novel Themes
3. Free Will is taken for granted by most
people, the presentation of its “freeness” in
The Stranger is unsettling. The main
character consistently expresses his own
will as free. But , in some instances, it
might be interpreted as indifference.
4. Existentialism: A school of
philosophy that seeks to describe the
actual conditions of our individual human
existence rather than abstract, universal
human qualities. Existence precedes
essence, meaning that the primary fact
about us is our existence; we create our
own essence. Existentialist ethics forces
us to always live authentically, fully
conscious of our mortality and undeluded
about the choices we make.
 Main Characters
Meursault: the protagonist and narrator
Employer: Meursault’s boss and owner
of the business where Meursault works
Celeste: Meursault’s friend and the
proprietor of Meursault’s favorite
neighborhood restaurant
Masson: Raymond’s slow-talking friend
who owns a small bungalow on the
beach
Raymond: A tough, young warehouse
worker, and possibly a pimp, who
abuses his girlfriend. He lives in
Meursault’s building and becomes
Meursault’s friend
Old Salamano: A sad man who lives with
his mangy, mistreated dog in
Meursault’s building
 Main Characters
The Lawyer: Meursault’s young, court
appointed defense attorney
Emmanuel: A young man, and friend of
Meursault’s, who works in the
Forwarding Department of Meursault’s
office.
Marie Cardona: A former typist at
Meursault’s office who begins an affair
with Meursault the day after his
mother’s funeral
Thomas Perez: Meursault’s mother’s
special friend at the Home who attends
her funeral with Meursault
Examining Magistrate: A serious man
who questions Meursault about the
crime after Meursault’s arrest
The Public Prosecutor: A tall, thin man in
a red gown who aggressively seeks a
conviction and death sentence during
Meursault’s trial
 Additional characters from The Stranger
Caretaker: Takes a keen interest in
Meursault during his visit at the old
people’s home in Marengo. He provides
the most damaging testimony at the trial
Director of the Home: Accompanies the
funeral procession to the gravesite and
offers Meursault information about his
mother’s life at the home
Maman: Her death begins the story and
indicts Meursault in the end. She had
lived with him until he could no longer
afford to care for her and they had
nothing left to say to each other
Nurse: She works at the home,
accompanies the funeral
procession, she speaks to
Meursault and he remembers her
words
Robot-like woman: A strange, jerky
woman who sits with Meursault at
the restaurant
Chaplain: The priest who visits
Meursault in his cell. He struggles
to make Meursault admit to a faith
or trust in God