Literature Anaylsis #1

      1. The plot of "The Strangers" by Albert Camus is about a young man named Meursault, who finds out his mother, has passed. He attends the funeral and doesn’t feel any grief, or sadness. The very next day he goes on a date with a coworker, Marie. Later that day he is invited over at Raymond Sintes, his neighbor, and Raymond tells him how he beat up his mistress for cheating on him, which caused him to get into a fight with her brother. The next day they hear shouting from Raymond’s apartment, they see police, who say Raymond will be summoned to court. Meursault testifies on his behalf. The next day Marie asks Meursault if he will marry her, Raymond agrees. The next day Meursault, Marie, and Raymond go to a beach house owned by Raymond’s friend, Masson. That afternoon, Masson, Raymond, and Meursault walk along the beach and meet Raymond’s mistress’s brother and his friend. They all fight and Raymond gets stabbed. They leave, help Raymond’s injuries, and return to find them later. When they see them Raymond considers shooting them with his gun. Meursault convinces him not to and takes the gun away. Later that day Meursault returns alone, sees the brother and for no reason, shoots him. Meursault is arrested and put into jail. He meets an examining magistrate, while in jail, who tries to convince him to turn to God for help. Meursault refuses. He eventually gets used to jail life and is waiting for his court date. On the day of his trial, the discussion in the courtroom goes from the murder to Meursault’s character. People testify saying that he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral, and that he is a monster. Meursault is eventually found guilty and is sentenced to death by beheading. He returns to prison and realizes that human existence holds no greater meaning. He abandons all hope, and he finally feels at peace.

2.      A theme of the novel would be the importance of the physical world. To not just focus on social or emotional aspects.

3.      The author’s tone is plain and ironic. An example for irony is that Meursault tells Raymond not to shoot the man, yet Meursault ends up shooting him. An example of the plain tone is that Meursault is very uninterested in anything, except the physical world. Finally he comes to peace with himself, by accepting that humans hold no greater meaning, and he abandoned all hope.

4.      The first literary element would be imagery. Meursault says the sun is too hot, so he goes towards the spring; this is where he meets Raymond’s mistress’s brother. Next is the tone, it’s very plain, and straight to the point. Next is setting, it’s set in the 1940’s and your character plays an important role in the law system. Raymond was able to get away with beating up his mistress because of it. Next is the symbol of the courtroom, the judge says what is what, the jurors are judging Meursault. This represents society’s way to rationalize the world. Finally allusion.