Friday 6 September 2013

Devouring Books: The Outsider by Albert Camus

"I wanted to assure him that I was just like everyone else, exactly like everyone else. But it was all really a bit pointless and I couldn't be bothered."

I picked up The Outsider (aka The Stranger) on a whim one day from the library, mainly because I'd sort of heard about Camus and wanted to check that shit out, and also because they didn't have the book I actually wanted and I didn't want to waste my visit to the library. Also, it was short, so everybody wins. 

In spite of my crazy shallow reasons, I ended up really really really enjoying this book, although I'm not sure if enjoying is even the word for it. I should explain- this isn't really the kind of book that I like because it's an amazing story, or because it's incredibly well written or any of the usual reasons I have for liking books. Nope, this is one of those times where I like the book because it's almost a work of Philosophy, only it's Philosophy in the way I wished it was always expressed- with recognisable characters, real life situations, Philosophy-as-life, if you will. If I'd read this before I wrote my dissertation (which was on the advantages of fiction over philosophical works in affecting the way people live their lives, basically), this shit would have been straight in there without question because it's perfect for that.

So the story. It's pretty sparse- Meursalt is an Algerian man whose mother has just died, a fact which he takes on like any other and her funeral is an event where he doesn't act much differently to normal, in spite of everyone else's thought that he should be more outwardly emotional. After her funeral, he returns to everyday life, goes on with it as normal until a series of events lead to him shooting 'an arab' (casual racism really seems to be part of this) wherein he is imprisoned and put on trial, seemingly not only for his actions but for the entire way he chooses to live his life.

That is basically the story in a nutshell- and I don't consider it filled with spoilers because, well, like I said, the story isn't really the point. I don't know if this is the kind of book that other people would have a problem with because Camus should maybe have written an essay containing these ideas instead, but I would much rather read a novel than an essay, so. There are various things Camus brings up about life and ethics and stuff like that, but I think the core of things is this- A lot of the time, people act not in an authentic way, but in a way which they believe is expected of them, and so they sacrifice truth for acceptance. Meursalt isn't like this- he is truly honest about the things he feels, and even if at times that makes him read like a sociopath (who knows, maybe he is), it's difficult not to respect the fact that, say, he doesn't feel like crying at his mother's funeral and so he doesn't. 

My extensive research* of Camus since I read this has led me to believe that his main philosophy was one of absurdism, where there is no meaning in the world, and meaning has to be rendered by each individual. In The Outsider, there are characters who have their different ways of adding meaning to situations (through religion, or the law) and Meursalt is the only one who sees through this and almost goes 'there is no meaning to anything because we're all going to die anyway, and besides, everyone knows that life isn't worth living.' It's not the most cheerful philosophy I've ever heard (and someone following its exact line does come off as an almost complete sociopath) but the idea that events and things don't have meanings except for the ones we ascribe to them is a kind of powerful one because it means we can easily change those meanings and kind of create an entirely different world to the one we live in because meaning is all just individual, anyway.

I think the main thing this blog post has taught you is, I wish I could write a whole essay on Camus and Absurdism and oh gawwwd, does this mean I have to do an MA now? I'll stop boring you with it now, but really really this book is so interesting in terms of the things it did to my brain, if not so much in its pure story form. And if you've read it, please, tell me what it did for you? Because I'd be willing to accept that, actually, you found it kind of bullshit because I get that. But this kind of thing is really MY thing. And I really liked it.

*Wikipedia

17 comments:

  1. I luuuuurve Camus. Every time I read his books I'm just like yes, ok, sad smile. I think my default philosophical view is actually in the realm of absurdism but also...not, so I usually feel really melancholy because it makes sense and clicks in my brains but I kind of wish it didn't. Does that make sense? No, probably not, but Camus is my head jam and typing thoughts on it is HARD.

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    1. KAYLEIGH! That actually massively makes sense to me, and it's kind of a thing I was thinking but didn't know I was? I'm sort of massively behind absurdism in terms of things only having the meanings we ascribe to them, but THEN I also don't think of it as a necessarily depressing thing because it means we build our own worlds AND that even if one is destroyed we can kind of just go ahead and build a new one? I'm definitely more optimistic than Camus anyway, is what I'm saying.

      Also there are like two pages practically at the end of this book that I had to copy out because they were SO GOOD (where Meursalt rants at the priest). I was just like yesssssssssssss.

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    2. You definitely are more optimistic than both Camus and I, because I totally go for the kind of depressing view that Camus does. I should just start wearing all black and write sad poetry about the black abyss.

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  2. I am super looking forward to reading this one, and actually I'll probably enjoy it MORE now I've read this review, because you've done the extensive research for me (yes, my thought was immediately 'Wikipedia' even before I scrolled down to your footnote) and have forewarned me to be in a thinky kind of mood when I read it. THIS WAY DOTH ENJOYMENT LIE.

    Fortunately, I already have this book somewhere in my many book boxes (*sighs*) so for once I don't have to go out and buy another one. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Carry on.

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    1. P.S. I really want to call Camus Shamu sometimes. Then I'm like NO ELLIE THAT'S A WHALE AT SEAWORLD.

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    2. YAY for my positively reviewing a book you DON'T already have! This is progress! (although, hey, I told you you don't have to read The Newlyweds and you've already read Eating for England. So it's only 3 new books to read this week...)

      I didn't really realise I was supposed to be in a thinky mood for Camus, but he made me be in one anyway which is a good thing. I think. (See. Thinking. There I go again!)

      I don't even know what to say to your P.S., Ellie, except LOL. I can totally see where you're coming from!

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  3. I haven't read Camus yet, even though I've had The Stranger on my shelf for years, so maybe I should get on that. This DOES sounds really interesting though, because people who are maybe-sorta-sociopathic are interesting. At least until they go killing people, then they're just crazy and bad, obvs. But philosophy as fiction = FUN! Because those are the kinds of books that you get to describe to friends and ask them what they'd do or think and those discussions are always amusing.

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    1. I'm finding it really weird that everyone's like 'I own this!' because I had only really vaguely heard of Camus when I got this out of the library and now I'm like OMG CAMUS. Which I guess is how you find new favourites and stuff!

      This is definitely really interesting. I found it weird that I could kind of relate to this murdery dude, but since he's not really like a person but a walking embodiment of a kind of philosophy, I was like 'ok, let's go with it!'

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  4. I read this in high school, mostly in one sitting, and it messed me up. It was pretty much a "Oh so there's no reason or point to the world then why do anything I think I'll just sleep instead of doing the things I enjoy ok bye now". I should probably read this again, but you know, we'll see.

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    1. Dude! I totally see how that would be a natural reaction to this kind of philosophy, but then at the same time I also think that thing I said above to Kayleigh's comment because why does it have to be a bad thing that there's no point to the world? Do things have to have a point for us to do them and enjoy them and everything? Just because there's no point to life doesn't mean you can't do anything you want- in fact, it kind of means you can do anything you want and it doesn't matter if you mess up because we're all going to die anyway (ok, that is sort of depressing.) But anyway, I still get your reaction, I just sort of respectfully disagree.

      CAN WE START A PHILOSOPHY DISCUSSION GROUP AND WEAR BERETS AND BE ALL THINKERY? I vote yes.

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    2. The whole idea of "who cares if there is no purpose cos that means you can do whatever you want!" sorta reminds me of the song For Now, the last song in Avenue Q, which is depressing but also wonderful. So I see that side of the argument. However...

      When I read the book for high school the whole "I should just do nothing instead of the things I want" was actually what I was feeling. Like before I started reading I was like "OK, just gotta get this reading done and then I can watch all these shows I've been looking forward to (MTV in the early 2000s because me, teen cliche)" And then as soon as I finished reading, in time for those shows, I just looked at my TV and thought "but why? What's the point?" And then I just turned out the light and slept. Because teens are overly dramatic, sure. But I also haven't re-read the book because that was so depressing.

      I would be awful in a philosophy discussion group but I would love to wear this beret and possibly speak in a bad French accent? Yes?

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    3. Oh wow, you little depressive teenager you! (So, like, you did your schoolwork and then were like 'I don't even WANT to watch Daria now'? Because, you know, WHAT?) I get that would be a reason for not liking the book, but I do just love to NERD OUT, philosophy-wise. Because it's fun.

      And you would be FINE in a philosophy discussion group because, you know, it's just like talking about the world and ideas and thoughts and things. Easy stuff! (I speak in a bad french accent a LOT. It's kind of embarrassing...)

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    4. You know, I bet the show prob was Daria that I was all pumped to watch and then just didn't. The next morning at least I was like 'WTF was that?? why didn't I watch those shows I wanted. DAMN YOU, CAMUS!!"

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  5. I love how much you loved this! I thought I had read this as I've definitely read a Camus but I'm pretty sure that it was another one, maybe The Plague...
    Camus is not for me but you should go and do your MA! That would be awesome :)

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    1. From just reading this one book, I can completely, completely see how Camus would so not be for everyone. He totally hits some of my brain hotspots, but I can easily imagine him leaving other people (like you!) just totally cold. YAY UNDERSTANDING OTHERS :)

      I should definitely go and do my MA! Maybe when someone gives me some money, I shall...

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  6. I studied this as part of a literature module when I was doing A-level French and loved it a lot. We basically all got to pick our own book and write an essay on it, which was pretty cool but meant that there was nobody really to bounce ideas around with and a lot more glaring at French-English dictionaries alone. I took less from it than you, I think, because I read it in French while trying to write a slightly pretentious essay (also in French) about immorality v. amorality and I got a bit tunnel-visioned and missed out on a lot of the other points that Camus was making.

    I really must re-read it (in English, this time...) when I have the time to mull. Because Camus is nothing if not mull-worthy.

    Sterling review, my dear. Sterling!

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    1. Dude, you nerrrrrrrrrrrrrd! You had to read a whole book in french and then write an essay also in french? Jesus! Frankly I'm impressed that you read this in its native language AND understood it AND wrote some things about immorality and amorality which I can totally see from this book. SO IMPRESSED!

      Camus is the mull-worthiest, I'd say. Mullington central.

      Pip pip! (Thanks!)

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