I thought it would be nice to offer some bonus points here at the end of the grading period, so if anyone happens to check the blog today or tonight.......feel free to participate.
We will be discussing the first few chapters of The Stranger during Thursday's class, so here's the bonus offering:
THE RULES:
1. UP TO 5 BONUS POINTS FOR EACH SUBSTANTIVE POST IN RESPONSE TO ONE OR MORE OF THE QUESTIONS BELOW
2. IF YOU POST MORE THAN ONCE, YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE POST OF A CLASSMATE
3. YOU MAY POST UP TO 3 TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF UP TO 15 BONUS POINTS (DEPENDING ON THE SUBSTANTIVE NATURE OF YOUR POST)
4. YOU MUST INCLUDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM THE NOVEL TO SUPPORT STATEMENTS IN YOUR POSTS
5. YOU MAY POST UP UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING'S CLASS
Here are the questions:
1. What does Meursault notice during the wake/funeral? What strikes him as "absurd"?
2. What do you think Meursault's behavior in response to his mother's death says about him as a person?
3. Explain the nurse’s statement in chapter 1: “If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church.” What larger concept is Camus trying to illustrate here?
4. Characterize Raymond—note irony in his stated values and judgments. What are similarities and differences between him and Meursault?
5. What "absurditites" have been presented in part I so far? Explain.
6. What stands out to you so far about the novel and the characters. Provide your opinion and observations, but support with examples.
18 comments:
Mersault seems like a very self-absorbed and uncaring person. He never really has any emotional reaction upon hearing that his mother died. At the vigil, he smokes by the casket; he even acknowledges the fact that Maman won't like that. Also, during the vigil he criticizes the women for actually showing grief towards Maman's death. Then he has the affair with Marie the next day. Maybe he reacts to emotional situations in this detached sort of way, but i think overall he's just an uncaring self-centered person.
I think Raymond is a coward. He was too frightened to write the letter to his mistress, so he had Mersault do it for him. I think he just has his friends do his dirty work. He also is going to have Mersault testify for him at the police station, once again using him.
The difference between the two characters is that Meursault is unethical and Raymond is immoral.
6. Salamano's relationship with his dog really stood out to me. He seems to despise his dog when it is with him (beating it and cursing at it), and he seems angry AT IT when he hears that it has left him, but he later cries presumably because he misses it. I guess this is kind of the don't-realize-what-you-had-until-it's-gone syndrome, but I think there's something more here. I don't know what it is about human nature that would lead a person to act so irrationally, but I've seen people behave similarly. It seems like this fits pretty snugly into the existentialist belief in the absurdity of the universe. I'd really like to hear someone else's opinion on this topic.
I think that Mersaults response to his mothers death shows that he is a very self-centered person. It shows that the death of someone as important as his doesn't effect him or hurt him in any way. However, it may also be that he just doesn't like to show that he is hurting and he kind of keeps his feelings to himself. But overall, I think he is very uncaring and nothing really effects him. He just seems to be very dull and never seems to react to anything in a way that we would think a normal person would.
I disagree with Kaity that Mersualt is very self-centered. I think that he is just very non-emotional and has a very backward personality. I also think he chooses to show his feelings in a different kind i way. I think he took the grief he had from his mother out in his relationship with his girlfriend maybe. When she asked if he loved her he said not to take offense, but no. I think he is just taking out frustration in his own way.
A lot of this book seems to be about how we deal with things that happen to us, and how people judge us for it. Mersault seems to be a person who keeps to himself and hides true feelings and for that he will face penalty. Its hard to think of his reaction to things he does and not see the selfishness, but if you try to look for the good Mersault is not as bad as he makes himself out to be.
In response to Sara's comment, I'm not sure if I agree that Mersault hides his true feelings. I don't remember anything in the book leading me to think that he was in any way hiding his real feelings, but I could definitely be forgetting something. To me, Mersault seems legitimately apathetic. He didn't say anything in his narration about feeling bad about his mother's death or feeling uneasy about the favors he did for Raymond. Then again, Mersault's narration is so frustratingly objective and so utterly removed from the plot that it's really hard to tell.
In response to Wes, I don't think that you missed something in the book. i think we just haven't read far enough into it yet. Mersault is still a very mysterious character. I don't think we have "actually" learned much about him yet.
The relationship between Salamano and his dog interested me. I agree with Wes,in which is like the don't-realize-what-you-had-until-it's-gone idea. I also wondered if his actions about his dog had anything to do with the death of his wife. The dog, no matter how much he yelled at it, was the only thing he had left. With it being gone, Salamano had no other campanion. Also, Salamano's actions towards his dog were meant to contrast with Mersault's actions towards his mother's death.
One thing that stood out to me is that The Stranger is really similar to my research novel, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Mersault in some ways realtes to the protagonist in which both act unemotionally attached to various aspects of their life. The style of writing of both Hemingway and Camus was also similar. They both used short sentences and a tone that portrayed an nonchalant attitude.
I think the nurse's statement means that there is no way out. I think that this is foreshadowing later events in the novel. Especially pertaining to Mersualt's trial.
I agree with Wes and Rachel about the you-don't-realize-what-you-had-until-it's-gone. Salamano is a good example, but also Mersault with Marie. He had a fling with her and then she left. And his feelings came back when he met her at the beach again.
Something that stands out to me is that Mersault only says what needs to be said. All of his answers are short, precise and to the point. He is very detatched from everything and everyone.
I agree with Ashley's first comment. I think Raymond is a logical character foil for Mersault. Raymond feels every emotion, while Mersault is emotionally detached. Raymond is also immoral (violent toward his mistress, manipulative of Mersault) while Mersault is simply without morals. Another contrast between the two characters (from Sparknotes) is that Raymond initiates action, while Mersault passively reacts to the events around him. In fact, Raymond catalyzes the events of The Stranger by manipulating Mersault.
Mersualt is a very self absorb person he is very unethical at times as well. As far as the way he acts at the funeral shows what type of person he really his. he doens't seem to upset at his mothers loss, hes very self centered and a little disrespectful only caring for himself. Some examples of this is him smoking beside his mother's casket when he wonders if should would approve, and also thinking bad of the people coming to the funeral, and how he wishes the woman would stop crying and how he thinks everyone there is only there to judge him, when they're really there greifing for his mother Manam. It just goes to show what type of person he his.
i have to agree with Katie's comment about him being self centered, although I also see Ashley's point of view to where he just has a backwards personality. maybe he just has a hard time showing his emotions, but then again he may just be cold and heartless and not have any emotions what so ever.
PS. Sorry i am posting on thursday morning I am once again without internet, and I also was just able to get a hold of a copy of the stranger. Although in just today i am already up to chapter 5 and have already aced the first quiz, so i am catching up slowly but surely, just wanted to catch you up to speed on how i am progressing. Thank you for everything you have done for me this year Mrs. Harl.
Colten,
I'm glad you are getting up to speed and back in the swing of things.
Let me know if I can be of help to you. Hope things are getting back to some kind of normalcy for you, if that's possible.
You and your family are in my thoughts.
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