The Stranger | Albert Camus

Albert Camus’s classic novel, The Stranger, is an exploration of absurdism, morality, and the disconnection between societal expectations and individual authenticity. This short but profound novel challenges the reader to reconsider the meaning of life and the value we assign to conventional norms.

The story central character, Meursault, is a man who exists on the outside of human emotion and social conventions. From the opening line, Camus has established Meursault’s detached perspective, as he navigates the recent death of his mother, a casual love affair, and a senseless act of violence with an air of apathy. This dispassionate tone underscores the book’s central theme: life’s inherent meaninglessness in the face of chaos and indifference.

What was most compelling about this book was how Camus stripped the narrative down to its bare essentials, forcing the reader to confront Meursault’s stark, and sometimes bleak, worldview. The sparse, almost clinical prose is deceptively simple, but carries with it, a profound philosophical weight. The courtroom scenes, in particular, offer a sharp criticism of society’s need to rationalise and control what it doesn’t understand. The novel’s emotional detachment can sometimes make it difficult to connect with the protagonist, and the deliberate lack of resolution could by frustrating for some readers. However, these elements also serve to reinforce the book’s broader message.

The Stranger isn’t just a novel — it’s an experience. The book invites the reader to grapple with their own beliefs about purpose, morality, and freedom. Whether you agree with Camus’s philosophy or not, this is a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page and has been resounding with readers for decades since its first publication.