The Philosophy of the Novel' the Outsider' by Albert Camus

The rational theme of absurdism prevailing in social life situation has been nicely represented in the novel “The Outsider”. The theory of absurdism has been reflected throughout the novel with the characterization of Meursault. In this context, Albert Camus considers the philosophy of the novel as lonely and sensual by reflecting Meursault’s characteristics in light of absurdism and existentialism.  As a central theme of the story, Meursault has been focussed as a murderer of an innocent Arab without having any reasonable ground. On an effective trial, the court sentenced him death penalty. The focal point of the story is to commit crime and its punishment which is justifiable in the eye of law. As an outsider, the author has pointed some social defects with which social absurdism have been revitalised. The Outsider is a novel written by Albert Camus, an Algerian-born author and truth-seeker. The account is centred on Meursault, who at the outset was victimised to societal shame owing to his incapacity to patent symbols of sorrowful attitudes  for his mother’s death.  All the way through The Outsider, Albert Camus has been able to manage successfully to put forth dissimilar elements of absurdism through the categorization of Meursault tentatively.

One of the high-quality case in point of his absurdist characteristic is that when he does not show a great deal of interest about his mother’s death when he says, “"Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know”, (pg9) he also doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral, in our society, a man who doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral is liable to be condemned. The author, in this novel, has led his utmost efforts in order to signify the attitude and feelings of those who are enterprising, selfish and exciting. He minutely criticized some defects of social life that are absorbed in prejudice and unmatched criticism of life. Sometimes, the author has found out some truth of very crucial aspects of life. In this actions and reactions of the book, Meursault has critically identified as a man of peculiar beliefs where he has explored his own world of absurdism. Afterwards, the author has tried to detect the truth in a certain place where absurdism never takes place. In the court of trial, he is asked to say that he regrets his crime, in time-honoured fashion. Meursault, despite of all hazards, he feels comfort in the sense that in order to establish truth, he has done the right thing painstakingly. In this context, the author highlights the idea of social absurdism,” I did not waste it on God. He tried to change the subject by asking me why I was not calling him father. That irritated me and I told him that he was not my father: he was on the same side as the others.” Pg 114. The author here highlights the social existentialism by creating social humour and mental philology of social absurdism.

As per authors view, Meursault refuses to hide his feelings and society forthwith feels panicky because of worldly involvement with actions and reactions of normal flow of life. The people who live in luxury have no faith upon truth happening in present or future moderations. In considering an outsider, he has tried to detect the truth of compilation as because he has minutely lived and thought about some outskirt styles of absurdism virtually in his sky of absurdism as well as existentialism. He has led his efforts in a separate philosophical banner where he finds a picture of societal actions. Hence author has remarked,” Pg 68- “As I always do when I want to get rid of some one I am not really listening to, I gave the impression that I was agreeing with him. To my surprise he was exultant”.

In order to perpetuate the memory of his mother, he has never hesitated to reflect the model and characteristics of his mother. Absurdism has been reflected in the novel ‘Outsider’ with different inner sequences as a symbol of loneliness in course to instinct, existentialism, and excitement, inertness of spontaneity and overall growth of desolate expunction of life. The author here expresses some outpouring of common absurdism which does not cope with his own demonstrative voice towards his mother in course of performing her funeral. He wishes to have her blessings and graceful responses so that he becomes stronger to live alone far away from societal actions and reactions in this eternal world. In culture, friendship and love he finds breach of trust, lies, attraction of wealth, too much greed and jealousy which spoils his luxurious goal. Far from lacking all sensibility, he is controlled by a tenacious and as such profound passion, the passion for an absolute and truth to retaliate his real life situation. As per style of author’s philosophical attitude and feelings, the truth which is revealed as a negative effect, the author may be considered as a veteran truth-born lively fellow, but without which no triumph over the self or over the world will ever be outweighed. Suffice it to say, it is evident that if a man is habituated in such deeds full of absurdism where the definition of life has perpetual meaning. It is evident that he is a very hardened soul man because the magistrate doesn’t find any reason why Meursault is agreeing to admit that he is wrong and he wouldn’t lie about his fault, the writer has set out some ethical prospects with which he yearns to be adorned with various qualities of human ornaments. In this context, the author says,” The sun was getting low outside and it was not hot any more- differentiates the guilty and not guilty”

The performance and its social reactions as highlighted in the novel, one wouldn’t be far erroneous in judging the outsider who without any heroic pretensions agrees to die for the truth. According to the author, a man who is fighting for a just cause is always a great man. The author has reflected a character like silhouette which enmesh everyone to be dispersed from worldly affairs. Despite all deeds revitalized in the novel, the author has virtually pointed out some defects of social and cultural life tentatively. This is the philosophy of the novel, “Outsider”. In this virtual event, the author says,” For the first time I realized that I was guilty”. In fine, the philosophy of social absurdism has been vivaciously reflected throughout the contrasts of Meursault’s characterization.