Meursaults Selfishness - 1278 Words

Meursault’s Selfishness Albert Camus’ The Stranger explores the philosophic ideology of existentialism in the character Meursault. Meursault is a man in the 1920s in French Algeria going through life seeing and acting through the lens of an existentialist. Without explicitly stating that he lives existentially, his life hits on many key characteristics of an existentialist. Perhaps the most defining of these key characteristics is that he does what he wants, because he can. He also does this because in existentialism there is emphasis on individual choice and freedom based on the assertion that there is no universal right and wrong. Meursault doesn’t always take into consideration what would be polite, or kind, but rather only†¦show more content†¦This kind of thinking is detrimental to society and simply unfair. For example, a woman from New Jersey named Patricia Krentcil was recently accused and arrested for bringing her daughter tanning with her. The woman denies the charges , but regardless of whether they are true or not, this is a prime example of selfish, destructive behavior. Krentcil wanted to get her regular tan, but had her daughter with her. Assuming the charges are true, sheShow MoreRelated The Stranger Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pageslove the dog, but instead to put an end to his loneliness. Another source of selfishness is shown through the relationship between Marie and Meursault. Meursault’s lack of communication and the excess amount of physical contact desired and received is displayed by Meursault in the reference, â€Å"I kissed her. We didn’t say anything more from that point on. I held her to me † (35). The textual support confirms that Meursault’s purpose with Marie, for her physical appearance and not her personality. TheRead MoreThe Stranger1548 Words   |  7 Pageslove the dog, but instead to put an end to his loneliness. Another source of selfishness is shown through the relationship between Marie and Meursault. Meursault’s lack of communication and the excess amount of physical contact desired and received is displayed by Meursault in the reference, â€Å"I kissed her. We didn’t say anything more from that point on. I held her to me † (35). The textual support confirms that Meursault’s purpose with Marie, for her physical appearance and not her personality. TheRead MoreComparison of How Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in the Outsider Have Used Moral Issues to Develop Their Works1599 Words   |  7 Pagesregardless of the views of society or religion. He creates a character that lives according to his own â€Å"morality†. Although supposed by most readers to be amoral, this character, Meursault appears to be true to his personal convictions of objectivism. Meursault’s commitment to objectivity makes him moral in my opinion. Coined post-Camus, moral objectivism in this context refers to objectivity being used to guide one’s actions as opposed to subjective emotions or traditions. Both writers utilize characterizationRead MoreComparison of How Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in the Outsider Have Used Moral Issues to Develop Their Works1612 Words   |  7 Pagesregardless of the views of society or religion. He creates a character that lives according to his own â€Å"morality†. Although supposed by most readers to be amoral, this character, Meursault appears to be true to his personal convictions of objectivism. Meursault’s commitment to objectivity makes him moral in my opinion. Coined post-Camus, moral objectivism in this context refers to objectivity being used to guide one’s actions as opposed to subjective emotions or traditions. Both writers utilize characterizationRead MoreExistentialism, By Albert Camus, Raymond Carvers, Short Cuts And Woody Allen s Movie, Crimes And1440 Words   |  6 Pagesinvent. No rule of general morality can show you wha t you ought to do: no signs are vouchsafed in this world†. In other words, Meursault’s negligible response of insignificance and purposelessness is his choice and his expression of not caring regardless, but if she wanted to get married it was tolerable with him, may sound as a justification, and however becomes Meursault’s right choice. In abstract; David Drake states, in his article, â€Å"Sartre: Intellectual of the Twentieth Century† that, â€Å"I feel