The Stranger

Albert Camus' The Stranger is a different kind of book. It doesn't provide any positive insight on anything that happens to the lead character. The whole novel is one antagonistic view after another.

Camus commonly wrote nihilism and absurdity as themes in his works. In The Stranger, the lead character shows no regards to the way society runs. In fact, I don't think he even remotely cares about society in general. I wouldn't call him self-centered; I'd call him aloof.

Another thing about the lead character of The Stranger that's shown is his lack of emotions. He is blank when he receives news of his mother's death, even blanker when he forms a relationship with a co-worker the day after his mother's funeral. With the events that follow, it's assumed that he's cold hearted. But is he really?

The Stranger is one of those novels that makes you think when you're done reading it. I didn't like it very much because it rambles seeral times. It's still good though.

My Rating: ****