Blog Entry #1: The Stranger.
Existentialism: Chapter 1 - 4
"MOTHER died today. Or, maybe, yesterday; I can’t be sure. The telegram from the Home says: YOUR MOTHER PASSED AWAY. FUNERAL TOMORROW. DEEP SYMPATHY. Which leaves the matter doubtful; it could have been yesterday."
In the first few sentences in the novel you can see a lack of interest from the narrator he is indifferent to his mother's death and completely unbiased by the fact that he cannot be sure of wether his mother's death was the day before or that same day. His completely apathetic reaction is a shock for the reader who would think that any person wold weep for their mother's passing.
This is rather existentialist, the fact that he is more concerned about the moment of his mother's passing rather than at the fact that she passed away, shows that he is living every moment without feeing remorse from the past, and that he sees his mother's death as something inevitable and mundane because at the end everyone's lives lead towards death.
This is rather existentialist, the fact that he is more concerned about the moment of his mother's passing rather than at the fact that she passed away, shows that he is living every moment without feeing remorse from the past, and that he sees his mother's death as something inevitable and mundane because at the end everyone's lives lead towards death.
"When we had dressed, she stared at my black tie and asked if I was in mourning. I explained that my mother had died. “When?” she asked, and I said, “Yesterday.”"
In this line from page 14 just after Mersault has met Marie at the swimming pool he gives a small hint of guilt for his mother's death but he also states that this must be normal. Also he lacks interest in the topic and lets it go without reaching out for some comprehension and support which would be understood as his mother had just died.
In the thoughts of existentialism though this may be viewed as letting go of a moment which is gone and which we will never get back. He considered sufficient mourning his mother during the lasting of the funeral on his own way was enough and didn't consider it as a lack of sentiment from him to not weep for her, he just didn't find it necessary. I must say Mersault's attitude reminded me of someone I know who didn't weep for her mother when she passed away. We know factually that Mersault doesn't believe in God so maybe he is relieved and feels that now that his mother is dead he has one thing less to worry about and a guiltless conscience about leaving her at a Home.
In the thoughts of existentialism though this may be viewed as letting go of a moment which is gone and which we will never get back. He considered sufficient mourning his mother during the lasting of the funeral on his own way was enough and didn't consider it as a lack of sentiment from him to not weep for her, he just didn't find it necessary. I must say Mersault's attitude reminded me of someone I know who didn't weep for her mother when she passed away. We know factually that Mersault doesn't believe in God so maybe he is relieved and feels that now that his mother is dead he has one thing less to worry about and a guiltless conscience about leaving her at a Home.
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