Blog Response #2

In reading the book The Stranger by Albert Camus, I found myself wandering on the lack of sentiments, which I saw as constant in the book. Analyzing it from this new point of view, which came to me after reading the book and studying about existentialism, I found out that I could relate this lack of sentiments to the development of the character and of the author himself. 

Lack of depth in sentiments: Throughout the novel I saw Mersault as a person lacking feelings. Vacant. Since the beginning of the novel I thought that something was really wrong with him. I thought that if your mother died you where supposed to mourn her, cry for her death, but Mersault doesn't, neither does he show any guilt when he murders the Arab, or any fear when he is condemned to the guillotine. He is always expectant, wandering what may come next,  avoiding to live in the past and attempting all too hard to push his feelings away. I think this allows you to see  Mersault's character in a different way,  he is not someone you would feel pity for, but he certainly is a man of his word, it also gives out that he has an existentialist set of mind. This attitude from Mersault also gives out the author, you don't need to have the background knowledge on Camus being an existentialist to understand that the author supports his character's point of view, if not I think it would be really hard to write a novel like that if you wouldn't  be able to relate to this lack of sentiments.

"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." (pg. 4)

"No one, no one in the world had any right to weep for her." (pg. 75)