Transcript Existentialism, Albert Camus, and The Stranger

Existentialism, Albert
Camus, and The Stranger
Albert Camus (1913 - 1960), a
French philosopher of the absurd,
novelist, and dramatist
Albert Camus
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born in French colonized Algeria in 1913
Father killed in WWI
settled in Paris and studied philosophy and literature
member of the Algerian Communist party; worked as propaganda agent
one of the principal persons of the existentialist movement
writings often considered controversial
writings affected by the time period, especially the horrors of WWII
Camus, cont.
• Work is characterized by:
• simple plots
• effectiveness of dialogue and dramatic effects
• extreme racism
• political corruption
• mistreatment of women
• hypocrisy of American life
A Poem by Stephen Crane
A man said to the universe:
“Sir I exist!”
What is the relationship
like between the man and
the universe?
“However,” replied the universe,
“the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation.”
What does “obligation”
mean?
What does this poem say
about our role in the
world?
What is Existentialism?
1. “a philosophical theory or approach that
emphasizes the existence of the individual person
as a free and responsible agent determining their
own development through acts of the will”
2. “A body of ethical thought centering about the
uniqueness and isolation of individual experience
in a universe indifferent or hostile to man,
regarding human existence as unexplainable, and
emphasizing man’s freedom of choice and
responsibility for the consequences of his acts”
What is Existentialism?
• The word first appeared in 1941
• Individuals must not allow their
choices to be constrained by
ANYTHING -- not even reason
or morality. One has the
ultimate freedom to choose.
BACKGROUND
Sartre said: “Existence precedes Essence,” meaning:
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Nothing controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us.
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We are free to act independently from outside influences.
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We create our own human nature through these free choices.
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We also create our values through these choices.
The Basic Existentialist Standpoint:
• Existence precedes essence.
• Essence: the basic, real nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features
• Man exists without a predetermined purpose
• Man exists as a conscious being, and not in accordance with any definition,
generalization, or system.
More Existentialist Themes
• Identities are constructed by the
individual only.
• Values are subjective- no preset right or
wrong.
• We are all condemned to be free.
Death: According to Existentialists
• Simply put: Life is short, then you die.
• According to Sartre, death is an absurd birth…it is nothing but the wiping
out of my existence as a conscious being
• What’s the point of anything if everyone dies?
Moral Individualism
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No standards for what’s right and wrong
No single standard for moral decisions
I decide what’s moral.
I’m responsible for the consequences of my actions.
Choice and Commitment
• What makes people different from other
beings is the freedom to choose; these
choices create a person’s nature
• Everything is a choice, even refusing to
choose
• Freedom of choice involves commitment;
one must accept the risk and responsibility
of following that commitment.
The Stranger
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Published in 1942 – smack in the middle of World War Two
Also called The Outsider
Camus’ first novel
Focuses on the philosophies of absurdity and existentialism
Takes place in Algeria
First-person POV (Meursault)
Separated into two parts (first part leading up to a major incident; second part after
the incident)