Albert Camus Essay

Albert Camus Research Paper
The Life of Albert Camus
It is common for people to question the meaning of man's existence or to seek answers about the
relationship of man and the universe. This is the topic that Albert Camus favored when creating his
novels, plays, and essays. Camus was known for his philosophical view of absurdism and included it
in many of his works such as The Stranger. He felt that life had no order or purpose and that there
was something absurd about the human quest to find meaning. The existentialist writer, Albert Camus
, was struck by poverty, loss, and illness, but went on to contribute to moral philosophy issues during
the harsh times of World War II.
Albert Camus was born on November 7, 1913 in the small Algerian city of Mondovi. He lived in a
small village in the northeast region of French Algeria ("Albert Camus (1913–1960)"). He was the
second son of Catherine SintГ©s and Lucien Camus (Kellman). His mother was a peasant of Spanish
descent and his father was an Alsatian (Grajewski). Catherine worked in an ammunition factory and
cleaned homes, but also had many other small jobs throughout her...show more content...
The two philosophical ideas that made him famous were the concept of the Absurd and the notion of
Revolt (1913–1960)."). Camus tried his hand at essays, drama, and fiction throughout his association
with his company, ThГ©Гўtre de l'Г‰quipe, and his friend's liberal newspaper,
Alger–RГ©publicain (Parsell). When living with his wife in Oran, Camus completed The Stranger
and the essay Myth of Sisyphus in 1948 (Sachs). In 1936 he wrote the play Revolte dans les
Asturies but the performance was later banned (Kellman). The publication of L'Homme rГ©voltГ©
also caused controversy. In 1946 Camus came to the United States and published La Peste and it
was very successful. He was the ninth Frenchman and the second youngest author to be awarded the
Nobel Prize in Literature
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Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus Essays
Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus Albert Camus' essay, 'The Myth Of Sisyphus' is an insightful
analysis of the classic work, 'The Myth Of Sisyphus'. In some regards Camus' view of Sisyphus can
seem quite accurate and in tune with the original text, but based on Camus' interpretation of the
justness of Sisyphus' punishment, it is clear that the writer has some different ideas as well. Camus
concludes that this punishment does not have the effect the Gods had intended, and ultimately the
tragic hero must be seen as being 'happy'. This is his greatest departure from the intent of the original
myth wherein the reader is left with the feeling that Sisyphus' punishment can be seen as appropriate
and just. As his punishment for...show more content...
As the extent of Sisyphus? punishment is only described in the original story by a single
sentence, Camus takes great pains in describing the psychological effects it has on Sisyphus, and
the mental state he must be in to endure such an ordeal. In describing this, Camus focuses on the
point at which Sisyphus makes his decent back to gather his great rock. It is at this point that
Camus makes clear as to why he considers Sisyphus an ?absurd hero?. Assuming that this
punishment can only be considered tragic if Sisyphus becomes conscious of it, Camus points out
that it is during this descent that our main character becomes aware of his awful state, and in
doing so becomes, ?superior to his fate. He is stronger than his rock.? Camus suggests that
Sisyphus is at ease with this punishment because in this ?absurd? universe, man?s fate is the only
thing that can be shaped by man, and in doing so, that fate belongs to man. Sisyphus? rock
belongs to him. If it is possible to see Sisyphus as conscious during his descent, then it is surely
possible that he is aware of his predicament during his grueling ascent as well. Is Sisyphus not
?conscious? of the horrible punishment that he has been handed by the Gods as he makes his way
up the hill with his rock? It is his ascent that allows the reader of the original story to remember what
this act is supposed to represent, and it is the ascent that Camus, although he describes it

Camus ' Thoughts On The Meaning Of Life
Camus' Thoughts on the Meaning of Life Albert Camus is a famous writer who discusses a wide
variety of topics in his works. His account of the myth of Sisyphus touches on a topic that most
writers are either afraid of or unwilling to talk about. This is the issue of suicide and how to deal
with it as an individual and as a community. The principal point in the story by Camus is the
presence of absurdity in our very existence. The presence of life and all living things that we are
aware of is an absurdity according to Camus, who questions the plausibility of some people
considering suicide to be the best solution to this absurdity. Having an understanding of the elements
of nature that make up our world does not mean that it will ever be possible to understand–and fully
appreciate–the reasons why our world is as it is. Whether one believes in God and the creation
account, in the evolution process or in the Big Bang Theory among others is irrelevant because of
the underlying absurdity to all of these scenarios (Camus 3). He writes that it was his intention to
find the relationship between suicide and the absurd. This essay by Camus leads the reader to
make an assessment of life and arrive at a suitable decision. This paper will provide a further
understanding of these thoughts. This paper will show that life is simply meaningless but must be
appreciated nonetheless. The myth of Sisyphus focuses on a king who was said to be deceitful and
spiteful in nature. He was supposedly

Albert Camus Thesis
Albert Camus was the brilliant and artistic writer who wrote The Stranger which was published in
1942. Because of Camus' creative way of writing, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957.
Camus used straightforward sentences to make Meursault's complicated lifestyle into a simple and
understanding character through his masterful and great technique of writing. The Stranger is about
a man named Meursault and how his behavior and relationship with his mother was used against him
during his trial for killing an Arab. Meursault's relationship with his mother is significant in the
Stranger because it portrays Meursault's distant relationship with his mom, his lack of respect to his
mother's death and his lack of emotions towards significant events in...show more content...
In addition, Meursault going to the beach to swim the day after Maman's death, starting up a dubois
affair and going to the movies to watch a comedy for laughs. The reader does this to inform the
reader about how someone's relationship to his or her mother or personal life business can be used
them in certain conditions. Meursault is not really charged with killing an arab but with "burying his
mother with crime in his heart"(Camus 96). The author uses simple sentences to explain the trial of
an existentialist.
Camus has written Meursault complicated lifestyle in a way that all readers are able to
understand the lifestyle of a person who believes in existentialism and also to tell the story of
Meursault in simple sentences. The detached and cold relationship between Meursault and Madame
Meursault ,lack of respect for his mother's death, Meursault' lack of grief during his mother's
funeral was used against him during his trial for killing arab in order to settle an affair of
unspeakable vice and therefore is executed for these

Essay on The Outsider by Albert Camus
The Outsider by Albert Camus BACKGROUND: 'In our society,' wrote Albert Camus, 'any man
who doesn't cry at his mother's funeral is liable to be condemned to death.' This may seem a
bewilderingly dramatic, almost self–indulgent sort of assertion, but it is one which Camus brought
to life in The Outsider, and to frankly devastating effect. The Outsider has become something of a
cult classic over the years, especially in undergraduate circles. It inspired The Cure's 'Killing an
Arab', a song which attracted a degree of controversy when it was (wrongly) assumed to advocate
racial violence. The Outsider itself has also been subject to an array of assumptions and
misconceptions, particularly with regards to its philosophical project. In my...show more content...
In practical terms, this amounted to the avoidance of what Sartre was to term 'Mauvaise foi', or Bad
Faith. Over–simplifications are unavoidable here, so to summarise; to live in Bad Faith is to exist
in a state of intellectual sloth and emotional dishonesty. It is to define oneself, not according to
one's own humanity, autonomy and free will, but according to a role (doctor, waiter, parent,
husband) or a collection of roles, or as an object with a prescribed role in the collective, societal
machine. CAMUS' philosophical position amounts to very much the same thing, but he places
particular emphasis upon the notion of the 'absurd'. He found his ultimate metaphor for the
absurdity of the human condition in the myth of Sisyphus, who, according to Greek mythology,
was punished by having to roll a stone up a mountain for all eternity, only to have it roll down to
the bottom again. Once God is escorted from the equation, human life is revealed in its full
absurdity. The only appropriate response to this is to recognise life for what it is, and to live
accordingly, with knowledge, passion and above all, freedom. The essence of this philosophical
project is discernible within the second part of The Outsider, but is presented with a simplicity and
literary restraint that renders its premise all the more forceful. It is a philosophical novel, but

Albert Camus' Philosophy in The Plague Essays
Albert Camus' Philosophy in The Plague
To know ourselves diseased is half our cure. – Alexander Pope
As the title clearly suggests, the novel The Plague is, indeed, a story of disease. On the surface, the
novel The Plague, may be an accounting of facts detailing the outbreak of bubonic plague in the
town of Oran. But on a deeper level, it is a novel that reveals awareness and acceptance of the limits
of human existence. And it is also a reminder of our absurd freedom and the choices we make in life,
especially when facing death.
In writing The Plague we are told that Camus "sought to convey [...] the feeling of suffocation from
which we all suffered and the atmosphere of threat and exile in which we lived" (Bree, 1964:128). He
...show more content...
Rieux speaks of his chronicle as a testimony. The confession takes us back directly to Camus's main
preoccupation: his need to rethink the fundamental problems of life" (Bree, 1964:129).
In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus considers the one fundamental problem of life to be the question
of suicide; he tells us that "one kills oneself because life is not worth living" (Camus, The Myth of
Sisyphus, p.8). In addition:
"Dying voluntarily implies that you have recognized, even instinctively, the ridiculous character of
that habit, the absence of any profound reason for living, the insane character of that daily agitation,
and the uselessness of suffering" (Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus pp. 5–6).
Although few of the characters in The Plague die voluntarily, Camus states in The Myth that "the
contrary of suicide, in fact, is the man condemned to death" (Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, p.55).
Interestingly, due to the outbreak of plague in the town of Oran, the characters in The Plague are
quarantined and, in a sense, "condemned to death." In the novel Camus describes, in great detail, the
"sleepy town" and its people who display the ridiculous characteristics he discusses in the above
passage; and as the novel progresses, Camus gives life to the absurd and to its consequences.
In the first pages of The Plague Rieux tells us "the truth is that everyone is bored, and [everyone]
devotes himself to cultivating habits" (The Plague, p.5). In The Myth Camus attempts to

Albert Camus' The Stranger
What if the past has no meaning and the only point in time of our life that really matters is that
point which is happening at present. To make matters worse, when life is over, the existence is also
over; the hope of some sort of salvation from a God is pointless. Albert Camus illustrates this exact
view in The Stranger. Camus feels that one exists only in the world physically and therefore the
presence or absence of meaning in one's life is alone revealed through that event which he or she is
experiencing at a particular moment. These thoughts are presented through Meursault, a man devoid
of concern for social conventions found in the world in which he lives, and who finds his life
deprived of physical...show more content...
It is his lack of concern for following normal social conventions that eventually hinders the
impression he makes on others.
Further evidence of Meursault's indifference is demonstrated when he meets with Marie at the
beach on the day following the funeral. Marie is a former co–worker "whom [he had] a thing for at
the time" (19). Keeping with character, the implication of that description is that he hadn't thought
about her since then, until now. The two end up spending a lot of time together, swimming, going to
the movies, and even sleeping together, but when asked if he loved her he recalls: "I told her that it
didn't mean anything, but that I didn't think so" (35). These words are somewhat surprising given
the relationship portrayed here. At the same time, it is important to realize that Meursault actually
does care for Marie––however the word used to express that feeling, in a sense, is practically
absent from his vocabulary. This notion becomes more evident with his reaction to the principle
of marriage, which he regards as basically insignificant: "...Marie came by to see me and asked me if
I wanted to marry her. I said it didn't make any difference and we could if she wanted to" (41).
On a related notion, when his boss offers Meursault the opportunity to further cultivate his life via
a transfer to Paris, Meursault simply doesn't want to go: "I said that people never change their lives,
that in any case one life was as good as

Albert Camus Quote Analysis
Camus' quote "Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies it implies ,society, even when
perfect, is but a jungle. This is why and authentic creation is a gift to the future."In society we as
humans set a standard for what we believe to be as the perfect person. This quote talks about how as
culture, that we have the freedom to pick what we want to go by or even somewhat change the
rules. Camus' quote also shows how culture is important in how it impacts the society allowing us
to grow and share new cultures. Most people strive to be unique and separate them selves from the
"norm." Culture provides the freedom for individuals to chose how to live their life. Culture,
weather your see it or not, is a huge part of the everyday

With the numerous philosophies that exist in this world, there are a multitude of topics covered in a
variety of ways. Author Albert Camus as an example embodies his absurdist philosophy through his
many works, most notably his novel The Stranger. Many critics have noticed this, like author Patrick
Moser, who states, "Thus, from the opening words, Camus projects his remarkable philosophy
through an unremarkable protagonist: since death is both arbitrary and inevitable, and since there is
nothing beyond death, life only has importance in the here and now, in the day to day activities that
make up our existence. Camus's simplistic narrative style, influenced by the journalistic tradition of
Hemingway and his own experience as a reporter, helps...show more content...
This can be seen in the duration of the novel, beginning with his mother's death, all the way up until
the trial, in which he is being tried for murder, and as a result, Camus' represents his own absurdist
philosophy. All throughout the novel, "Camus often hinted at an overriding sense of always being
an outsider in the world, no matter his location of circumstances" (Bloom 55). And so the importance
of the absurdist philosophy portrayed by Camus through Meursault, is very well represented by this
quote. The numerous examples spread throughout the book truly support the idea that Camus was
trying to reflect this philosophy in his work, even up to the title, which was previously explained. In
the end, Camus successfully accomplished his task of using isolationism to further promote
absurdism, all throughout the use of one character, Monsieur

The Contemporary Relevance of Albert Camus Essay
The Contemporary Relevance of Albert Camus
ABSTRACT: After 350 years of continual social transformations under the push of industrialization,
capitalism, world–wide social revolutions, and the development of modern science, what reasonably
remains of the traditional faith in divine transcendence and providential design except a deep–felt,
almost 'ontological' yearning for transcendence? Torn between outmoded religious traditions and an
ascendant secular world, the contemporary celebration of individuality only makes more poignant
the need for precisely that religious consolation that public life increasingly denies. People must now
confront the meaning of their lives without the assured aid of transcendent purpose and direction. The
...show more content...
The remarkable phenomena of fundamentalist religious revival in an age that makes its existence so
anachronistic is only thus made intelligible.
Central to this condition Albert Camus found the "death of god:" the realization, sometimes only
subliminally, that, in Nietzsche's words, the "Christian god has ceased to be believable," at least for
intelligent humans marked by the spirit of modernity. After 350 years of continual social
transformations under the push of industrialization, capitalism, world–wide social revolutions, and
the development of modern science, what reasonably remains of the traditional faith in divine
transcendence and providential design except a deep–felt, almost "ontological" yearning for
transcendent meaning?
Individuals must now confront the meaning of their lives without the assured aid of transcendent
purpose and direction, while the daily effort to make "both ends meet" condemns most to a life of
"repetition," a la Kierkegaard, under the rule of habit and social conformity. The more we struggle to
achieve individuality, the more desperate the effort to liberate ourself from the sway of social
conformity and ritual, and the more poignant our inevitable confrontation with death.
Westerners have come to need and expect life to have a meaning that transcends it, for which our
present experience no longer offers grounds. The resulting sense of absence profoundly marks the
contemporary

The Stranger By Albert Camus Essay
In the literary realm, violence is more than a means of capturing the reader's attention, but rather
violence can set an entire book's plot into motion. In order to fully understand how violence
contribute to the meaning of work as a whole, one must first understand the motives and nuances
surrounding the act or acts of violence. On many occasions, a single clear cut reason for violence
does not exist–the author deliberately leaves ambiguity so that the reader can contemplate the act
from many different angles. One novel in particular exemplifies this notion that scenes of violence
can hold perceptible ramifications while appearing to be senseless and to be without an
understandable meaning: The Stranger by Albert Camus. The novel is centralized around a single
act of unspeakable...show more content...
As the son of a Frenchman and a Spaniard living in North Africa, Camus witnessed firsthand the
social strife between the native Moors and the Pieds–Noirs which has led to numerous years of war
and bloodshed in Algeria. Did Camus intentionally make the victim Arabic due to his own racial
prejudice and had Meursault, an European immigrant, do something he wanted to do in real life
but could never? Although some scholars accuse Camus of being a closeted chauvinist since
Camus believed that Algeria would fall apart if left in the hands of the Moors. On the contrary, he
was an avid supporter Arab aspirations for political rights and did everything in his power to
resolve racial tensions and prevent civil war and therefore such accusations lack merit. Perhaps
Camus felt obligated to share the guilt for what his people had done to the native Algerians. Perhaps
Meursault represents all of the Pieds–Noirs that subjugated and despised the locals and the unlucky
Arab man represents Algeria's faceless Arab population that has been forced to endure unjustifiable

How Did Albert Camus Impact The World
Albert Camus was a renowned author and journalist; not only that, Camus' occupation was a
philosopher that profoundly contributed to absurdism. Camus was well known in the 1940s for
his political journalism, novels and essays. (Biography) With works such as The Plague and The
Stranger, Albert Camus impacted the world with his literature to an extend. Albert Camus
endured many hardships from his childhood life all the way to his adult life, but living a short life
he lived as a innovative mastermind. His works have left an everlasting impression on the literary
world, and were able to leave a spellbinding legacy. Albert Camus life began on November 7, 1913
in DrГ©an Algeria where he was born in poverty. His father died in combat in the Battle of
Marne, so his mother was the caretaker of Camus growing up. (Nova Online) Camus excelled in
school and was acknowledged by the University of Algiers earning him a scholarship. (Biography)
Albert Camus studied philosophy and also played for the soccer team as a goalie. In 1930, Albert
Camus was diagnosed with tuberculosis forcing him to quit the soccer team,...show more content...
(Nova Online) In 1957, Albert Camus was honored the nobel prize in literature "for his important
literary production which shedded light on the problems today facing the human
conscience."(nobelprize.org) Unfortunately, Albert Camus' journey came to an end on January 4,
1960 when at the age of 46 he died from a tragic car accident. (Noteable Biography) In the end,
Albert Camus was a prestigious author, journalist, and philosopher during 20th century. He was able
to create fascinating story from his creativity. From what he endured from his childhood to his adult
life he has been able to create a captivating legacy from his

Albert Camus Essay
artre and Beauvoir worked closely together, and laced ideas intertwine within their works; however,
there was another writer who, though a colleague of Sartre, brought his own views on
Existentialism. Albert Camus, a French writer like Beauvoir and Sartre, and one with a tangled
relationship with Sartre, created the the philosophy of the Absurd. In The Stranger, Camus displays
the Absurd and the indifference of life. In his later novel, The Fall, he discusses the guilt of all men,
not only in their actions, but in their inactions as well. The Fall was written three years before
Camus' death. In it, he explores guilt and innocence, and claims that all men are equally guilty of
something. This plays with the Post–War gloom of his time; and he...show more content...
Camus is judging society for their prejudice on everything. He was not a man of faith, and his
writing often refutes or questions faith. Camus believes that there is a fault in faith, and in those
who blindly follow it, for "God is not needed to create guilt or to punish. Our fellow men suffice,
aided by ourselves. You were speaking of the Last Judgement. Allow me to laugh respectfully. I
shall wait for it resolutely, for I have known what is worse, the judgement of men. For them, no
extenuating circumstances; even the good intention is ascribed to crime." (The Fall, Camus.) Camus
does not blame faith, but the belief in faith as a reliable source of justice. While everyone centers in
their microcosm of a fulfilled life, they remain inactive to stop the atrocities of others; in Camus'
eyes, that is just as bad as causing atrocities. And therefore everyone is guilty of something; men are
quick to punish in judgement, though only to satisfy their own microcosm of dealing out judgement,
fulfilling their essence as the

Albert Camus is considered one of the greatest existentialist writers of all time. However, although he
was considered an existentialist writer, Camus never labeled himself as an existentialist. "No, I am
not an existentialist" (Albert Camus: Lyrical and Critical Essays, Vintage (1970)) Camus rejected in
an 1945 interview, however in some of his literary works, some find that his writings are one of a
true existentialistic thinker. Although many contrast these thoughts and believe that Camus was
anything but a thinker of this philosophy, Camus is one of the main authors that people turn to
research and read to understand the thinking of existentialism. One of his most famous books, The
Plague, illustrates the need for a human to become an...show more content...
Camus, in his novel, The Plague, gives the reader a sense that he believes in and has total
confidence that man has the ability to fulfill himself, although denying to be an existentialist
himself. In this novel, Camus sets the story in Oran, Algeria, coincidently , where he grew up. He
describes the town as dull, boring, and soulless almost. " The town itself, let us admit, is ugly".
(Camus, p. 1) The author is showing us that there is nothing really special about Oran, or in
existentialist terms, the people don't make Oran special. Their only concern, or their only focus,
was conducting what they called "business"; nothing more. However, the main protagonist, Dr.
Rieux, was one of the few in his society to actually question, what is the true definition of life? He
seemed like he was the only one that realized that Oran was missing just this; life. He was curious
what was a person's or an individual's purpose in this dry town. When masses of dead rats were
lining the street, the public showed little curiosity with, of course, the exception of the doctor. As the
plague soon hit, the attitudes of the public had miniscule change. "Meanwhile they drank their beer,
nursed their sick, idled or doped themselves with work, filed documents in offices, or played the
phonograph at home without betraying any difference from the rest of us." (Camus, 184).
This shows the reader how powerless these people are. The power for them to chose and think for
themselves has

Analysis Of The Guest By Albert Camus
Sunil Shrestha
Professor Jared Westover
ENGL–1302–71001
1st November 2017
"The Guest"
The Algerian born French writer, Albert Camus wrote "The Guest" during the period of conflict in
French Colonized Algeria. Through the story, Camus tries to portray the issues raised by the
political situation in French North Africa. Specifically, the troubles, a man faces for his neutral
behavior of taking either side in the colonial conflict in Algeria. Further, the story emphasizes many
of Camus's most characteristic themes like individual alienation, absurdism, the value of human life,
responsibility, the difficulty of moral choice, and the ambiguity of actions. In this short story, Camus
uses symbolism, irony, foreshadowing and conflict to represent...show more content...
This shows how Daru followed his own notions rather than societal conventions, which is
existentialism. Even ......people do not have fixed natures that limit or determine their choices, but
rather it is their choices that bring whatever nature they have into being. (MacIntyre 500–510) As in
the story Daru shows his personal beliefs, his personal choice towards his every action that reflect
his existentialism.
There are several interpretations made for Daru's behavior. According to Laurence Perine, Daru....is
an employee of the French government, engaged in the responsible task of education. According to
Diana Festa–McCormick, he has betrayed his mission as teacher. Similarly, to some critics he is an
existential hero who "demonstrates a way of living and of being–with–others that stands in stark
contrast to the blood fury that has begun to overtake the country..., to other he is an agent of French
oppression who dramatizes "the essential ideological underpinnings of colonialism–racism and
ethnocentrism" ... (Muhlestein 223). These different views illustrate the absurdism seen in Daru,
how he was in constant conflict throughout the story and how his ambiguous and uncertain nature
lead him to act with an absurd confidence. Further, the emptiness and unpredictability of the land and
weather symbolize a universe indifferent to human needs which is absurdism. In the same way,
Daru, the protagonist of the story, being reluctant to either side, finds

Albert Camus Camus Research Paper
Over several years there has been a debate as to whether Camus's character Meursault is an
existentialist or an absurdist. He shows many characteristics of each. For example, Meursault relates
to an existentialist in the way of not believing in a higher power and that there is nothing after
physical existence. Additionally, Meursault also relates to an absurdist by believing that the world
will always be indifferent towards him. One could even argue that Meursault is both an existentialist
and an absurdist, because the absurdist personality was formed by the Europeans from the
existentialist personality. Albert Camus was the first one to show both of these personalities to
people. Camus tries to show readers that Meursault is not a normal. His view on the world is very
abnormal. Absurdism refers to humanity's need to look for meaning in life and inability to find
meaning. Meursault identifies with an absurdist by believing that the world is...show more content...
Meursault mostly relates to the existentialist personality. Yes, there are traits of both, but the fact
that he does not believe in a higher power pushes him more to the existentialist side. He faces
many different trials in his life and he still manages to see no meaning it. When he is imprisoned,
he only sleeps and withdraws completely. He is able accept his incarceration and not think twice
about it. Existentialist act upon their own will and not by what society norms. Usually when a
loved one dies, a person takes time to grieve, but Meursault did not take time to grieve. He went
back to his day to day life. He even went on a date with Marie very shortly after. Existentialist
believe that humans are responsible for their actions. In prison Meursault understands he is there
because he killed a man and not being able to smoke is just part of the consequences. The
characteristics from absurdism simply come from being an

Albert Camus
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" As one transitions from childhood into adulthood,
people often ask us what we want to be, what are our goals and aspirations, and what are we
currently doing to accomplish them. These questions are meant to give meaning to our existence
on Earth and sometimes that meaning gives way to a higher power and purpose. Some believe this
to be the existence that when one does good, they are rewarded for it. Some even believe that their
entire existence relies upon the acceptance of their higher being. There are those who do not share
these beliefs and infact think the opposite. Albert Camus is a well–known author who expresses
these values through his philosophy of absurd existentialism in the novel The Stranger...show more
content...
There is a belief within religions that one must commit to certain actions in order to service a higher
being or "God" for approval so that once the approval is met, they will live free as happy souls in
the afterlife. This ideology also floats around the concept that one lives their life in constant
servitude of other people's lives or the life of their higher being. The religious beliefs offer a given
meaning and purpose for why each individual was put on Earth and provides each individual a list
of orders to follow by. For example, a Christian father who works 9am– 5pm, Monday thru Friday,
does so for the higher purpose that he may be able to provide food, shelter, and education for not
his own children, but for God's children. There are those in the populations who do not service a
higher being and thus may find their lives meaningless without a set of orders to accomplish and
Camus's perception of these individual's lives is that there is the occurrence of absurdism. Camus'
theory of absurdism first stems from the ideologies of existentialism that seek to explain the
absence of any Gods and that everything that occurs in an individual's life is of their own making.
It explains that there is no universal hold or religious one that changes a person's life whether they
do good or bad for their communities and therefore, there truly is no meaning to life. People try to
give it meaning by stating rules to follow for a higher being, but as that being does not exist in terms
of existentialism, there is only meaningless of

"Albert Camus – Biographical." Nobelprize.org, Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes
/literature/laureates/1957/camus–bio.html.
From the Nobel Prize website itself, the passage describes briefly and clearly elaborates on Albert
Camus, mostly in the focus of his career, writing and otherwise his involvement in theatre. The main
purpose of this piece is to inform people who are interested in the Nobel Prize selection and in
Camus himself about him, providing a short synopsis on his background and his movement in his
career from political journalism to writing essays, stories, and furthermore novels. Growing up,
Camus expressed a deep interest to philosophy, which later prevailed in all of his publications as
well as his Algerian upbringing. Although his fascinations to the mind and thought were definitely
present, he was unable to attend university for philosophy; however, luck struck him when he was
able to begin working as a columnist and later dabbled in theatre. In many of his works, he utilized
the notion of absurdum and absence, seen heavily in The Myth of Sisyphus and further elaborated
upon in the main character of Meursault in The Stranger. By gathering the pieces that occurred in
Camus's life, it becomes clearer as to why he wrote the story the way it is and what it means, to him
and to others.
"Award Ceremony Speech: The Nobel Prize in Literature 1957." Nobelprize.org, Nobel Prize,
www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1957/press.html.
In this

Albert The Absurd Camus Essay
Albert The Absurd Camus
"Albert Camus is one of the most likeable and approachable of the mid–twentieth–century French
authors" (Brosman 10).This is quite a compliment for Camus, but most would agree. In France,
Albert is known for his many books, two which have made the French best–sellers list. His works are
often read and studied in French secondary–school class rooms, introducing a countless number of
students to his pieces each year. Camus also holds the high honor of receiving the Nobel Prize for
literature in 1957 (Boak 346). His wide popularity has made his name known in North America as
well. Just what is Albert Camus so popular for one might ask? The answer would be his approach to
his work– the underlying beliefs of...show more content...
Catherine was already illiterate and deaf when married to Lucien, but after hearing the news of her
late husband became even more withdrawn from the world. She took her two sons to live in
poverty with her mother and brother in the Belcourt, a division of Algiers ("Wikipedia" 1;
Cruickshank 1). Albert loved his mother very much, yet did not feel his love reciprocated. The early
years for Camus were lonely with the absence of his father and difficulty to communicate with his
mother.
As Albert grew older, he attended lycГ©e (term for secondary schooling in France) and the
University of Algiers. At the university, he found a love for the sport of soccer. Unfortunately, his
time as the team's goalie was forced to end when in 1930 he fell ill to tuberculosis, a battle he
would continually have to fight in his life (MacDonald 145). With this news, Camus turned to his
studies, developing his literary career. Camus was particularly inspired by one of his university
teachers, Jean Grenier. Jean was an advisor to Albert in his interest of literary and philosophical
ideas (Cruickshank 1). Camus considered following his teacher's footsteps and becoming a teacher;
however, this career faltered with another episode of tuberculosis, causing him to not qualify for the
position. He now turned his attention to a literary career.
Camus had many jobs as a writer. He worked for a political newspaper, where he could defend his
homeland Algeria, to which he had a strong

Albert Camus was a French Algerian novelist, playwright, moralist, philosopher, and Nobel
Laureate who had a rough childhood and transformed into a successful adult. Albert Camus was
born on November 7, 1913 in Mondovi Algeria (Robert de Luppe). He died in a car crash in January
4, 1960 in Burgundy France in an accidental car crash (biography.com). The car crashed near Sens
in a place named "Le Grand Frozzard" in Villeblevin. The crash was irononic because earlier in life
he said that the most absurd way to die would be in a car crash(Albert Camus Books– Biography and
Lists of Works). His publisher and friend also died in the crash; he was going to go for a train ride
with wife and two children but he decided to travel with his publisher instead....show more content...
All his works were influenced by his past and the people in his life that influenced him. Without
his teacher Louis Germain he may not have gotten the scholarship to High School and he would
not have been able to write all the stories he did. His book called The First Man is a story about
his childhood life living in Algeria. His childhood helped him create that story and all the other
stories he wrote. It made him think differently than other people which most likely helped him
understand the concepts he did. He had theories about people's moral sense to right and wrong,
what he calls "the Total Absence of Hope", and other different perspectives most people don't
even think about. Albert Camus didn't let his past define him he used his past to make his future
better. His rough past became his stories that made him successful. His past made him think
broader and different than others helping him understand concepts too developed for most and he
wrote books about those beliefs. These thoughts he had that he wrote novels about earned him a
Nobel Prize, and to this day he's the second youngest recipient. The books he wrote that seem
morbid but were not written for that purpose were written to show people yes everyone dies so
everyone needs to make life worth it. Don't focus on the hardships of life you'll get over them and
you just need to

Albert Camus Essay

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Albert Camus Essay