Blog 56

Meursault’s decision to kill the Arab was a life changing experience for him that Meursault blames on the physical discomfort he felt when he was approaching the Arab. However, it is not until the Arab draws out a knife that “I could feel the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead” (Camus 59) which causes Meursault to react and shoot the Arab. At first the reader is forced to believe that it was Meursault’s reaction to the sunlight that caused him to kill the Arab; however, Meursault’s reaction was done in self-defense and out of a fear for his life. Meursault’s emotional reflexes caused Meursault to justify his action of murder by allowing him to blame the sun for his actions even though he shot the Arab out of fear for his life. The deepest insight and maybe the only time Meursault’s true controller appears is right after he shoots the Arab four more times: “…it was knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness” (Camus 59). The fact that Meursault does not think about how he feels physically or what his physical reaction to shooting the Arab is, but instead thinks about how he has ruined the happiness he had, epitomizes that Meursault is actually being guided by his desire for happiness and emotions.

Blog 55 Camus Essay

While “The Stranger” refers to how the reader perceives Meursault, it also represents how Meursault views himself, as a stranger. Unlike the reader however, Meursault begins to discover himself after the defining moment of his life when he kills the Arab. As Meursault deals with the consequences of his actions, he goes through an enlightenment where he discoveries what he believes is his true identity and true happiness. The reader on the other hand is forced to except what Meursault believes because “The Stranger” is an inside look at Meursault’s thoughts. Through this inside look at Meursault’s brain, the reader interprets that all of Meursault’s actions are done out of his physical needs; however, it seems to be that what is truly taking place is that Meursault is being guided by his emotions but can only understand and process his physical emotions. Like Joffrey in “Game Of Thrones” Meursault is truly guided by his impulses. Whenever either character gets an impulse, each one seems to simply carry out that impulse without thinking about the consequences, however, in both cases it seems that it is first an emotional situation that drives a physical need to act. While Meursault may argue that he makes his decisions based on his physical needs, what Meursault fails to realize and interpret is that it is his emotional needs that are the ones guiding his actions and sending him instructions that Meursault translates as physical needs.

Blog 54, Consequences

In my essay I will analyze the beach seen in which Meursault kills the Arab. I will discuss how Meursault’s actions are actually guided by his feeling in that moment even though Meursault argues that he only does things because he physically wants to. Ill use Freud and other psychologists in order to dive into the mind of Meursault and see why he made the decision to kill the Arab and shoot him multiple times.

blog 53

In Lauren’s photo, there are two white washed windows and a man standing in a silhouette standing at a kitchen counter top. The man seems to be deep in thought because seems to be griping the countertop extremely hard signifying that he is not 100% present in the moment but instead is in the spiritual world thinking about something. Further more because the viewer cannot see out the window since the light shining in is very strong, instead the viewer is forced to think of their own scenario and decide his or herself what the man is thinking about. Lastly in my mind the white windows represent an explosions and this is the moment before the subjects death where he is frozen in time just watching the light come for him.

Blog 52: Romania 1975

There are two lovers sitting on a train or a bus. The woman is leaning on the man who is sitting next to her and both are asleep. The ring on the man’s finger suggests that he is married or will be married. The woman seems to trying to sleep because she is touching her eye but the man is fast asleep. The man is head locking the girl who is laying on his lap but in a protective way not one of danger.