Meursault is a stranger among other people because he is so isolated from them-mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and, by the end of the text, physically (he's imprisoned). German phenomenology was flowing into France. Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky had remained significant in thought since the turn of the century. This is based on the word 'foreigner,' but the same thing applies to the title The Stranger. The Stranger Study Guide Camus was influenced by a diverse collection of foreign authors and philosophies in the 1930s. We know this guy is detachment personified, so it's easy to argue that he's a foreigner to society, to common, human customs-he's an 'outsider' (yet another possible translation for the title, by the way). More likely, Meursault is a metaphorical foreigner. What is the significance of the setting in The Outsider, a.k.a. In some senses, yes, this makes him a foreigner to the land, but the text establishes that in fact his family has lived there for several generations-in a colonialist capacity, yes, but they've still been around. In Albert Camus's The Stranger, what is Meursault actually on trial for, his actions or his eccentric character.

Our main character, Meursault, is a French man living in French Algiers. Translations aside, it's more fun to argue semantics.

It has baffled and troubled readers of all ages for decades as they try to contend with Meursault's approach to life, emotions, and consequences. 'L'Étranger' could have easily been translated as 'The Foreigner' instead of as 'The Stranger,' and actually is in some cases. The Stranger by Albert Camus Book Analysis The Stranger Published in 1942, The Stranger is Camus' most enduring literary achievement. Here's where things get tricky-in the translation. Let's start with: 'What is the title?' In case you didn't know, Camus was French so he wrote The Stranger in French, and, because it seemed appropriate, gave it a French title: L'Étranger. We're not just dealing with Meursault being a total weirdo we're dealing with translation, colonialism, and existential angst.

Before you start humming The Doors' 'People Are Strange,' hold up.

The stranger the outsider albert camus