What Ways Do Time And Place Matter English Literature Essay

The Outsider was written in 1942, where Camus situated the time of The Outsider during the late 1930s nearly the time “The Outsider” was written. Camus has set the setting of the novel in the city of Algiers. It’s a crowded city which makes Meursault feel dizzy “When I left they came to the door with me. I was in a bit of daze.” Another point also that, the street in which Meursault lived in is very much similar to the street where Camus grew up and lived. In addition to that, a motif used in The Outsider of the recurring event of watching and observations. We then notice that from Meursault’s Balcony he observes the actions and events going around the neighborhood “My room looks out onto the main street of the suburb” He even describes some figures in details while observing them dashing down the street. “Few people that were about were all in a hurry. First all it was families out for a walk, two little boys in sailor suits, with the trousers below their knees ” This describes how focused he was describing activities and passersby in the street in minute details.

2-What was easy it understand? and what was difficult? In relation to social and cultural issues and context.

I found it easy to understand, how Meursault reacted to the weather, friends, neighbors and at work. It was crystal clear how tired Meursault was while he was in the funeral of his mother as he described it shinny and that the weather was so hot “The sun was already high in the sky. It was beginning to weigh down heavily on the earth and it was rapidly getting hotter.” We next read the description of him being tired and fatigue ” I was hot under my dark clothes” “The sweat was running down my cheeks. I wasn’t wearing a hat, so I fanned myself with my handkerchief.” It’s easy here to understand that the day was hot and therefore Meursault was sweating and tired of walking. Another point also, is how he reacted with his friends, maintaining a good and close friendship with Raymond. AS we read through chapter Three we notice how Meursault listens to Raymond and becomes his friend to talk with. “He often talks to me and sometimes comes round for a minute or two because I listen to him. I find what he says interesting.”

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Yet throughout the novel we recognize many uncertain events that we keep asking ourselves questions about them. Does Meursault really love Marie? and if why doesn’t he have a certain answer whether “Yes” or “No” when she asks him do you want to marry me?. I find it really weird that Meursault loves Marie and it’s crystal clear how their relation is developing and is romantic, yet, he is not looking forward to marry her. “That evening, Marie came round for me and asked me if i wanted to marry her. I said i didn’t mind and we could do if she wanted to.” It’s really shocking how Meursault actually answered to that question after his love and feelings to her. We notice how they both meet together and spend such a romantic day that they even kiss each other. “Marie and I swan right out, moving together and feeling content together.” “I went behind her to her round the waist and she swam” “Towards the end of the show i kissed her” All there quotes describe to us how Meursault’s feelings moved towards Marie not the other way round. In other words, the actions were coming from Meursault’s side not from Marie. However, after all these descriptions we find that Meursault doesn’t care if he get to marry Marie or not. He even doesn’t think that its a serious matter to think about and decide. ” I explained to her that it really didn’t matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married.”

Not only that, but also i find it difficult to understand that the Algeria Society considered Meursault a nonconformist with norms of the society and they were planning to give him the death sentence mainly because he felt nothing on the death of his mother and not because he killed the Arab. Whether we cares about his mother or not, that’s something relating and coming back to Meursault. It’s his personal life and it’s his mother. They doesn’t have the right to punish him because his feelings towards his mother were not usual and that he went out with Marie and smoked a cigarette. Maybe, he was really upset and in a melancholic mood for his mother death, yet, his feelings were not out that he didn’t show it for everyone. Thus, he wanted to go out with Marie in order to refresh or get out of his misery moment. And whether or not he felt anything towards his mother, that’s something personal no one should get involved in the first place. Therefore, I am really shocked how the judge was viewing the case from the society point of view and ignored the law. He was taking the case as Meursault felt nothing towards his mother. However, to be honest i am astonished towards Meursault’s reactions and feelings on the day of the funeral, yet I cannot judge or say anything because this is a refused discussion to discuss why didn’t he cry or didn’t feel sad, because it all comes back to Meursault.

3- What connection did you find between issues in the work and your own culture and experiences?

I find some similarity in my culture. The main similarity lies in the fact that the Algerians were against Meursault as he is an atheist. Our society is very religious and we look down upon any person who does not believe in God or an atheist. That what my country Egypt holds, it’s a Muslim country with a percentage of Christianity. People here in Egypt Believe in God, yet, from different views or prospective. Where is differ whether you are a Muslim or a Christian. How over in my point of view, I don’t care whether the person i am talking to is an atheist, Muslim, Christian or Hinduism. Because that comes back to person himself, it’s his/her point of view and personal opinion to believe in God or not and which religion to follow.

Moreover, In Egypt if the mother dies, eventually the whole family will be crying and depressed. However, some say no, some in Egypt doesn’t cry over their mother’s death, but up to my knowledge i didn’t experience or observe any of my friends not crying over a relative or being heartbroken. Unlike Meursault’s reaction where it was described that he didn’t seem or show any signs of being sad over his mother’s death.

4- What aspects of literary techniques are interesting in the work?

I found really interesting how Camus was describing and expressing everything in the novel in minute details. He has the skill to draw that image in the readers’ imagination. From my own experience, i was impressed by the expressions used and vocabulary to describe the settings and character throughout the novel. “A suit with trousers that cork-screwed down onto his shoes and a black tie with a knot that was too small for the large white collar on his shirt. His lips were trembling beneath a nose pitted with black-heads”. Another phrase that i liked how Camus actually described the characters down the street is Few people that were about were all in a hurry. First all it was families out for a walk, two little boys in sailor suits, with the trousers below their knees “In my opinion, these quotes can literary draw that image in my mind now that I imitate in this picture as if I am there with the character and in the setting.