Albert Camus: L'Étranger (Camus: The Stranger)

Learning ObjectivesAnalyze the themes of the absurd and alienation in L'Étranger (The Stranger) [lay-trahn-ZHAY].Describe the character of Meursault and his relationship with society.Use indirect speech, or le discours indirect (indirect speech) [luh dees-KOOR an-dee-REKT], to report events from the novel.Express hypotheses about the novel using the past conditional tense, or le conditionnel passé (past conditional) [luh kohn-dee-syoh-NEL pa-SAY].Imagine a day where you watch the world go by without feeling any strong emotions. 🤔 Events happen, but you feel like a spectator, a stranger in your own life. This is the feeling that Meursault, the main character of the famous novel by Albert Camus, lives with. Get ready to explore a world where society's usual logic doesn't make sense anymore....

TermMeaning in the Context of the NovelExampleL'absurde (The absurd) [lab-SURD]The conflict between the human search for meaning and the inability to find any in a silent, indifferent universe.The fact that Meursault is condemned not for his crime, but for his indifference, illustrates the absurdity of human justice.L'aliénation (Alienation) [la-lyeh-na-SYOHN]The feeling of being separate, a stranger to society, to others, and even to oneself.Meursault feels a deep alienation; he observes social rituals (like a funeral) without understanding or emotionally participating in them.L'indifférence (Indifference) [lan-dee-fay-RAHNS]The lack of emotion, interest, or concern in the face of events.His indifference is clear when he says: « Maman est morte aujourd'hui. Ou peut-être hier, je ne sais p...

1. Indirect Speech (Le Discours Indirect [luh dees-KOOR an-dee-REKT]) for Reporting FactsTo analyze a novel, we often have to report what the characters say or think. Indirect speech is essential for this. It involves changes in verb tenses and pronouns.Rule: When we switch from direct speech to indirect speech, the present tense often becomes the imperfect tense.Direct Example: Meursault says: « Je n'ai pas de regrets. » (I have no regrets.) [zhuh nay pah duh ruh-GRAY].Indirect Example: The narrator reports that Meursault said he had no regrets.2. The Past Conditional (Le Conditionnel Passé [luh kohn-dee-syoh-NEL pa-SAY]) for HypothesesTo discuss what could have happened differently in the story, we use the past conditional (auxiliary verb in the present conditional + past participle).Rul...