Absurdism refers to the conflict between 1) the human tendency to seek inherent value and meaning in life and 2) the human inability to find any. Total certainty is impossible due to the vast realm of the unknown so efforts to find value and meaning in life will ultimately fail
Meursault comes to the realisation that life has no meaning and that the universe is indifferent
Dislikes others placing meaning on his life. Aumonier says he should ask for forgiveness but why? God does not exist
Others cannot understand that life has no meaning
Juge d'instruction: Voulez-vous...que ma vie n'ait pas de sens
Finite human existence
Meursault knows he must die but still rebels against it
p180-1: j'étais sûr...de ma vie et de cette mort qui allait venir
M accepts nothing outside of his own individual experience
Cannot subscribe to Christian view that death is a beginning - no one can know what happens after death and he is only certain of his own eventual death
Death is the only certainty. This realisation is key to M's character development
M concerned with age, decrepitude and death
Atmosphere of Asile
Appearance of people in asile - Perez
Old Salamano and scabby dog
M is fascinated by ugly side of life
No judgement, just interesting
Does it matter to him whether he dies at 30 or 70
He accepts that he has no importance beyond himself. He knows that death is inevitable
God does not exist
World and man's presence is not part of a divine plan
Man's existence is the result of haphazard coincidences
Therein lies M's refusal to commit to anything
Therefore refutes the Christianity of Aum and juge
Rien, rien n'avait d'importance et je savais bien pourquoi
What is criticised in their christianity?
Idea of a divine creator
Notion of guilt
Need for repentance, forgiveness and redemption
Existence of immortal soul
Promise of eternal life - hence need for forgiveness
Lack of meaning to life
There is no rational explanation for M's actions like killing Arab or marrying Marie
Society tries to impose reasons behind M's actions
These reasons are not grounded in fact
Way to refute the notion that life has no meaning
Trial is a way for society to impose a rational meaning on an irrational universe
Spectating and observing are part of humanity's efforts to find a greater meaning to life. Concentration on details tries to clarify a higher meaning