Death: The Real Mening Of Life

Death: The Real Meaning of Life

Monsieur Meursault’s life was characterized by the absurdity of life, absence of feelings, and emphasis on earthly and physical aspects rather than on celestial ones. He knew that death was the only certainty in the world. That is why it was useless to pay attention to feelings and the meaning of relationships. He showed no obligation to the people who werearound him. Instead, he was just waiting for his death. As a consequence, the society defined him as a monster and as a threat because his actions were unusual and unthinkable.
One of the principles reflected on Monsieur Meursault is that human beings are able to do whatever they want and make their own decisions freely. Meursault’s behavior was really peculiar since his actions and decisions did notdepend on a superior being or on the conventions established in the society. Life is absurd and meaningless, and God does not exist. There are not any possibilities to have an afterlife or go to heaven or hell. As a consequence, all individuals have the opportunity to act freely and without any imposition or value determined by religion or the society. In “The Stranger” Monsieur Meursaultmanifested this idea perfectly:
Just then another man who lives on my floor came in from the street. The general idea hereabouts is that he’s a pimp …One thing’s sure: He isn’t popular in our street. Still, he often has a word for me, and drops in sometimes for a short talk in my room, because I listen to him … I find what he says quite interesting. (p. 34)

The society imposes people to talk tospecific groups of people. However, Meursault acted freely and in an inconceivable way for the society. He did not care whether Raymond Sintés had a bad reputation or not in the neighborhood. He just talked to him because he desired to do it. Since he is a free man, he acts as he wants without taking into account the conventions followed by the society.
Meursault’s conduct reflects another principleestablished in Camus’s The Stranger. Camus insists that individuals are immersed in a silent universe so the questions they have will never be answered. He recognizes that human reasoning is so limited that it is impossible to understand the purpose of living. Nevertheless, the only certainty about this life is that a human being will die someday. Meursault’s actions in “The Stranger” show thisconcept:
In fact, I had no time to look, as the presiding judge had already started pronouncing a rigmarole to the effect that “in the name of French people” I was to be decapitated in some public place … I heard the Judge’s voice asking if I had anything more to say, After thinking for a moment, I answered “NO”. Then the policemen led me out. (p. 135)
Meursault thought that it was absurd andunnecessary to defend himself in the trial because he knew that he went through his life to die only. While he was waiting for his death, he lived in a specific manner and made determined decisions which helped them survive in the quiet universe: “… I’d passed my life in a certain way, and I might have passed it in a different way … That, all the time, I’d been waiting for this present moment, forthat dawn, tomorrow’s or another day’s, which was to justify me.” (p. 151) He gave no much importance to the experiences and people he met throughout his life. Instead, he lived as he wanted to and waited for the time to rest in peace recognizing that that is the reality all people will face sooner or later.
Finally, showing indifference towards the future and living the present is a principlereflected in Monsieur Meursault’s conduct. Camus points out that life means “nothing else for the moment but indifference to the future and a desire to use up everything that is given.” (p. 151). In “The Stranger”, Meursault demonstrated this idea as follows: “When I made no comment, he asked me if I’d like us to be pals. I replied that I had no objection, and that appeared to satisfy him.” (p. 36)...