In The Stranger, Camus gives us an
absurd hero in Meursault who loves life,
hates death, and scorns the gods. He also loves swimming, sex, sleeping,
eating, smoking, and going to the movies--all life affirming
activities. As such, Camus would rather his hero laugh at a movie rather
than cry at a funeral. Movies celebrate life; funerals celebrate only
death.
Merusault's mother dies Wednesday or Thursday. The
vigil is Friday, and Meursault meets Marie Saturday for a swim, movies, and sex (she
spends the night). Together, they see a comedy starring Fernandel, a French actor.
Marie notices Meursault's black tie, and she realizes that he is supposed to be in
"mourning." She thinks it's a bit odd that he would want to swim, go to a comedy, and
have sex so soon after his mother's death. Later, in Chapter 4, Meursault and Emmanuel
go to see two movies together during the work week
nights.
Movies are places where people come together to
view something as part of a cultural ritual. Movies are not Camus' targets.
Movies are used to juxtapose the other ritualistic places where people
gather to celebrate death: funerals, vigils, churches, courtrooms, and public executions
(all of the people in these places will judge and condemn Meursault later).
Movies are harmless compared to these institutions. These places are
the "gods" that Camus says his absurd heroes should
scorn.
Camus is using the act of going to a film to show
that Meursault is not affected by his mother's death. He can go to a funeral one day
and then see a comedy the next. He does not reject casual relationships the week after
the funeral. Is that so wrong? Camus thinks not.
To laugh
when one should cry may look like a contradiction of emotions, and it may look like
Meursault is a cold, apathetic person. Meursault rejects social expectations that limit
a person's freedom and love of life. Society expects him to wear black, look sad, and
refuse entertainment and casual dates. In effect, society expects Meursault to act like
he is dying.
Camus rejects this culture of death. Why
can't he go to the movies and see comedy? Why can't he go swimming? Why can't he have
sex that night? Who makes these silly cultural rules about the mourning
process?
At the end of the novel, Merusault, just before he
is to be executed, will say that no one has a right to cry over his mother's death.
Merusault loves life: the water, the sun, girls in bathing suits, funny movies,
sleeping, eating, drinking. All these acts are celebrations of life. Wearing a black
tie and locking oneself in an apartment all week only celebrates the culture of death
that Camus' absurdism wants us to escape.
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