Meursault in the novel 'The Outsider' is an existentialist hero. He displays all of the characteristics of the existentialists such as a complete uncaring for society and its moral values or even his own life.
In the story Meursault kills a black Algerian man in a French economy simply because he is bored. In this time, the court and jury are completely racist so they are uncaring about the facts of the murder and are in fact quite prepared to let Meursault off. BUT he has to go through the normal social/moral conventions of being tried and then apologising (recognising) for his crime and saying that he didn't mean it. He is even told that he should use being upset at the recent death of his mother as an excuse.
He clearly refuses.
He doesn't care about the death of his mother, something that upsets the jury greatly. He doesm't care about what he did and he certainly isn't sorry. He believes that the universe does not care about life and death or his life or anyones so it doesn't really matter.
Needless to point out he is viewed as evil in our western society and convicted of his crime and is later sentenced to execution!
Mersault although unconventional is definately a prime example of existentialism. Existentialist (like I have said in a previous blog) believe in existence preceding essesnce. Meaning that, we re born just as we are, no moral constraints. No laws, nothing. So why should we live any other way. Existentialists live from moment to moment, where moral vaues always change depending on the sitution. Meursault lived moment to moment, and this particular moment he was so bored he was driven to kill someone.
A prime existentialist.
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Good blogging. But how can a loser win? Surely this breaks the law of non-contradiction. In any single instance one wither wins or loses. I am baffled.
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