The Outsider
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“A long time ago, I summed up The Outsider in a sentence I realise is extremely paradoxical: `In our society any man who doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral is liable to be condemned to death.’ I simply meant that the hero of the book is condemned because he doesn’t play the game. In this sense, he is an outsider to the society in which he lives, wandering on the fringe, on the outskirts of life, solitary and sensual. And for that reason, some readers have been tempted to regard him as a reject. But to get a more accurate picture of his character, or rather one which conforms more closely to his author’s intentions, you must ask yourself in what way Meursault doesn’t play the game. The answer is simple: he refuses to lie. Lying is not saying what isn’t true. It is also, in fact, especially saying more than is true and, in case of the human heart, saying more than one feels. We all do it, every day, to make life simpler. But, contrary to appearances, Meursault doesn’t want to make life simpler. He says what he is, he refuses to hide his feelings and society immediately feels threatened. For example, he is asked to say that he regrets his crime, in time-honoured fashion. He replies that he feels more annoyance about it than true regret. And it is this nuance that condemns him.
So for me Meursault is not a reject, but a poor and naked man, in love with a sun which leaves no shadows. Far from lacking all sensibility, he is driven by a tenacious and therefore profound passion, the passion for an absolute and for truth. The truth is as yet a negative one, a truth born of living and feeling, but without which no triumph over the self or over the world will ever be possible."
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This is part of afterword Albert Camus wrote for his novel, “The Outsider”.
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@aag wrote:
i feel Albert Camus is outsider to earth, seems a alien rejected by his planet
or his mind is outsider of his body
Thanks for the post. I am hearing about the novel for the first time and am interested.
There are 4 different translators, Which translation did you read?
jlnithwf wrote:
Thanks for the post. I am hearing about the novel for the first time and am interested.
There are 4 different translators, Which translation did you read?
Just bought this: http://www.uread.com/book/outsider-albert-camus...
Opened the book and it went to afterword page straightaway. Have not the read the story yet.
The afterword stands as a separate philosophical piece in itself.
Ok, Will check around and see which translation people are recommending
jlnithwf wrote:
Ok, Will check around and see which translation people are recommending
Doesn’t matter much. It’s French to English. I don’t think there will be much of a difference. Anyway it’s always good to do some research.
who refuses to pretend ?
its very easy, in abundance, just see some fb profiles….. show off !
@ jlnithwf
Finished the book. I’ve only one thing to say: Read it.
The translator is Joseph Laredo here. Very lucid.
Thanks again for the recommendation . I am going to start reading it.
I could only find translations by Matthew Ward and Stuart Gilbert.
Links to those two translations:
i feel Albert Camus is outsider to earth, seems a alien rejected by his planet
or his mind is outsider of his body