The Stranger, Albert Camus | Themes of Existentialism

The Stranger, Albert Camus | Themes of Existentialism Existentialism is often defined as a philosophical movement or tendency, emphasizing individual existence, freedom and choice. As a result of the diversity of positions associated with this term it is impossible to define precisely. As is evident through the root of the word, exist, there is a stress on definite individual existence and freedom of choice. Certain aspects of existentialism are witnessed in The Stranger. Existentialists attempt to direct our attention to ourselves as individuals. They force us to think about our relation to such topics as the existence and nature of God, what it is to be Christian, the nature of values, and the fact of ones own death. Man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. In other words, first you exist, and then the individual emerges as life decisions are made. Many existentialists believe the greatest victory of the individual is to realize the absurdity of life and to accept it. Existentialism is liberating for those of us who do not rely on fate, God, or chance to guide us through the path of life. One aspect that is questionable is our ability to continuously reinvent ourselves through our actions. While this is possible, the majorities of people stick to old ways of doing things, or follow others blindly. Despite encompassing a staggering range of philosophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple. Mankind has free will. Life is a series of choices. Few decisions are without any negative consequences. Some things are irrational or absurd, without explanation. If one makes a decision, he or she must follow through. The decisions you make are whom you are, so decide accordingly. In The Stranger Meursault embodies all of the six existential themes. The first existential theme is freedo m. Freedom means that whatever happened prior to now do not influence what your next choice in life will be, we are free to make any choice we want. Meursault displays Freedom by just doing as he wishes to do. In part one of the novel Maman dies so he attends the funeral, nothing out of the ordinary. While attending his mothers funeral, Meursault decides to smoke cigarettes, drink a cup of coffee, and he fails to show emotion. This just shows how Meursault is displaying his free will; he does not let the influence of his mother dying effect what he wants to do. The second and the third themes Meursault displays together. These themes are existence which is the awareness of our choices, and passion which are psychological feelings that we understand before thinking kicks in. Meursault displays both of these themes at the end of the novel. Meursault wants his life to be here and now, he is not concerned with the hereafter. Meursault wants the remembrance of his life. Through this thinking Meursault displays Existence and Passion. The fourth theme is contingency. It basically says that life is unpredictable, prone to chance happenin gs, also to the unexpected. Meursault displays this theme at the very end of part one of the novel. Meursault is so content with walking back down to the spring unaware that he is going to end up destroying his happiness by shooting the Arab. This is a very unpredictable event because Meursault is just so happy and content with the sun shining on him, then all of a sudden something unexpected happens and his happiness is gone. I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where Id been happy. The fifth theme is individuality. An individual is a single unique member of a collectivity. Meursault lives out his individuality. The strongest display of individuality is at the very end of the novel when Meursault wants a large crowd of people to witness his death, and he also wants them to greet him with cries, but those of hate. I had only wished that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate. By being hated Meursault retains his individuality. If Meursault goes out there begging for forgiveness he would just become a member of a collectivity. The final theme is reflection. It refers to the capacity to bring that which we are unaware of into awareness. Meursault leads a pre-reflective life. He goes through his daily events and is so absorbed in each moment that he never reflects on them. Meursault does this until he looks at a reflection of himself for the first time in prison. Meursault looking at himself shows his transition from pre-reflective to reflective. He begins to become aware of what he was unaware of. The main theme in The Stranger is that life is absurd. Reason is incapable of explaining human nature. Meursaults absurd beliefs are that life is meaningless and without purpose. The meaninglessness implies absence of any obvious meaning to our life. This cannot be explained, because no one can explain someone elses sense of meaning or meaninglessness towards life . Camus The Stranger presents the character of Meursault who, after killing an Arab, is sentenced to death. This conflict portrays the stark contrast between the morals of society and Meursaults evident lack of them; he is condemned to death, less for the Arabs murder, than for refusing to conform to societys standards. The discussion of Meursaults responsibility takes place at the end of the novel. Meursaults execution symbolically brings forth emotion, as Meursault confronts his nothingness and the impossibility of justifying the immoral choices he has made, he realizes the pure contingency of his life, and that he has voided, in essence, his own existence by failing to accept the risk and responsibility that the personal freedom of an existentialist reality entails. Meursault never really takes responsibility for his actions, all Meursault does is wish that his life could go back to the way it used to be. Meursault is an anomaly in society; he cannot relate directly to others bec ause he does not live as they do. He cannot abide by the same moral confines as the rest of the world because he does not grasp them; he is largely indifferent to events occurring around him. Meursaults entire being is unemotional. He derives a certain level of pleasure from eating and drinking, smoking cigarettes, sitting on his balcony. Yet all these things are tactile; Meursault derives physical satisfaction from them, but there is no emotion attached. This is in direct contrast to society, whose strict guidelines focusing on right and wrong depend on an individuals sense of these concepts. Meursault is perfectly capable of analyzing the situation, but not of responding to it as society wishes him to. Life or death, and anything in between, makes no difference to him. Meursault sees the outcome as inevitable. He cannot perceive any right or wrong in killing the Arab. The action in itself was not out of deep hatred for the man but, as he reveals at the trial, because of the sun. The sun at the beach, similar to the sun at his mothers funeral, was beating down on him. The sun represents Meursault emotions, which he cannot deal with. Likewise, he cannot deal with the intense heat, the light reflected off the Arabs knife which seems to stab at him. Meursaults senses are being overwhelmed, and the only way to handle the situation is to end it so he fires the gun. The death of the Arab in itself is not crucial to Meursaults fate. Meursaults true undoing comes from his lack of emotion. At the beginning of the novel, Meursault sits at his mothers funeral, quietly analyzing det ails of the scene. The onlookers present do not understand him; in fact, they are afraid of him. The prosecutor says, I look into a mans face and all I see is a monster. What Meursault has realized, by the end of the book, is that any meaning he finds in life he must create. Meursault is the absurdist, explaining the philosophy of existentialism: Mans isolation among an indifferent universe. There is no inherent meaning in life its entire value lies in living itself. Meursault feels he has been happy, and longs to live. When he must die, he wants a crowd to greet him with cries of hate; they are screaming because they want life and the world to have meaning; they need this because that is what their entire existence is built upon. As the magistrate asked of Meursault, Do you want my life to be meaningless? Meursault understands how estranged the individual truly is from society. Until the conclusion, he was a stranger to himself as well as to the rest of the world. In the end, he o pens himself to the gentle indifference of the world, and finding it so much like myself, he feels he has been happy, and is again. Society finds this unacceptable, and by refusing to conform to its face-value standards, Meursault must die. Albert Camus believed that to be a true existentialist you had to remove yourself from society as much as possible since a belief in the foundation of government was to conform. Conforming to society norms is considered bad, it doesnt allow the individual to progress and reach his own decisions Camus realized, however, that restricting himself from all social conformity was impossible. Camus depicts a man with very little emotion. Once in a while he shows a bit of heart, but for the most part, he gives a robotic appearance. The character expresses no feeling about anything except that light is a sign of evil or annoyance, while the dark becomes a place of calm and seriousness. In society, the common idea is that light is good and evil grows in the darkest of places, but in Albert Camus novel, evil is good and the light is bad. In The Stranger, Albert Camus uses Mersault and his experiences to convey the philosophy that man is full of anxiety and despair with no meaning in his life ex cept for simple existence. The concept of existentialism is reflected through Mersaults experiences with his mothers death, his relationship with Marie, the killing of the Arab, and his own trial and execution. Camus uses the death of Mersaults mother to convey his existentialistic philosophy. He seems more concerned about the time of death, and not the fact that he just lost a loved one. It also conveys the existentialist idea that reason is powerless to the idea with the depths of human life. Furthermore, Mersault shows no compassion at his mothers funeral either. He does not cry or behave the way that society expects him to. This leaves the impression that Mersault is insensitive, or that he did not love his mother. As an existentialist, he accepts life as it is without seeking deeper meaning. Mersaults murder of the Arab is another example of existentialism. The absurdity of the murder is what makes it a good portrayal of the concept of existentialism. This part of the novel sho ws how Mersault is not only a stranger to his experiences in life, but also to nature. For the first time, the sun and his sensual pleasures begin to act against him, and cause him to lose control. Most of Mersaults actions have no true conscious motives. Mersault shoots the Arab because of his physical discomfort with his surroundings, but in any case he consciously makes the decision to shoot the Arab. When he is taken into police custody and is asked if he would need an attorney, he is genuinely confused. It is simple to him: he murdered a man and is now ready to face the consequences. The second half of the book begins after Meursault is put in jail and is awaiting his trial. Rather than being on trial for the crime, he is on trial for his values, like the lack of grievance of his mothers death. Meursault is found guilty and he is convicted and sentenced because of his lack of moral feeling. While awaiting his execution, he thinks about how his life has no meaning besides just living and how death does not scare him. He realizes that life is meaningless and the world is irrational. This suddenly makes him happy and he accepts his death. There are numerous meanings to the title, The Stranger, one is that if you live a life different than what society accepts, then you are a stranger; an outcast, and will be punished by the rest of society. In other words, the title means that Meursault is a stranger to society. Nothing discussed in the trial had anything to do with the murder. It was all about the way he acted and how different he was. This was used to prove that p eople who are different are judged by their character over their actions. Also, most of the society was Christian in the book and held Christian values. They believed in an afterlife and a heaven while Meursault did not, since he was an atheist. Since society does not understand him, they cannot know him and therefore hes a stranger. Another meaning of the title is that he is also a stranger to himself. He did not make any personal connections to the things he has done, only indifferent observations. He seemed unaffected by his mothers death, the killing of the Arab, and his trial. Being a stranger to himself leads to the final meaning, which is a stranger to life. At the end of the novel Meursault is able to understand the meaning of life. He was able to do so because he was approaching death, which is an existentialist principle; death is the one certainty of life. Before, when his mother died or when he killed the Arab, he did not have any feelings. When he thought about his own life and that he was about to die, he accepted it. He realizes that one can truly enjoy their lives when they approach and accept death. The understanding of this allowed Meursault to be at peace with himself. Albert Camuss philosophy in the novel can be related to the philosophy of existentialism, which stresses that the individual is solely responsible for the choices they make, there is no predetermination and there is no supreme being who decides morality. This philosophy is extended with the philosophy of the absurd, which states that human beings live an essential isolation in a meaningless and irrational world and people being able to accept that everything cannot be controlled in your environment, which is how Meursault live his life. In existentialism, you believe that there are some things that cannot be rationally explained and just happen out of your control. The Stranger was an unusually good book, which made me think. A majority of the book made me feel like the rest o f society, which was not accepting Meursaults behavior. However, the ending changed all of that and further analyzing gave me the real reasons for his actions. When I started reading the book for the first time I jumped in right away and didnt want to close it because I never read anything like it. I had to go back a few times to re-read it to understand it better and every time I re-read it, I got a different message. Meursault was an interesting character to read about. His ideas and beliefs seem wrong but are very right. I was able to understand what Albert Camus was trying to say with his philosophy. In fact, I have never heard of existentialism or absurd philosophy until I researched the author to see what he wanted to tell us. Meursault is able to accept the fact that everyone dies and realizing this allows you to live a better life. He lives a life that he controls and accepts all his actions that he does. I cant say that I understand everything about him, like how he uses Marie for sexual reasons even if she tells him her love and commitment to him. Nonetheless, this character had the most interesting conflicts that kept me reading. I do feel, however, that the second part dragged on and got a bit dull. The first half of the book was filled with action and there were no direct reasons given for certain actions. In the second half, it is mainly of his self-realization about society and life, which I feel, could have been approached another way by the author, like being shortened. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thinking after reading a book or even coming to his or her own realization like Meursault. Work Cited Andrew Irvine, Basic Themes of existentialism, http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/wphil/lectures/wphil_theme20.htm Crowell, Steven, Existentialism, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2010/entries/existentialism/ Existentialism Philosophy: Discussion of Existentialist Quotes, Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Existentialism.htm/ New World Encyclopedia, Existentialism http://HYPERLINK http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Existentialism/www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/HYPERLINK http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Existentialism/Existentialism/ Solomon, Robert C. Wyatt, C. S. (1999). Existentialists: a primer to existentialism http://www.tameri.com/csw/exist/exist.html

“Finding Nemo” Introduction to Film Essay

‘Finding Nemo’ (2003) was written and directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich. This is a computer animated movie that takes you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia’s: Great Barrier Reef. That is an amazing story between a bond for a parent and child. In the movie the father fish Marlin a clown fish voiced by Albert Brooks loses his wife Coral and 499 of their 500 children to a hungry barracuda fish. Marlin then becomes an over protected father to his one short fin remaining son also a clown fish Nemo that is voiced by Alexander Gould. However, Nemo gets annoyed by his father’s over protected ways and rebels and swims past the drop-off of the coral reef to touch a boat. Although Nemo touches the boat Nemo gets swept up by a scuba diver dentist from Sydney Australia on his way back to his father Marlin. In this animated movie the directors then goes to tell an amazing story of adventure, determination and the love of a father while Marlin takes on the big bad sea to find his son all while his son takes on an adventure of his own to find his father. There is no wonder why this was an Oscar winning movie and even ten years later this is still amazing families everywhere. As a mother of a five year old ‘Finding Nemo’ came out before my son was born but that has not stopped my son from watching it over and over again. This is one classic movie that Pixar decided to re –release this movie in 3D in 2012 nine years after it was released originally. In Marlin’s adventures to find Nemo he encounters Dory voiced by Ellen DeGeneres which is a regal blue tang fish that suffers from short term memory loss. Marlin and Dory then grow a great friendship as they battle all the unknowns of the barring sea. They friend both scary and nice creatures such as: sharks, whales, jelly fish, sea turtles, pelicans and much more all in their pursuit to find Nemo. All the while Nemo finds himself in a dentist office fish tank. Nemo just as egger to get back to his dad Marlin, Nemo befriends the other fish in the tank to help him try to escape. They come up with different ideas both good and bad to help Nemo try to get to his dad. After both Marlin and Nemo go through all the trials and tribulations of trying to find one another the movie then ends by Nemo’s last attempt to play dead to be taken out of the fish bowl to be flushed down the toilet which enters a pipe that lands him in the ocean once and for all and where he gets reunited with his dad and new friend Dory. At the end of the movie it shows Nemo’s dad Marlin and Dory dropping Nemo back off to school to go out and learn yet this time both Marlin and Nemo are much more relaxed and ok with Nemo starting school. Where the director then shows that the dad is finally letting Nemo be a kid and give him some independents. He shows that Nemo is finally understands his dad’s worries from the beginning. This movie is a one of a kind and will always be part of my family as well as others. This is the one movie my son always wants to watch when he is sick and makes him feel better and he loves every moment of it. Pixar has stated that all ch aracters are signed up to star in Finding Nemo 2 and will be released in 2016. ‘Finding Nemo’s ‘â€Å"director /writer Andrew Stanton’s riveting story, filled with good humor, wrenching emotions, charming characters and a gently place message about the bond between parents and children.† (Salt Lake Tribune). I think the director nailed this one on the nose. This movie to parents is a tear jerker and to a child they see how much parents will go thought to save them from anything good and bad. This movie is such like a cartoon for kids but at the same time this is a computer animated movie that both kids and adults love this movie. The director put just enough adult humor in the movie that kids loves it just as much as the adult. ‘Finding Nemo’ to me as well as many other is such an epic movie to see and feel what each characters feels at that moment. The music and pictures flows with the movie and is just brilliant. The colors of the movie are vibrant and show the breath taking version of the ocean. The characters that are in the movie where once scary such as sharks but the vision of the director shows there is a good and a bad side to these once vicious creatures. As one cite explains ‘Finding Nemo’ is perfect it â€Å"will forever be a Disney-Pixar favorite. It’s hard to resist its brilliant storytelling, clever dialogue and unique characters.† (Veneziani). In conclusion, most people think that â€Å"Animated films are often dismissed as children’s entertainment† (Goodkootz & Jacobs). This film once consider great for all ages. ‘Finding Nemo’ once was and still is ten years later a figment in many homes as well as children location such as hospitals, dentist offices and schools. This is a great film for kids to learn the great meaning of parents. People have come up with great line such as Abraham Lincoln with saying â€Å"this too shall pass.† However, Dory in the movie said it better with â€Å"just keep swimming.† References Johnson, C. (2010, July 26). We Love Pixar: What I Learned From ‘Finding Nemo’. Breitbart. Retrieved from http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2010/07/26/We-Love-Pixar–What-I-Learned-From-Finding-Nemo Means, S. P. (2012, September 12). Movie Review: â€Å"Finding Nemo’ still a great fish story. Salt Lake Tribune [Salt Lake], p. 1. Veneziani, L. (2012, September 14). ‘Finding Nemo 3D’ Review: Pixar Gem Still Astounds With or Without Glasses. Breitbart. Retrieved from http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/09/13/Finding-Nemo-3D-Review-Pixar-s-Classic-Still-Looks-Amazing Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Important Solutions to Veterans Day Essay Topics in Easy to Follow Step by Step Detail

Important Solutions to Veterans Day Essay Topics in Easy to Follow Step by Step Detail The Basics of Veterans Day Essay Topics When preparing for holidays like Thanksgiving, you can get other fun foods, like gourds and pumpkins for decoration. One of the absolute most essential things at Halloween is the costumes. Whether you're celebrating religious or non-religious holidays, there are lots of ways which you can prepare for these distinctive days on the calendar. In the united states, Veterans Day celebration is mostly related to parades, church services, and several different functions. Finding Veterans Day Essay Topics on the Web We've soared to turned into one of the strongest countries on earth. There's no any country on the planet which does not have any flag. They've sacrificed their life simply to save their nation. They've cared so deeply about our lives, freedoms, and the liberty of the country they were eager to die for all of us. Conflicted areas on earth have zero right to have the flag. Disputes between students may also be serious. Disputes between countries can cause war. Veterans are those persons who have served as a way to honor and safeguard their nation. Veterans Day is meant to honor the sacrifices they have made to help retain the liberty of American citizens something that lots of us take for granted. It is one of the most important celebrations for the people of America. It is one of the most important celebrations that we celebrate every year. Things You Should Know About Veterans Day Essay Topics Ronald Reagan Some people today live a whole lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference on the planet, but the Marines don't have that issue. They might think about why they have to honor veterans, even if they have never seen a war. In earlier times only men were permitted to serve in the military. John F. Kennedy (JFK) A young man who doesn't have what is necessary to carry out military service is unlikely to have what it requires to generate a living. Programs make time to construct, and it's simple to wonder if they're worth the investment. Then have students color the remainder of the flag. Parents and kids, for example, have very different viewpoints. Getting the Best Veterans Day Essay Topics Usually, car deals are typical on national holidays and they serve as opportunities to save bucks and purchase your dream car at the very same moment. Therefore, an automobile allowance will act as a good way to set your money towards the most suitable vehicle. If you would like to obtain a brand-new vehicle, you can elect for 2019 Kia Optima. Utilize Automobile Grant If you just happen to be a Veteran or a Servicemen who's still on active duty, you're going to be qualified for a one-time automobile grant. Some folks live a whole lifetime and wonder if they've ever made a difference in the Earth, but the Marines don't have that issue. They would thin k that the vets were heroes while others would think that they're only regular people who just went to war. The bulk of individuals are very thankful and appreciative of veterans, as everyone should be. As a woman, you've risked more than most individuals could ever know or realize. A veteran's glory isn't appreciated by most of the American individuals, since they do not understand all of the heartache and pain that accompanies the job. They served till the previous breath. We've learned from lots of people and things. The only thing we are able to do is to provide honour and a few of our precious time to celebrate a unique day for honouring them. You are able to also writing long length essays with the assistance of this example given here. RePEc working paper series specializing in the work industry. You may also go with the instant writing assistance from professionals in the shape of emergency essay writing help. As soon as you save an individual variant of the template, just add, eliminate, or alter any info for this document, and you're going to get the new job. It's not possible to set a price on that. Timing buying your next car will help save you a good deal of work spent in negotiation and also, a substantial number of dollars. You should go 1 step ahead and take advantage of the auto deals in the marketplace. As you enjoy your holidays, it's also a wonderful time to explore new offerings and deals on several automobiles.

Census Offers Statistics on Older Americans

On July 1, 2004, 12 percent of all Americans were 65 years of age and over. By 2050, people 65 and over will comprise an impressive 21 percent of the U.S. population, reports the U.S. Census Bureau. Every year since May 1963, Older Americans Month has been honored with a presidential proclamation. Last year, President George W.  Bush said, â€Å"Older Americans help others to understand the past, and they teach timeless lessons of courage, endurance and love. Through their legacy of patriotism, service, and responsibility, Americas seniors also unite families and communities and serve as role models for younger generations.† In observance of Older Americans Month 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau has compiled some revealing statistics about Americas aging population. Population 36.3 million -- The number of people 65 and over in the U.S. on July 1, 2004. This age group accounts for 12 percent of the total U.S. population. Between 2003 and 2004, 351,000 people moved into this age group.86.7 million -- Projected number of people 65 and over in the year 2050. People in this age group would comprise 21 percent of Americas total population at that time.147% -- Projected percentage increase in the 65-and-over population between 2000 and 2050. By comparison, the population as a whole would have increased by only 49 percent over the same period. Jobs 4.6 million -- Number of people age 65 and over who are still employed. This amounts to 13 percent of all people in this age group. Education 77%- Proportion of people ages 65 to 69 who graduated from high school. Seventy-three percent of people ages 70 to 74 and 68 percent of those 75 and over are also high school graduates.20% -- Percentage of the population ages 65 to 69 who have a bachelors degree or higher education. Among people ages 70 to 74, 19 percent have achieved this level of education; for those 75 and over, 15 percent are college graduates.73,000 -- Number of people 65 and over enrolled in college in October 2002.The Census Bureau has also reported that a college degree greatly increases a persons lifetime earnings, with persons holding masters degrees typically earning $1.3 million over their lifetimes than those with high school diplomas only. On a yearly basis, a college degree typically at least doubles a persons average annual earnings.   Income and Wealth $108,885-- Median net worth in 2000 of households with householders 65 and over. In contrast, householders under the age of 35 had a median household net worth of $7,240.$23,787 -- Median 2003 income of households with householders 65 and over, statistically unchanged, in real terms, from the previous year.10.2% -- Poverty rate for people 65 and over in 2003. Voting Patterns 65% -- Percentage of registered voters ages 65 to 74 who voted in the 2002 Congressional election. Seventy-two percent of people ages 65 to 74 voted in the 2000 presidential election. This age group had the highest rate of voter participation in both the 2000 and 2002 elections. Service to Our Nation 9.7 million -- Estimated number of people age 65 and over who are military veterans. [Source: U.S. Census Bureau]