THE STRANGER

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

MEANINGLESS

ANALYSIS OF SONG

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtjUZwaQQ7o
• everything that we do has been done before and nothing is new
• your life could end at any point resulting in your silence until the end of time
• "merely": apathetic, as if nothing in the past or future matters
• no matter how much work you do, you're still getting nowhere

Meaninglessness in ABSURDISM

• the will to happiness is frustrated when it is dependent on escaping the absurd
• existence as being fundamentally irrational in nature
• all of our choices are ultimately independent of reason
• no perfect and absolute vantage point where actions/choices can be rational

SARTRE

COMMENTARY ON THE STRANGER

• Sartre's absurd man in the Stranger
• life without a hope, future, certainty, etc
• his absurdity is attributed, not accquired
• series of instants
• nothing is explained or justified, just described

QUOTE 1

• “Meaningless, It's all meaningless”
• emotional indifference of Meursault
• meaninglessness of human existence

QUOTE 2

• “All my life and labor is foolish and now I don't have a reason anymore”
• life is often made up of two choices (neither a good one)
• no matter what you do in life, it doesn't change the ultimate outcome
• parallels death

QUOTE 3

• "Meaningless, it's all meaningless"
• has a lack of emotions, indifference
• doesn't recognize emotions to be important
• has no drive to please others

QUOTE 4

• “tomorrow you could lie in a silent grave”
• there is nothing after life
• you ultimately achieve nothing through your life

QUOTE 5

• “history repeats itself” and “nothing in this world is truly new”
• believes that everybody is the same
• there is no purpose in your life because you are just like everyone else

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Do you believe this song shares the absurdist tendencies with the novel?
• Do you believe that this is a better example of nihilism or absurdism?
• Could Meursalt's attitude represent redemption like Raskolnikov's in the end?
• What is the importance of relation between Salamano/dog and Meursault/mother?
• Does the sun represent something else when Meursalt kills the Arab? Is it valid?