The Stranger

The Stranger seems to fully support the idea of individuality, almost as if Camus wrote it to answer my question. Learning about Camus' personal life was really fascinating. I believe that parents are one of the biggest influences in someone's life. With a father who passed away and a mother who choose to go mute I can't help but wonder who Camus really took after.

Camus character, Meursault, is very unusual and truly seems to be an individual but his life is nothing one would aspire to. Perhaps Camus is trying to say that in a world where conformity is expected individual's are not accepted. Meursault spends his days saying what others want to hear and trying to appear normal. Meursault only finds freedom in death where he lets go of his rigid composure and speaks his mind. Camus seems to be saying that death overcomes what society has done to us, that when the final moment comes,  and only then, we let go and become who we truly are. This definitely helps me understand those who've had a near death experience and then completely change their lives. It's as though they see the person they are with out the influence of others and strive to live in their own image.