Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The stranger Part2 Essay

In the passage chapter 3 part2 of when Raymond testifies that Meursault is innocent in the trial. Albert Camus suggests that life is dramatic. It’s dramatic because of choices. Each choice has a consequence and people are responsible for the consequences. Albert Camus use situational Irony to describe the different consequences. Meursult is a protagonist and he is guilty of murder, symbolizes the actual result. Raymond is antagonist and a witness in the story, symbolizes the expected result.
When the passage begins, Meursault tells the consequences of Raymond‘s action. He is a “Witness (95)” in the previous passage; Raymond is full o f hate and anger in his eyes when he returns to the beach. He is holding a gun in his hand and ready to kill the tow Arab men. However, in this passage, Raymond changes to a “witness”. He testifies that “[Meursalt] was innocent. [His] being at the beach was just a chance.” Dramatically, Albert Camus uses situational irony to reveal that Raymond is selfish; it can also reveal the importance of the decision making. In a couple of second, life can be completely changed.
Then Albert Camus begins to describe the change in Meursault. Meursault is changing from an emotionless character to a character who I sable to experience emotion. He is happy when Raymond tries to defend him. He also admits Raymond is his friend by saying “Yes. [Meursault] looked at Raymond who returned [his] gaze (96)” in the previous passage, Meusrault is indifferent and doesn’t care about anyone or anything. However in this passage, he is scared and exhausted. “The depth of my exhaustion; the cries of the newspaper vendor; the shouts of the sandwich seller; the screech of the streetcars.” All of these are symbolizing Meursaul’ true feeling. He is sad but happy. He is desperate but full of hope. Albert Camus reveals that human are inconsistent.
In conclusion, this passage is about two different consequences of different actions. Meursualt and Raymond are representing these two different consequences. Albert Camus reveals that life is dramatic. It is dramatic because of choices. People are responsible for the consequences of their own actions.