The Stranger

Rating:
Summary: Meursault Is Much Better Than a Human Being
Review: First of all, I don't think Meursault is a human being. He is much better than a human being for his lack of consciousness, will and desire. These are the factors that make human beings suffer and commit crimes, and reasons people are fear of death. Meursault doesn't. Although Meursault has no love, humanity, he doesn't have hate, resentment either, which is the worst, the most pathetic, evil emotion of human beings. The origin of the murder is the resentment between the Arabian and Meursault's freind. They are the people should be condemed. Meursault just serves as a medium. Meursault himself has no intention to kill the person. The reason why he made another four shots to the dead body is to show he's responsible for his role. Moreover, he refuses to argue to beg for a life or lies to himself to believe something he's not sure of, he takes everything quietly instead. This makes me think he behaves like a Jesus, or, from an oriental point of view - a Buddha. When Meursault takes the gun from his friend, it gives me a feeling that he is saying, "My friend, your resentment is evil, you are the one who's guilty, but I'll bear it for you." Just like a Buddha says, "If I don't step into the Hell, how can the Hell be empty?" Anyway, a very good book to read. I suggest don't treat Meursault as a human being. No human being can be as great as he is.

Rating:
Summary: A Very Good Book Help Us to Think!!!
Review: An honest human being who is responsible for his social role and being executed for unwilling to accept any pre-defined social values that he doesn't believe. A good book for any real human beings. We are not able to and have no right to judge the moral issue in this book. But we have to think about life honestly when facing ourselves. Something exists with thoughts alone and nothing to do with any sensation or materials. This book definitely helps us to think.

Those people who contempts this book have no serious thoughts about the real life and real value. It's not much difference of they never read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Stranger is a fast and thought-provoking read.
Review: Camus' novel is built around a very interesting man, M. Mersault. His philosophy in life is probably very different from the reader's, but the fact that he hangs on to this philosophy through all his trials and tribulations forces the reader to seriously consider his way of life, its advantages and its disadvantages. The book is short enough to be fairly entertaining, and the plot easily draws the reader into the "stranger's" life. Try it, especially if you are looking for some food for thought.

Rating:
Summary: blurb
Review: sentiments that i have always felt, but have never had the language to articulate. i know how the stranger felt and thought, but have always failed to communicate them. i am the stranger.

Rating:
Summary: As pleasurable as life is to the stranger.
Review: This is a pleasent, if not disturbing read. If pleasent and disturbing can agree this book is where they would meet. As a non-philosophy student, I can boldly say this is a good existential read. It is often superficial in plot . However, Camus does a splendid job in portraying a life of a static character. the stranger does not have a rueful bone in his body, yet takes responsibilites for his actions.

I partically enjoyed this read. It was fascinating to see philosophy in action. When you read this you can pick out all the things the stranger partically enjoys. One that any human does: good food, sex, warm sun, the summer evenings. I thought him complaining about the wet towels in the bathroom was great!!! Who doesn't like dry towels at the end of the day.

Rating:
Summary: Just think about it!
Review: Throughout my A1 language course, I have to read several books including world literature. The Stranger was one of them and when I finished reading the book I wondered what the propose or theme of this book was. A rational man telling a story in a very monotone way who seems to reject emotions and doesn't mind about anything? Is that what the whole book is about? Yes it is! Camus is trying to illustrate a character who doesn't intend to harm our society and in return is disowned and hated. The fact that Mersault always sticks to the truth is seen as something repulsive which make him different and simultaneously he is put into the category stranger. It is useless to search for the theme of the book for there are many. The novel includes so many interesting aspects which can be interpreted in so many different ways that almost any description of the book will suit the story.

Rating:
Summary: It's a classic, it's essential, it's existential!
Review: This is simply one of the greatest novels ever written, period. Regardless of Camus' true message and intent, I defy anyone to read this book and not be profoundly moved one way or another.

Rating:
Summary: wonderfully absurd!!!!
Review: I find it hard to believe that there are some people out there that do not find the brutal behavior of merusault endearing. His mannerless killing of an other man is a ture test to his views of the absurdity of life.

Rating:
Summary: Is your name Meursault?
Review: Like most who read this book, it wasn't until finishing it that I discovered the purpose. When one reads The Stranger, one will question the point of the novel. Throughout the book, one hopes that the next page will bring some excitement...but many of the greatest messages in life are not exciting to listen to. Many of the most important things humans ever learn are not fun to absorb. Camus has done us a great justice by writing this book, and showing us what our lives could be like if we each don't wake up and take part in the lives that we plow through every day. What we will be like when we become as indifferent to everything as we already are to many things. Go read the newspaper...do you know what is going on in the world at this moment?

Rating:
Summary: on morals and litrature
Review: Reading this book is an exprience one never forgets: you can't stay morally uninvolved with regard to Meursault's, the book's hero, deeds - he is not only a murderer, but has a strange, inexplicable, troubling way of life, which no reader can stay indifferent to. This may be the reason why some people tend to dislike this book, but it's worth remembring that this is not some Oliver Stone's movie which exploits it's viewers - Camus wants you to feel unease about his hero's actions, not to conclude that he is doing something either morally "wrong" or "right", but to ask yourself "what is morality?", "what is lawful?" etc. Camus is by far one of the most human-loving writers of this century, so it is odd parhaps that he is being accused of making a case for a murderer, while, of course, these were far from his original intentions, writing the book while the 2WW rages on, and while he struggle to survive as part of the French resistance, a very small minority of the French society. Reading this book, in the correct context of Camus' philosophical writings, makes you think if there really is a gap between litrature and philosophy, as Camus himself strongly argued. On a personal note, this book has changed the way I see the world, and it has brought me to read almost all of Camus' writings, which are masterpieces in their own right. A must for every thinking person.