Abstract
Albert Camus, a political activist and intellectual often expressed his philosophical attitudes through fiction and short essays. Camus is primarily known for philosophical position; a form of existentialism, that he portrays in his essays "The Absurd" and "The Myth of Sisyphus". The absurd is a set of beliefs to be adopted towards life in a universe that is devoid of a true or higher meaning when the only outcome will be death. This paper shows how, in the two previously mentioned essays, Camus explores the way in which absurdity appears in life and the consequences of making this discovery. Camus identifies the Absurd not as a source for despair but describes a way to defy meaninglessness and live life through experience.

From the Paper
"The theater of the Absurd is a display of modern life in a universe that is devoid of a true or higher meaning. This existential philosophy illustrated through plays relates a brutal world freed from any notion of divinity. In a world where the only outcome is certain death, there is no moral code, no god and no ultimate purpose. A person is left with a feeling of unease and dislocation, such is the beginning of Absurdity. Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot are two plays, which explore concepts such as these. Modernist theater features the notion of the absurd; a concept reflective of global attitude at the time in the wake of World War Two and the decline of religious faith."

Tags:beckett, camus, modernist, faith

Abstract
This paper examines the oft-misunderstood "Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus. The paper describes how it is an examination of the right to life in the face of a meaningless world; Camus' "Sisyphus" cuts to the heart of whether or not a life can be worth living if one first admits that there can be no higher purpose. The paper asserts that it is this willingness to stare squarely in the face of meaningless and yet still conclude it is possible to live a happy, fulfilled life that so distinguishes Camus' "Sisyphus" from other philosophical treatises on the same subject.

From the Paper
"This essay will examine the oft-misunderstood "Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus. An examination of the right to life in the face of a meaningless world, Camus' "Sisyphus" cuts to the heart of whether or not a life can be worth living if one first admits that there can be no higher purpose. Camus accepts as a starting point the reality that there is no evidence to support claims that the universe is built with human endeavors in mind, that there is a grand purpose to validate actions and provide meaning for life. It is this willingness to stare squarely in the face of meaningless and yet still conclude it is possible to live a happy, fulfilled life that..."

Tags:camus, myth, sisyphus

Abstract
In this paper, two anti-heroes in Franz Kafka's story "Metamorphosis" and Albert Camus' novel "The Stranger" are compared and contrasted about their relationship to their societies and to life. The paper discusses their search for meaning in their lives.

From the Paper
"Kafka's "Metamorphosis" is as bizarre a story as any ever written. Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, wakes up one morning to discover he has been transformed into some kind of monstrous vermin. The genius of Kafka is obvious in his ability to imbue this laughably disgusting idea with such horrible fascination that he has no trouble holding our interest for pages."

Tags:Alienation, Existentialism, Kafka, Camus, Metamorphosis, Stranger, 20th, Century, Writers

Abstract
This paper analyzes two critical interpretations of the novel "The Stranger" by Albert Camus. One considers the protagonist Meursault to be a martyr for the truth, while the other believes the only truth that concerns him is that of his own feelings.

From the Paper
"In his novel "The Stranger", Albert Camus examines the absurd nature of human existence. The novel's protagonist Meursault is Camus' stranger as he is perceived as an outsider or social misfit by the society in which he lives. But many readers and critics ..."

Tags:Camus, The Stranger, Meursault, absurd

Abstract
This paper discusses Camus' short story "The Guest" in light of Sartre's existentialism, Nietzsche's nihilism, and Karl Marx's philosophy, Marxism.

From the Paper
"Albert Camus' "The Guest" embodies the existentialism that prevails among the author's works. French existentialism was a philosophy promoted by Jean-Paul Sartre and that Camus found was widely misunderstood as a philosophy of hopelessness. (Wyatt) Sartre defined existentialism as a humanism suggesting that if God does not exist, there is at least one being whose existence comes before its essence, man. He asserted that; "If man as the existentialist sees him is not definable, it is because to begin with he is nothing. He will...""

Tags:Camus, The Guest, short story, existentialism, nihilism, Marxism, Sartre, Nietzsche, Marx

Abstract
The paper discusses how Albert Camus develops his theory of the absurd throughout this existential novel, "The Stranger". The paper explains that the novel is based on Camus' belief that there is no meaning or absolute truth in life. The paper demonstrates how throughout "The Stranger," the main character, Meursault, is clearly an unapologetic individual, who is uncaring and moved only through sensory experiences. The paper shows how this is used to reinforce Camus' message that there are only relative truths in life. The paper highlights Camus' belief that what we do, say and believe are only important to us and to those that they affect, but they are otherwise insignificant.

From the Paper
"Absolute truth, according to Albert Camus, does not exist, and it is this theme, along with the absurdity of human existence, that he is attempting to portray throughout "The Stranger." Through the alienated character of Meursault, who is shallow, almost inhuman, and an unrecognizable member of the human race, Camus shows us that our actions do not matter when viewed through the eyes of an eternal universe. What we do, say, and believe, are only important to us, and, perhaps, to those that they affect, but they are not significant, and neither are they Truth. Camus' basic point within this is that the only things that are real are physical experiences.

Tags:existentialism, absurd, Meursault, sensory

Abstract
This paper provides a brief biographical account of writer, Albert Camus, and then delves into an analysis of some of his works. Specifically, the paper focuses on three of Camus' novels, "The Stranger", "The Plague", and "The Myth of Sisyphus". The paper explains Camus' philosophical conception concerning the contradiction between man being a rational being but existing in an irrational world, as well as the current of existentialism running throughout the novels.

From the Paper
"Albert Camus was born on the 7th of November 1913 in Algeria from a French father and a Spanish mother. His father died in the First World War (seriously wounded in the battle of the Marne, he died a month later), so that Camus was raised by his mother and never knew his father. Camus spent his childhood in Alger, in his grandmother's house, where he received his first education. Later on, he passed onto to primary school under the tutorship of Louis German, to whom Camus will bear a strong gratitude his whole life and whom he mentioned in his acceptance speech upon winning the Nobel price in 1957. It was German that first encouraged Albert Camus in his studies and who convinced him to pursue a higher education within the Algiers University. During his time at the university, he founded the Th'tre du Travail in Algiers, where his first play, R'volte dans les Asturies, was put on scene. After earning a degree in philosophy, Camus quickly established himself as one of the most notable writers of the 20th century with novels like The Stranger (1946), The Plague (1948) and The Myth of Sisyphus (1955). Writer and novelist, philosopher, leader of the absurd school of thought, playwright, actor and translator, Camus was one of the most important literary figure of the 20th century. His life came to a tragic end on the 4th of January 1960, when he was killed in a car crash together with his friend and editor, Michel Gallimard. Ironically enough, Camus had intended to return to Paris by train, because of his dislike for cars, and a return rail ticket was found in his pocket."

Tags:absurdity, physical, suicide, religion, revolt, conscience, absurd, rats, arab, plague

Abstract
In this character analysis of Meursault, the protagonist in Albert Camus' novel "The Stranger," the reviewer describes Meursault and his relationships. In fact, Meursalt is described as being the epitome of what existentialism means. The paper further explores Camus' philosophy and how he created Meursault to be the outsider in the novel. The paper concludes by stating that Meursault is a character devoid of free will in all of his actions, making him un-human.

From the Paper
"Meursault feels no guilt at putting his mother in a home, nor does he weep at her funeral. He has emotionally and successfully alienated himself from a home through the pariahhood he has put himself. It seems that his mother was his only family since the mention of brothers or sisters has not been put to the forefront of the story. Thus, the alienation Meursault has with society later in the book has its firm roots with Meursault first alienating himself from his only family, and he does this without much angst. "

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and discuss two works by Albert Camus, "The Stranger," and two stories from "Exile and the Kingdom." The writer gives a brief biography of Camus in order to give the reader a good understanding about how his own background and personality traits influenced the themes found in his writings. Using examples from the stories, the writer makes five different comparisons about sex, family, love, life, emotions and the commission of a crime.

From the Paper
"He reacts the same way with the other characters in the story. There is no love, passion, or caring about them, he interacts with them simply because they are there, and he has nothing better to do. Before he kills the Arab on the beach, he says to himself, "To go or to stay, amount to the same thing." That is how he looks at everything around him, with great indifference."

Tags:characters, dark, prize, nobel, controversial, unfeeling, unemotional, meursault, indifference, yvar, janine, sex, love, illness, family, existentialist, hero, nothingness, purpose

Abstract
This paper reviews the novel, 'The Plague' by Albert Camus. According to the paper, the goal of 'The Plague' is to draw the attention of people towards apathy, the general indifference of people towards what was happening in the world at that time. According to the paper, Camus believed that in the face of human suffering, only few people would come forward and help out.

From the Paper
"People are not interested in other people's problems. It is every man for himself to the extent that doctors are not even willing to accept that a epidemic had broken out. They know how vast the implications of such a disease would be and thus refuse to accept that their country was in the grips of a deadly disease that could affect each and every person and family in the same way. Doctors eventually come to terms with the reality and try treating patients only to realize later that an epidemic doesn't affect one person but an entire nation: "That one must fight against the plagues that enslave man: this is the sole conclusion which, according to Albert Camus, is not open to doubt" (Picon 150). The plague unites the people because they finally realize that it is only through helping each other that they could help themselves. No individual action amounts to much as vicims increase in number each day: "The Plague does, beyond any possible discussion, represent the transition from an attitude of solitary revolt to the recognition of a community whose struggles must be shared" (Sprintzen 103). But the futility of individual action makes people sit up and take notice. Something was deadly wrong with the entire town and it was important that something more serious than individual treatment took place. "

Tags:hitler, english, war, european, Algeria, evil, reaction, family