The Stranger –
Albert Camus Anticipation
Guide -PART III
Part I Directions:
Before reading The Stranger, in the “Before” column, respond to
each statement by putting a plus sign (+) if you agree with it, a minus
sign (-) if you disagree, and a
question mark (?) if you are unsure of
your belief.
Part II Directions:
For one of the statements below, respond by writing a Deep
Thoughts response of 250 words or
more in MLA format as to why you have the belief you do. Then, post it on the blog comments at mswebster2012.blogspot.com and print out
your blog response to turn in Tuesday, 11/27 in class.
Part III Directions: After reading the novel, in the
“After” column respond again to the statements.
Then, reply by writing a 250 words
or more Deep Thoughts response in MLA format to a statement where your belief changed
since reading the story. If not, write
about a different statement than you responded to in Part II. (Follow the directions for posting on the blog.)
Jordan Moffett
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature
21 November 2012
After reading the novel my thoughts on the statement, whether or not God exists is irrelevant because of free will, has not changed. I still believe that even though people have free will whether or not God is in their life will determine or help influence what they will do with the free will that they have, because the people that do believe in God and follow Him and His rules will use their free will according to what God wants and has planned for them in their lives. Believing and following God kind of gives rules on what you should do with the life that is given to each person and should be used for the best in any situation, but God gives his followers a choice. However, I am not saying that people that do not believe in and/or will not use their free will for the best and the better of themselves and others, because they could have the same morals as a person that does follow God.
My thoughts on the statement, I can only obtain the true meaning in life after I have reached a state of nothingness, has changed. At first I did not make sense to me but then I understood it. Reaching a state of nothingness does not exactly mean obtaining the true meaning in life. But when everything is taken away from a person and that state of nothingness is reached then one might find the true meaning in his or her life. For example, when Mersault was in jail he noticed that anything and everything can be taken away from a person. He found that he did not have anything to live for because everything he loved and liked was taken away from him. When he realized that in the end that even his life was going to be taken from him he found what he wanted to live for and accomplish in his life before he died.
Everyone’s true meaning in life is different. But when the things that mean the most to them or even the things that do not mean that much to them are pulled out of their lives it can show their true meaning in life and what they live for. The items, rights, or even people they once had being taken kind of push a person into the state of nothingness. So it all goes hand in hand. Reaching a state of nothingness is a sure way to figure out and obtain a true meaning in life.
Brian Nguyen
ReplyDeleteNovember 22, 2012
Period 1
Ms. Webster
Modern Literature
"Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear."
After reading the story "The Stranger" by Albert Camus, my opinion on that quote has not changed. Meursault didn't have a positive outlook on life to begin with, so maybe he would agree with this quote. But in the end, he gets executed so maybe his way of reasoning needed a little work. I can't say that I believed that Meursault was truly happy, but its hard to say because i dont think he ever showed emotion in the story, exceot for the end where he blew up on his conselour. I have been through some hard times, but i didnt use that as an excuse to hate the world or have a negative outlook on life. Thats giving up and thats losing. The only way you can succeed "Day to day" to to not give up and keep persevering. I would be like Meursault if i let the hard times in my life affect me to that extent. No emotion, never happy, and not even knowing if he was in love. Because of some experience earlier in his that stopped him from trying. I on the other hand go throuogh life witha positive mindset. So that i can walk around making other people happy and maybe influence them to have positivity in their life. Its crazy how easy people will succumb to being sad or depressed because they have it hard, not knowing that putting a smile on your face and being thankful is already winning halaf the battle. Its funny, because im writing this on Thanksgiving, and i have SO much to be thankful for. i may not have the best life, but i sure am lucky compared to others. and i love that. In my opinion, there is not anybody in this world that is having a perfect life. The rich people in beverly hills may not have it as bad as me, but im sure they have their own problems. Just like us middle class people have our own problems but homeless people would kill to be in our shoes. They probably laugh at our so-called "problems" but that doesnt stop us from struggling, the fact that someone else is worse off than me doesnt help me through my day. But the fact that people are more than happy with way less than what i have is what makes me keep going. It reminds me to stop being selfish and greedy because life could be sooo much worse. I couldve been born in the east coast and had to go through Hurricane Sandy, i couldve been born in a third-world country. I just know that im happy, because if im not, it wouldnt have a good outcome on my life. I have to stay positive. so saying that "Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear." is definitely wrong, because its only for certain people who have given up that this quote is true.
Julia Keating
DeleteEnglish, Period 1
25 November 2012
The Existence of God and Free Will
Before reading the story "The Stranger" my opinion on "whether or not God exists is irrelevant because ones free will" has not changed. Although God has granted us all free will to make our own choices in life and pave our own paths it is predestined before we make each decision. If God has created us and the world we live in he is the one who creates our destiny. Our free will to make our own choice is already considered when our destiny is being determined. I believe God is relevant because it is said he is the maker of our world and he allows us our free will to decipher our lives and how they pan out. He may make certain choices for us like the way we come in to the world as well as the family we're born into. In "The Stranger" Mersault views life in a slanted and rather negative way. He doesn't see life in the same way as others but when he made the decision to kill the Arab that was his own free will whether or not God exists. Every Individual views life differently and it depends on many factors like the God they personally believe in and how they were brought up. We have our own right to free will and God grants us that right. Depending on which God each person believes in paves how they will live their life because we all have our own way of life and our own perogative.
Natalie Moses
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature
25 November 2012
“I can only obtain true meaning in life after I have reached a state of nothingness.”
Many people may say that they know the true meaning have life. What these people need to consider, however, is have they truly lived life yet? Do they have everything figured out by just graduating high school or maybe having to deal with a couple of misfortunate events? Do they know every possibility and know what their purpose in this world is? It takes a true state of nothingness to really discover the true meaning of life. At ones all time low they have that necessary time to think, possibly even over think, every event that has happened in their live, whether that be good or bad. This results in them discovering the true meaning in life. Without this state of nothingness, it is impossible to find the true meaning. Most people would have no reason to even find the meaning of life otherwise; they would bee too busy living their life than to find the true meaning.
Whilst being depressed, it has been proven that people become detached from the world, and prefer to hibernate in a comfortable place. This is also usually after traumatic events have occurred, after they feel that state of nothingness. It is quite similar to an epiphany when people obtain their true meaning in life. It makes the person feel as if in their life now, everything they have gone through makes sense. They realize why they had to go through the rough times, and why it is all worth it in the end. This “true meaning epiphany” helps people more than they realize because it validates their depression and their state of nothingness.
Aviv Azal
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Period 1
Modern Literature
“Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear”
After reading the book “The Stranger” my opinion on this statement is still the same. Throughout the entire story the main character Meursault went through fear and anxiety, anywhere from blaming himself for his mother’s death to getting stabbed by an Arab. This book showed that even a person like Meursault who takes everything in a calm way and tells people what he thinks right there and then can also go through these crazy feelings. Meursault wasn’t the only character in the book that went through these feelings, his neighbor Salamano went through fear and anxiety when his dog went missing. In life things can happen without even expecting it. I go through one of these feelings at least once a day and by now I can say that I am already used to it. The feeling of anxiety and fear does not always have to occur because something bad is happening to yourself; sometimes people get these feelings because they care for others. For example I believe that Meursault went through anxiety and a little bit of fear when his friend Raymond got into a fight and ended up getting cut by a blade. That event caused Meursault to come back and take care of the person who stabbed Raymond and that lead into more anxiety and fear which took control over Meursault and ended up making him shoot and kill a person. That is how life works, no matter what a person does these feelings will take over. Watching a movie can also give you fear and anxiety and it’s just one of those things that a person needs to learn how to control and handle it when it does occur.
Jack Jacobson
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Literature Period 3
26 November 2012
The Authenticity of Life and Death
Throughout the course of history, people have been defined by their words, actions, and philosophies. Lou Gehrig’s legacy lies within the realm of our nation’s pastime, not within the world of infectious disease. These reasons forced the dynamic nature of my view on absurdist ideals to burst forth. After reading The Stranger by Albert Camus, I no longer believe that the most authentic moment in life is death. On the contrary, the most authentic moment in life proves to be anything but death.
Life remains more authentic than death because true purpose and meaning in life is often achieved through people who still have a heartbeat. Although Meursault believes that the world is indifferent towards him, he greatly impacted it. He influenced the thoughts, decisions and actions of other people, such as Marie and Raymond. For example, Meursault assisted Salamano through the grieving process over the loss of his dog. Consequently, he improved the life of another person and effectively made the world a better place. Human beings are a vital part of the world; therefore Meursault is incorrect in believing that he serves no greater purpose to it. Every individual possesses an obligation to assist their fellow man and the environment surrounding them. Also, no matter how minute or miniscule the effect is, everyone has a different role to play in shaping the course of history that the Earth takes. However, little can be achieved in this world after death. For this reason, Meursault’s belief in the meaninglessness of the time of Death’s appearance attests to be false. There is no way to know what he may have accomplished if he was honored with an extended life. Meursault may have helped Raymond bring his life together, or he might have married Marie to start a family. However, no one can ever know what purpose Meursault might have served if his life had not been tragically cut short by execution. Destiny is prevented by death, therefore greater legitimacy lies within life than death.
Life is also rendered meaningful by the renegades of history. Renegades are the people who create their own philosophies in order to alter the course of history. Their impact emphasizes their purpose and consequently establishes their life as one with meaning. No one will argue that Sun Tzu, Thomas Jefferson, or Dr, Martin Luther King Jr.’s lives were purposeless. The magnitude and extent of their influence have remained strong to this very day. As a result, death was not only the least genuine moment in their lives; it also prevented their lives from becoming more authentic through the discovery of additional purposes. Life will always retain its authentic nature as long as there are people who change how it is lived.
Authenticity in life is discovered through true meaning and purpose, not death. Death will only serve as a barrier between man and his destiny. Life should never be viewed as purposeless, because the purpose of life is to live.
Joanna Mey F. Azarcon Ms.Webster Modern Literature period 1 November 25, 2012
ReplyDeleteDo Not Take It For Granted
After finishing reading The Stanger by Albert Camus, I still agree to the quote that I choose from my first statement which was “I can only obtain true meaning in life after I have reached a state of nothingness.” While I was reading the novel, I can tell that Meursault shows no importance to life. Most of the time, he barely does not show much of his emotion especially how he react to his mother’s death and his love for Marie. I just imagined him as a dull guy. The part where Meursault had killed the Arab and got send into jail, I can say that it was the moment he knew the real meaning of the state of his nothingness because he tells that he just read the same one old newspaper article that he found under his bed it is about the Czech who got murder by his mother and his sister. He also learned the true meaning of life when he starts recalling the things he had from his place and past. At the end of the novel, Meursault is condemned to be guillotine he thought of the things he had. He saw how beautiful his life was with his lover and his friends. As human being we have this thing that we do not usually appreciate life, things or even people who we have until it is being taken away from us. Sadly, we often just take it for granted all the blessings that are given to us. Comparing my life to Meursault’s life, I think that I should take every chance I have to make everything special like it is the last because we never know when He is going to take every single thing I have. Unlike Meusault, he never shows his love or feelings to people around him.
Jasmine Byrd
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
Period 1
Modern Literature
25 November 2012
“When I am born, I am undefined without any prior essence or preconceived personality or soul.”
After reading the novel “The Stranger” by Albert Camus, I feel the same about the statement “When I am born, I am undefined without any prior essence or preconceived personality or soul.” I feel as if everyone is built by their experiences and everyone is born without a preconceived personality. The book to me also built on this subject. In the book Merusault experienced a lot of situations that began to continue to shape him into the person he was when he died. For example, when he was in prison after his sentencing he sat and remembered the story his mom use to tell him about his dad, which brought up memories dealing with the death penalty and as he grew older it made him feel a certain way about the death penalty and how he viewed it. Also, after being sentenced to the death penalty he felt in a way that if he was to survive this experience that he would watch every viewing of the death penalty in his city. The book also shows that experiences in his childhood shaped the way the way he was as an adult and why he was so shut off from the world around him.
As babies, humans are like sponges and absorb everything around them in order to build themselves up as a person. Wither it be how they talk, walk or even the way they make decisions, babies use their experiences to shape their personalities. No one is born with all of their experiences. Everyone views life in a different way which is only taught by pass experiences. I feel as if “The Stranger” continued to push my view on preconceived personalities. The book showed that as he went thru his experiences his ideas on certain subjects changed. For instance the way he view the death penalty or the way he view the court system changed as he actually faced those experiences first hand. Also if as if we were born with preconceived personalities then as individuals we would not be as authentic. If we were all born that way we would not have specific hands on reasons for feeling that way, because we never would have experienced that situation. Within minutes of us entering into the world we start learning things that begins to shape us as a person. Every ones experiences have been the source of the shaping of some ones personality
Connor Lea
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
Modern Literature
25 November 2012
“I can only obtain true meaning in life after I have reached a state of nothingness”
Many people say that they can comprehend the true meaning of life. In all honesty, I think that is not true. The people that have actually reached that state would probably be able to comprehend it since they were in a state of nothingness. During one’s state of nothingness, that individual with have the proper amount of time to think, whether good or bad and will eventually will find some sort of true meaning in life. For the people who have not reached the state of nothingness, it is not true because they have not realized the things around them. For someone to say that they know the true meaning of life and nothing has happened to them where they reach that state of nothing is absurd. In my opinion, the people who say that are just lying to get attention. It takes a true state of nothingness to truly understand the meaning of life. When people are left with nothing and endure it, they think over things for a long time and eventually undergo an epiphany and eventually grasp an understanding about the true meaning of life. For most people who reach that state is usually someone who undergoes depression. People who are in a state of depression tend to shut everyone off from them and will close themselves out of the world and live their lives alone. Usually people undergo depression after they experience traumatic events which will cause them to undergo a state of nothingness. They will usually spend their time thinking about why they went through the tough times and other ways and will understand why it’s all worth it in the end. This amount of time spent usually will make an individual understand the meaning and will eventually drive them out of their nothingness and will give a person some sort of purpose.
Michael Bender
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature, Period 5
25 November 2012
“Time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd”
After reading The Stranger, I still disagree with the statement that, “the idea that I am born into a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd” for several reasons including many related to even today’s situations.
First off, the idea that I am born into a particular time is something I completely agree with. I personally was born in the year nineteen ninety five. I have been alive for over seventeen years. I know this because I was born into a particular time period which virtually all humans agree to. If I were not born into a particular time, I could be able to say that we still see prehistoric animals which would be completely absurd. Due to this fact, I know that being born into a particular time is not absurd.
Being born at a particular place is also not absurd. There is a geographical location and an exact location to which everyone is born. For example, if you were born at the Tarzana hospital in any given room, there is an exact longitudinal and latitudinal location for where you were born, which makes this statement not absurd.
Being born into a certain family and economic environment are similar. Depending on what type of family you were born into often dictates what type of economic environment you live in, until you are given the opportunity to change that or someone close to you is. The economic environment also depends on what your family’s history is educationally and religiously. Education can help provide a higher family income, while religion can dictate how much of that income is given to charity.
Overall, I completely disagree with statement six, which is that “the idea that I am born into a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd.”
Felix Pelegrino
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
Modern Literature per.5
25 November 2012
My opinion on the statement "Existence is absurd and true meaning in life is impossible" has not changed when I finished reading the book, the stranger. Nothing is impossible for any human.
Another statement did changed however and it was "Ultimately, I am alone in this world, alienated from everything that attempts to define me". I also believed this when I was younger. I believed that everyone was somehow against me and they couldn't really understand me and so I completely shut down when socializing. I think this is how Meursault feels throughout the whole story. He thinks he's alone because no one understands him and therefore he doesnt' care for others. When his mother died, he probably didn't care because her mother never completely understood him. The same goes for Raymond,Salamano,Marie etc. (Although I feel that Meursault had some feelings for Marie even though he never expressed it) In my perspective, Meursault acted like a robot. A emotionless and friendless being. It felt like his heart was locked up in a prison waiting to get out but never had a chance. So as I was grower older, I realized that its not if they understand me, but if I can understand them. From then on I found new friends and I felt like I was never alone. Even when you are born, you still have your parents and relatives. No part in your life should you consider that your alone because in the long run, you will have people that you can count on.
Orit Morami
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Per. 1 English
25 November 2012
Part II of Anticipation Guide
After reading the stranger my beliefs have not really changed at all. I thought it was a very interesting and alluring read, however, no novel can influence me to change any of my thoughts and beliefs. Meursault and I may have many beliefs already in common, but the character’s thoughts were not mine. An interesting statement I agree with mentioned on the guide is "Political philosophies, religious dogma, societal beliefs are irrelevant to me and do not define me". I do partake in religion, as I am Jewish, but I do not let my religion define me as a person. Although I do some Jewish rituals such as Shabbat dinners, I would not and do not consider myself religious. My religion is important to me as it is to my family but I would not go out of my way to do any ritual that is not in my favor or interest. Society has many ideas for an ideal person or what is "in". Yet, I would never follow a trend that does not really scream me. There are many things out there in life that grabs my attention so I follow. However there is a limit for everything by how much I follow. I would never adapt myself to anything just to fit in. Everyone is their own person. As an example, two teachers who dedicate their life to their studies and beliefs may have two completely different personalities. A person’s life style choices and decisions do not decide what kind of a person he or she is. My dad for example dedicates his life to his job as a businessman. However it wouldn't be right to label him as a businessman, there is a lot more to him than what he does for a living. He is also a full time loving dad, basketball fan, and pet owner. I myself would like to become a businesswoman one day. My sole interest in business does not make me the stereotypical workaholic however. In the end of the day no matter what we all believe in or like to do has no reflection upon who we are when we are not engaging in those activities. Those of us who share the same believes in groups may have similarities or things in common but we are still all so different from one another. We are born into this world innocent and pure. What we pick up are ideas we learn from around us. The ideas we believe in are the ones we truly own in our hearts. These ideas do not make us, we make of these ideas. A person can choose as to how far he or she may go to follow any movement or such, but he is still the same person he was deep inside before his discovery. If I was to be defined by something I partake in, I would not be my own, unique self.
Dima Zarook
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
12 Modern Literature, period: 3
24 November 2012
The Stranger Anticipation Guide Part III: Deep Thoughts Response
to Number Seven
Norman Cousins once said, “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live”. Although the death of a loved one may not be the greatest loss in life, the effect that experiencing a loved one’s death has on the human soul is practically irreversible and ultimately contributes to “what dies inside of us while we live”. When one comes face to face with death, he or she faces the reality that the time that we as humans have to live is numbered. He or she then starts to question the purpose behind human existence if it ends almost as soon as it began. However, prior to reading the novel, The Stranger by Albert Camus, I was uncertain whether there is truth behind the philosophical statement that “my most authentic moment in life is death” because of its irony. I asked myself: shouldn’t my most authentic moment in life be one that I felt truly alive as opposed to experiencing the death of someone I held close to my heart? It was not until completing the novel and analyzing how Meursault’s view of life changed after his mother’s death, that I was able to fully grasp the truth behind this idea. Therefore, despite the irony behind this philosophical statement, I believe that my most authentic moment in life is death because that is the very moment that forces me to open my eyes to the reality of life and enables me to form my own view on the purpose of existence.
They say that everyone deals with death/ the loss of a loved one in their own way, but everyone goes through the five universal stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. For example, even Meursault went through these five stages of grief but what makes his story so intriguing is how emotionally disconnected he was with society as he experienced each stage. Although it is typical for people who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one to isolate themselves from society, Meursault’s character gave the impression that he has already been isolating himself from society, long before his mother’s death. He even states that the moment he realized that nothing in life was no longer important to him was when he was forced to end his education due to financial circumstances. This may indicate that one of the reasons it appeared at times to the reader as if he did not care about his mother when she was alive or dead was because a part of him resented her for not being able to provide him with a proper higher education. However, whether that is true or not, that does not mean that he was not grieving her death in his own way or that the reason he did not physically display his mourning was because he never loved her. In fact, in the beginning of the novel he appeared to be in denial of her death and everything (including visiting her old people’s home, attending her funeral, and the blinding heat of the sun) felt surreal to him. He even felt somewhat guilty for not being able to provide her with the care and support that she needed as she entered her old age. But in general, he did not know how to feel about his mother’s death or the reality of death itself.
Dima Zarook
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
12 Modern Literature, period 3
24 November 2012
The Stranger Part III Cont...
Meursault had to take his own journey to accept how things are meant to be in the world. But it was somewhere along this journey that Meursault lost himself, causing him to again come face to face with death by killing another man. It took facing the reality that his mother is dead for him to start to re-evaluate everything that he knows or believes in. He then started to think a little about things that surpass the importance of his ordinary day to day life. However, Meursault was finally able to open his mind to the reality of human existence when ironically he took the life of another man and was sentenced to death. That was when (for the third and final time that he came face to face with death) he was truly able to form his view that if everyone ultimately dies in the end then what we do while we are on Earth has no real significance. He also finally reveals that the reason he did not cry for his mother’s death and appeared so emotionally disconnected to the public eye is because he found no purpose behind crying for a woman that found a second chance at love and lived a long life.
Ultimately it becomes clear that experiencing his mother’s death was the most authentic moment in Meursault’s life because it awakened his soul, which was dying. However, he experienced the greatest loss in his life when he finally lost his ability to connect with mankind and came to the conclusion that human existence serves no real purpose. But if Meursault had never physically lived on Earth and was not faced with death multiple times, then he would have never come to his conclusion regarding human existence. Therefore, like Meursault, my most authentic moment in life is death because the feelings that I will have as I experience it will serve as proof that I have truly lived among mankind.
Amiel Azizollahi
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
English 12A Period 5
26 November 2012
At the time of birth, each person is born undefined without any prior essence or preconceived personality or soul. The person is born with a clean slate and nothing is foreseen in a negative light for this person. I believe that a person is born as a neutral being, and during life establishes his or her true meaning and soul. Although each person is born into a particular family at a particular time and a particular place, he or she is not defined by these notions, but rather by what he or she makes of life. No person has a destined future, because he or she may alter the future anytime by his or her actions. A person is not defined by the past, present and future. I believe that a person can define him or herself by living life. It is absurd to think that an individual already has a predetermined destiny awaiting his or her birth. The life of a person is very important and what he or she makes of it is their responsibility. Whether or not god exists is irrelevant because the individual’s free will to accomplish and pursue anything in society and become true to them is the lasting moment of life. Each person is filled with fear and pressure to succeed, but the moment when they succeed they realize that are in a state of equilibrium as they were when they were born. The existence of life in today’s society is seen as a favorite pastime in which all individuals already think they know the future of the baby. Consequently, the lack of traditional values and philosophies leads to ways of thinking and absurdity of preconceived personalities and souls. A person is defined as a human being at birth, but he or she does not have a destiny that defines who they are and how they live life. I believe that at birth the neutrality of the baby’s presence has a significance, but the there is no way that each person has a pre destined future, preconceived personality, or preconceived soul. Bringing a life into the world is an amazing event that brings happiness into everyone’s lives, but the life’s future is undefined. A person can only obtain a true meaning, personality, and soul when he or she has reached a state of “nothingness.” The choices and decisions a person makes made lead to success or failure, but the experience gained may lead to other success and a defined future. The existence of an individual in the world is a true meaning of life, but the real authentic moment is when the individual has made something out of his or her life. I believe that a person is born undefined without any prior essence or preconceived personality or soul about the past, present, or future. Ultimately, a person decides what the future hold for him or her; whether it is success or failure, the person will define his or her future.
Natalie Winokur
ReplyDeleteEnglish 12A
Period 1
Ms. Webster
25 November 2012
The Stranger
“In life, I must make choices regardless of what’s best for others. I can only choose what’s best for me.”
The statement I chose was, “In life, I must make choices regardless of what’s best for others. I can only choose what’s best for me.” After reading The Stranger I believe this is still true because I am not responsible for others people’s choices and how they choose to live their life. The only thing I can do is help and support those people. Meursault sometimes did not stick with this quote because he did not really think of life in a positive way. Even though you are doing what is best for yourself, does not mean you do not have to care about others. Meursault should have cared for his mother more. An example for doing what’s best for me would be playing softball to earn a scholarship to a good college. Meursault thought he did not have anything to live for so he did not help himself. In order to do what is best for you, you must live life day to day and not give up what you are trying to accomplish. If you keep worrying about doing what is best for others then you cannot work on what is best for you. I have been working my hardest to get back into shape when season starts. Life is all about making choices but I believe it should always be the right choices. Meursault did not always make the right choices. He never even knew if he was in love or not and was never happy. He had no emotions. I believe things would go down a better road if people chose what was best for them. It is best to live life knowing that you worked hard to achieve your goals rather then someone elses. But you can always help others get to that point. Some people live a life better then others but that does not mean you should not be grateful. Everybody has a different lifestyle. Some work harder then others and really want to do what is best for them and others are whiling to be patient and let it come to them. I believe life is all made up of making choices. Choosing what is going to be best for you. Sometimes the choice you make ends up not being the better choice. That is why we learn from our mistakes. I have learned from the choices I made thinking that they were going to be good choices and they ended up being the wrong choice. Life is all one big learning experience. I did not realize that life was all made up of choices and how you choose to live your life. Meursault makes a lot of choices but is never sure of his life.
Sandra Umandal
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Per. 1
Modern Literature
“My most authentic moment in life is death”
After reading the novel, “The Stranger” I have not changed my opinions about the statement that claims that ‘my most authentic moment in life is death.’ I still feel that birth and being given life is still greater than death. In the novel, Mersault finds that his life is meaningless therefore he didn't really think much about death, but this was because he had lost the value of life along the way. Mersault chose to give up his studies and live the monotonous life he led. It was by his own will that he chose to give up relations to his mother, and to take love for granted. He didn't live his life to its full potential and he took advantage of what he had that even with death upon him, he still felt that his life had no meaning. In my opinion, I think there are many great moments in life than in death. In life memorable times and times that make us feel alive are better than knowing that in death there is uncertainty of whatever happens to us and that all we have lived for will just be taken away. Between birth and death, what we have in the in-between is just ours to do whatever we choose to do. The decisions and paths we take have a great role to how we live our life and just by the type of lives we lead it can change our perspective on life and death. Every living thing and human on earth all eventually have their time to die but being born into life will always be special because not all living things get that chance. Sometimes very abruptly and suddenly a life can be taken away or never even have the chance of being lived. There are young people who unfortunately come across death early without getting the chance to fulfill the dreams and lives they aspired for and I believe that death wouldn't be a very authentic moment for them. They most likely favored moments of their life that made them happy, which in my opinion are the most authentic.
Karina Kakar
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
Period 3
Modern Literature
"Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear."
After reading the novel The Stranger written by Albert Camus, I can honestly say I still agree with this quote. In the novel, Meursault’s friend and neighbor, Raymond, has gotten himself into a conflict with Arabs because he beat up one of their sisters. Raymond was living his life in fear that they may attack at any second and he did not know if they were following him or watching him. Living with so much fear, he asks Meursault to keep an eye out for him and let him know if he sees the Arab. Raymond was living with both anxiety and fear and I feel that all of us can relate to this. We may not have Arabs out to find and kill us but we all have something that does cause us fear and anxiety in our day to day lives. I can relate to this quote in many ways and one example was when I was in sixth grade. Back in my first year of middle school, about 10 8th grade girls did not like me and wanted to fight me. I showed up to school in fear and dreaded everyday but I never showed it. One day they all came up to me trying to fight me and I showed them that I was not afraid of them. From that day on they never talked to me again and I was able to show up to school without having to worry about that anymore because I had bigger things to worry about. Ever day is a miracle and it’s a blessing to see a new day each morning. We escape death ever day and some live in anxiety or fear knowing that today could be their last.
Jake White
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
English 12a
November 24, 2012
“Political philosophies, religious dogma, and societal beliefs are irrelevant to me and do not define me.”
After reading the novel of “ The Stranger”, I still believe that political philosophies, religious dogmas, and societal beliefs are irrelevant towards defining my character. As I read in the novel, Meurasaults mother had passed away which brought a lot of negativity towards his life. He soon finds out how much he has missed on her life and how he could have showed much more affection. Meurasaults realizes once at her funeral how he dose not attend any type of religion or any beliefs and gathers on with his normal activities. Instead of changing his philosophy on life, he simply participates in what he enjoys. I can relate to Meurasaults as well considering that I am atheist and could careless about many philosophies other then my own. I prefer to do as I choose in order to define myself. Kindness, manors, and feelings are what build character in people. Philosophies are built by individuals with what they believe. By following these you are simply following someone else's perspectives, rather then defining yourself with your own beliefs. I choose to be more spiritual with believing in simple beliefs such as karma and giving back. Meurasaults finds peace by going to the movies, preparing, dinner and occasional swims at the beach. He also lives with simplicity, by having agendas that are repetitive. Likewise he is not religious and dose not believe in societal views. Regardless of your views on religious or societal beliefs, stay true to your character and believe in what you think is rite. Participate in activities that you enjoy and live life.
Melissa Duronslet
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature Per.3
Novemeber 26, 2012
"Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear."
After reading The Stranger, I still am going to agree with this quote with the matter of fact of how much anxiety and fear was brought onto Meursault. Meursault brings revenge upon his Arab neighbors by damaging the sister of theirs. Soon he had to go to trial and had so many worries that each day would be his last before heading to prison for life sentence. He seems to be going psycho and going through a happy and sad faze of what to believe upon and go along with what may come next in mind. i believe in this quote quite a lot because you never know when life may take you away and must fulfill each day as if it's going to be your last. You must be grateful that you're alive while some others were taken too quickly. No matter what you're going through always think about how life is precious and can be scary at times because you never know when it'll be the last of you. I believe if you bring good karma it can reflect on the way you live and you may get something good or bad in return. Everybody should agree upon this because anxiety and fear is common since it's a useful emotion. It occurs for someone everyday and possibly something may irritate you it can cause anxiety and a little bit of fear each day even for me to feel sometimes. For example high school brings anxiety in fear such as grades, colleges, future life styles, the right decisions you make, and the people that surround you. Life is mysterious and brings future memories that can seek anxiety and fear we may or may not know about.
Eryan Hannafy
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature per.1
November 26, 2012
"Ultimately, I am alone in this world, alienated from everything that attempts to define me."
Upon the completion of "The Stranger", the quote still stuck with me as being a fallacy. Although Meursault had committed a horrendous crime by murdering the Arab and was sent to jail, he still had someone who was interested in him, his beliefs, the way he thinks, and exposed to people that want to define him in a new light. In my own adventures, as a young adult, I've been through different experiences and have met different people who I've made an impression on, and who, in return, have made a sort of "imprint" on my personality. We, as humans, are a species committed to contact. We see the world mainly through our eyes and ears, being less dependent on our other senses, because of this, everything we do, and everyone we see, in the end, will help shape and define who you are and what you believe in.
David Quintanilla
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature, Period 5
November 26, 2012
After reading the novel The Stranger my feelings towards the quote “The idea that I am born into a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd” has not change. However another quote did changed, the quote “My most authentic moment in life is death” had a big impact on me throughout the course of the novel. Before the novel, I disagreed with the quote because I believed that throughout one’s life time many events could be very authentic. However when I finished the novel, I now understand that Meursault’s death only involved him. In anyone’s death, one will always die alone. The fact that Meursault’s death was an example for other people also made it very authentic.
His death was meant to be a symbol of punishment. The consequence of what could happen when someone breaks the law. Another authentic part about Meursault’s death was that he died by himself. The fact that Meursault’s death involved only himself and not a partner or accomplice makes it even more authentic. Meursault had to face death alone and not with the help of a friend. I thought that was very authentic because death usually involves other people like family. However in Meursault’s case all of his family has passed away leaving him to defend for himself. Another reason that I agree with this quote is because Meursault’s death had a special meaning behind it that would help other people improve their lives
Caitlin Stine
ReplyDeleteModern Lit.
Period 1
26 Nov. 2012
“The Stranger” Anticipation Guide Response: Part
Since reading the story, “The Stranger,” my opinion about whether or not God exists is irrelevant because of free will changed. I had previously disagreed with that statement but have now changed my mind based off the choices the main character Meursault made throughout the story. For instance, a man of God would not even think to harm another human being, or so it is said, but God himself can’t stop him from taking another life. Therefore, the actual existence of God is irrelevant to the life a man lives and the choices he will come to make. Also, the statement about how day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear changed my opinion after reading “The Stranger.” I know see that we all have something that worries us, whether it is getting in a car crash, or money trouble, something gives us a form of anxiety daily. For Raymond; another main character in the story; his daily fear was running into the Arabs, whom were the brothers of an ex-girlfriend that he had beaten up badly for cheating on him. Everyday Raymond had to look behind his back and around him to make sure that no one around him was going to harm him. Though whatever it is, this fear made me realize that we all have a personal fear. Another statement that my opinion towards changed after reading the book was “my most authentic moment in life is death.” In the end of “The Stranger,” Meursault was charged with the death penalty, right before he was executed, he did not waste his time on God, yet he opened himself to the gentle indifference of the world. This act of realization and acceptance changed my view because it is really only right before you face certain death do you begin to play back all memories and see things for what they are. It is the most real moment of life, when nothing matters because in the end there is nothing more for you to do. Lastly, my opinion changed on the statement, “ultimately, I am alone in this world, alienated from everything that attempts to define me.” Near the end of Meursault’s life, he no longer cared about anything, not marriage, not Marie, not even her death interested him; he was alone. At one point, Meursault had a sudden urge to cry because he could feel how much everyone hated him when he was being prosecuted. This goes to show that people will judge you and cast labels upon you good or bad, true or false, and it’s these labels that define a person’s judgment towards you. So in reality, it is only you who can truly know who you are so in that aspect you are entirely alone because no one else can even begin to truly know everything about you. In conclusion, four of my opinions on the anticipation guide changed since reading the “The Stranger.” It just goes to show that without more knowledge, and examples that define a statement, you really can’t make a proper judgment call.
Brennen Taylor
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature per.3
November 26, 2012
After reading the novel I can say that my feelings on the quote have not changed because through out the book I could honestly feel that he was alone inside. Sure he had friends and all but he was still alone. When he went to jail no one went to jail with him it was just him. Which proves my point exactly no one is really there fully especially not when the only person who actually might be there for you is dead like in this novel. This novel changed my mind a lot thought. At first I found it really boring but once I looked deeper and more in depth I saw the true meaning and I ended up liking the novel! I would like to say that my thoughts have changed on this topic but they haven't I still feel the same because no story or no action can change my mind you are born alone and you will die alone that is just how things are. It may sound like I am being very harsh and what not but everyone is alone. The president, celebrities, animals, siblings, friends, EVERYONE is alone. This quote on the other hand “My most authentic moment in life is death” I do believe in very much! A lot of people will not remember your life as much as someone remembers your death. For example Lincolns death was so iconic people recall him being shot in the head watching a play more than him as a president! Same for Martin Luther King JR and so many more!
Nhaem Hossine
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature per. 3
November 26, 2012
Even after reading the book i still think that everyone is truly alone in this world. Everyone is born alone and will go alone and thats the ultimate truth and in the book although Meursault did have friends, a fiance, and a nice job he was truly alone the whole time. He had people around him but in his self concisence he was alone and by himself. Although we do not know how his behavior was before his maman passed that may have been the turning point for him and for his mental state. Meursault did not have a problem making friends it was his conscousness that made him feel alone and lonely. If i learned anything from this reading it was the very dull but but that is the flat out fact that we are all on our own and even though we get help in life and we have family to support us we are without anyone. This fact is the truth and it may be heartbraking to some but that is the whole truth. This quote can help someone and inspire them or it can break them down with this light of the real world i say make it inspire you and help you. Another quote i agree with is “"Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear." This is held to be true because well it is we are all afriad to change our lives because of fear we all afriad to take an opprtuinity because of fear. We should instead take on our fears and live a life without it.
Steven Huynh
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Literature Per. 1
26 November 2012
Fate
After reading the story my views on the idea that I am born into a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd has not changed. People most definitely have the potential to make a change in their lives, and they should not be limited by these things. Meursalt was able to change many things in his life, but simply chose not to. That’s completely alright though, because they were choices he made and was happy with. He said that he enjoyed the way his life was, and that he lived his life one way and could‘ve lived it another way. So unless you’re happy with the way things are, you can always work hard to change what you were born into. But then again, Meursalt did not seem to care about many things. He also could’ve changed his life for the better by marrying Marie. For some reason he did not seem to love her though, but he still agreed to get married. Still, he did not seem like he actually wanted to. Meursalt had many opportunities that he did not take advantage of. I think people should often accept opportunities, but only if they really want to. After all, opportunities are not always available to everyone, so that is why I believe people should take advantage of opportunities. If I was Meursalt though, I definitely would have changed some things about my life. He just really did not care about anything and was pretty lazy. Although I can relate, because I am really lazy at times. In the end, everyone can change their lives and move on with their lives.
Matt Stuckey
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Period 5, Modern Literature
25 November 2012
"Ultimately, I am alone in this world, alienated from everything that attempts to define me."
Before reading The Stranger by Albert Camus I talked about how I disagreed with the idea that it is absurd for anyone to be born into a place where they cannot better themselves and achieve improvement. After reading The Stranger I was left with a feeling of confusion, regarding whether or not I felt the same way about this idea. Similarly, this was the case with another idea presented in the anticipation guide that was provided to me. This was the idea that, "Ultimately, I am alone in this world, alienated from everything that attempts to define me." Before I agreed with this notion but after I read the story I felt that this was not the case. My reasoning behind this is that no matter what you do people will always try to define you or influence you in both positive and negative ways and to suggest that one could be separated entirely from all these outside forces is unrealistic in my opinion. If not even one of these outside influences is able to define or noticeably affect you by some miracle, then one will definitely manage to shape your character or perception in some way on a subconscious level. It's hard to believe people could truly be alone from each other and not be affected by the influences around them because it's human nature to try to learn from others around oneself in an attempt to improve and adapt. Before reading The Stranger I felt differently about many things should I have been asked about them prior to the story. I think that this book is definitely worth reading because it can give you a new perspective.
Madisyn Tendler
ReplyDeleteWebster
Modern lit, period 3
26 November, 2012
8.)
The reason that I agree with this statement is because when someone is born they don't have the ability to form a personality. You are born into the world, with the ability to be whoever you want to be. Everyone is undefined and can create the person they want to be. Throughout the novel Mersualt comes off as an outspoken kind of guy. He doesn't talk much and never has much to say about anything. He doesnt really care about anything, he feels that nothing will change his life so drastically that it would matter.I think that as time went on, Mersualt experienced many life changing events that shaped the person that he became by the end of the novel.I don't believe that Mersualt was destined to die. Many events just changed so much that he went off his daily course and changed his fate.
I don't think that people come into the world with no soul, everyone has a soul whether you know it or not. From the time the baby is inside the womb, I do feel that the baby has a predestined soul. Everyone enters the world as their own unique person and has the rest of their life to form their personality. As far as being an undefined person, I do believe that everyone has the will to be whatever kind of person they choose.
Although I do slightly believe that everyone has a path laid out for them. I do think that our paths can change based on our choices throughout our lifetime. Yes people are born undefined but you do have a set path laid out for you. You become defined once you start to make your own choices and become your own person. All of your thoughts and desk ions that you will make throughout your life will define and shape the person that you are. There is not one certain end for everyone, nothing is determined when you are born. You create the person you want to be.
Besiana Hadri
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Lit. Period 5
11/27/2012
I can only obtain true meaning in life after I have reached a state of nothingness
One of the biggest questions in life is: What is the meaning of life? This question would be answered individually as all of our lives are different and we obtain meaning through the way we live and the challenges we face through this journey. By reaching certain nothingness you will be able to appreciate the things that actually do give life a sense of meaning, unfortunately this does not apply for everyone. In The Stranger, Meursault reaches something that I would call nothingness. Being in prison would make me realize how great my life would be outside of that trap. Meursault showed no sign of affection or any sense of guilt. He did not seem to realize the meaning of life even when he had reached that part where life is at the bottom. At the end he says that he opened himself up to the indifference of the world, this shows that he still had not seen the point of his life even when he came to that nothingness of dying. As I’ve said before, true meaning in life is completely different, some may say that it’s love or success, but then again what do you classify as love and success?
Justin Lopez
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
¬¬¬Modern Lit.
27 November 2012
Deeper thoughts
Contrary to what I thought before it is theoretically possible to be borne with predetermined characteristics you inherit from your parent(s). After reading The Stranger by Albert Camus I feel that I have had a shift in perspective, I think that however advanced we become as a civilization it is still survival of the fittest. The landscape may have changed but the goal is still the same survival and replication. The best fit to survive will and the rest will die off and take with them the characteristics that made them ill adapted for there environment. If you look at Meursalt’s life in a broad scope and in detail he lacks characteristics that raise his survival and replication value. For instance, his boss offers him a position in a new branch he was opening that would be handling matters with big business directly, and Merusalt says, “people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasn’t dissatisfied with mine here at all.” His response is one of a person that has become completely complacent and is no longer looking to advance his stake in life. Mersault turning down that promotion was a bad idea, from that point on he signed his fate. Mersault’s eventual down fall exaggerated as it may be is still correct to some extent. As is to be expected with a novel written with literary realism, there common themes shared between our world and the one created by Albert Camus. From my point of view one of the universal truth was that in the end the ones that don’t have the hunger to advance and take what life has to offer don’t go far. The question arises. What determines which traits are considered favorable, the answer to that is more complex then it appears to be. It depends on what is need to survive in your environment therefore different traits are favorable and aid I the survival of individuals. However these traits usually are specific to geographical location, background, even aesthetic beauty can play a role. For example if you were to live in a society that worships and idolizes TV stars and the ground they walk on. You may see that people that exhibit traits shared by the stars may survive because those are the characteristics that are desired by that specific environment. On the other hand if a environment was more hostile, traits such as weight and muscle build become the deciding factors and directly affect your ability to survive and replicate.
Tristan Knudsen
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern Literature 12 P.5
27 November 2012
Many people of the world today live their life according to political philosophies, religious dogmas, or societal beliefs. The avid Christians for example, live their lives solely on what the bible tells them to do. They put Jesus in front of their loved ones. They think that they have no free will; that god controls all of their decisions and feelings ultimately. I am not defined by any religious dogma or beliefs because I live my life by my own free will. It is irrelevant to me whether or not God exists because I do not want to waste time trying to find out if I can believe in him or not. After reading The Stranger, Mersault really did not believe in anything. He never put all of his heart into any one thing, including his mom and his girlfriend, Marie. He said he felt the same as if someone else he knew died when the funeral for his mother was happening. Mersault never really showed any emotions for anything. It is the individual's freedom to choose how they want to live their life, and that comes from free will. I know that when I make decisions, it is my mind that controls me. If it is all God, then so be it. There are terrible people and respectable people in this world, and I try to be a good person. I know that political philosophies and religious dogmas and societal beliefs are basically designed for people that need guidance to be a good person. However, many religions come with stringent guidelines. I try to keep my morals realistic. Rather than spending life on finding a God, I try to make the most of each day and live day by day.
Hannah Chamberlin
ReplyDeleteWebster
English
3 December 2012
“My most authentic moment in life is death”. I agree with this statement especially after reading the novel. At first I saw death as you see the light then you’re gone, that’s it. Death is much more than your heart just stopping. At the moment of death you recap all that you have done in and with your life. In The Stranger Meursault is reminded many times how his reaction to Maman dying was extremely odd. No tears were shed and once asked how he felt he didn’t really say much just how yes it is sad but yet his emotions do not seem as if he actually is sad. Meursault showed how different people deal with death, yet I don’t think he realizes how hard it is to face. The reality of death is that once someone is gone, they are gone forever; there is no getting them back. The realism of death comes from this aspect, the aspect that once you say goodbye that is the final straw. Death is a very hard thing for most people to deal. Death is the realist moment in your life, you realize this is it; nothing you have done can be changed. Once death is upon you there is no going back that’s what makes it so real, there is nothing you can do to change what is about to happen to yourself.
In life, making the right choice isn’t always the easiest. The saying “in life, I must make choices regardless of what’s best for others. I can only choose what’s best for me” is a hard yet smart quote to live by. Some may see choosing what’s best for you a selfish and un-thoughtful act, yet is doing what’s only right for others selfless? By choosing what is right for you, you are making the decisions of how you want to run your life. Yes one must make sacrifices for others but to do it all the time would not be good for your own self. You only live one life to get as far as you want you may need to take down a few people as you go. Not in a selfish way but in a way which you know what needs to be done to achieve your own personal goal. For example, in the novel Meursault does not make the best decisions for himself. After the brawl on the beach with the Arabs, he decides to go back and kill the guy. This was not the best choice he made it off of impact and to satisfy Raymond. That was not Meursault’s beef to deal with; he got into the middle of something between two other people and made a horrible decision. Making decisions based off of what is best for you will only brighten your own life and make it easier to live. The right choice is not always the easiest, but to make the right choice is the best feeling.
Robert Krivacek
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Mod. Lit.
4 December 2012
“ In life, I must make choices regardless of what’s best for others. I can only choose what’s best for me.”
The statement above seems to be a logical thing to say because if you just make decisions for others and not yourself, no progress can be made with yourself. There are many different instances in which you could apply this statement for example, choosing what to eat, as simple as it may seem, if you don’t make a choice for yourself and just for others; you would end up eating something you do not want or nothing at all. Also in the case that you have the option to get choose something of better quality than the person next to you, this statement says that you should take the better of items regardless of what might be better for others. This is a very controversial idea because when it comes to a life and death situation, do you make the choice to save someone else and you end up dieing. Or even killing the someone who has a weapon in their possession before they have the opportunity to kill you. In my opinion you can side either way depending on the situation in the moment, I believe you should choose what is right in all; not just suggesting that you act favorable towards others or yourself, but choose what could maybe benefit both sides of the situation at hand. In other words I would recommend when it comes to choices, just do what your conscience leads you to do in the moment, even though there might be future consequences or even rewards.
In “The Stranger” Meursalt is a very self-conscious person who examines situations very deeply in his thoughts. He is an emotionless person who goes through day to day experiencing moments that should effect his personality but don’t. Meursalt just gathers all of these memories of things that have happened in his past and relates them to things happening in his present. He always remembers what someone had said to him and uses it to guide him in what to do at the moment. This is how “The Stranger” can relate to the statement I chose to write about in the way that the main character Meursalt uses tactics others have used in the past to make his decisions. A big example of this is when Meursalt returns to the spring with a gun where the Arab happened to be resting. He was aware what had happened last time on the beach when the Arabs fought with him and his friends. When he caught a glimpse of the Arab he was shocked and wasn’t sure as what to do because the heat from the sun was making the whole situation feel like a daydream. He had the choice of not shooting the Arab but in that case then the Arab may have killed him. So relating back to the statement above this is a situation I would side with because he made the choice regardless of what was good for others he was scared and was protecting himself. The statement is controversial and can go either way depending on the situation and I would not necessarily agree one hundred percent with it.
Valerie Ark
ReplyDeleteMs.Webster
Modern Lit
6 December 2012
" In life I make choices regardless of what`s best for others. I can only choose whats best for me."
After reading the story "The Stranger" by Albert Camus my opinion on the topic has not changed. I still believe that we as people can only choose for ourselves. I can help guide people, and give them advice, however, at the end of the day their decision is solemnly their own. We all have dreams and ambitions. They would not be ours if we did what was best for others. In life you do you, and that means that you need to solely worry about yourself. Whats best for someone else, may not be whats best for you and vise versa. Therefore, we are only capable of picking whats best for us. In the story "The Stranger" the main character Meursault is very cold. He doesn't show emotion or feelings towards anything, or anyone. This is shown throughout the whole novel. Even when his mother passes, he doesn't seem to care. He just sits at the funeral. He doesn't care about what any one thinks, he does what he wants and thats it. He made a choice to be the person he is, and to act the way he does. Thats what he feels is best for him. Our lives wouldn't be unique and special if we made choices due to others opinons. Life is a beautiful thing, and we should all make our on choices. This is how we will achieve happiness. Don`t regret anything and do what makes you happy. At the end of the day and at the end of life all we have is ourselves.
Hongyu Dong
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
Mod lit
Webster
After reading the novel, I changed my mind a lot. I always think people can live in the word alone, alienated from everything that attempts to define them before reading this novel. But when I saw what happened on Meursault I know I was wrong. People can never sever the relationship between them and the world whatever you like or not.
From this novel we can know that Meursault like an "outsider" but not an "outsider", he is all the time to participate in this world although he wanted to live in this world in his own way. The reason why his mother admitted to nursing homes, because they have nothing to say each other, and nursing homes is the place where has many elderly companion. According to these details we can know the fact is he was sad when his mother dead but it cannot make him cry. For him, the real emotional and external performance has no relationship. When he faced the apportionment from his boss he knew that “life cannot be changed, life always is the same thing” and His girlfriend wanted to marry with him but he thought "it does not matter, if she wanted to, we can get married." The above two points proved he felt contentment, he is not a greedy claimants life. At the same time these two points told us as long as a person alive in this word, he and the world are inextricably linked.
The only way to out of this world is not a good choice. Just that happened on Meursault. His values and view of the world is clearly and society as a whole requires its members to abide by the traditional values and patterns of behavior are mutually exclusive, and the world continue to reject him in, so he became the world's "outsider". Therefore his fate is to be expected.
In one word, if a person wants to live in the world alone in his own way, the only one result is perishing.
Chris Ngo
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
Mod Lit
Webster
"In life, I must make choices regardless of what's best for others. I can only choose what's best for me."
Before reading the novel, I believe that in life you are going to be giving a series of choices you have to make and it is ultimately up to you to make the decision that can affect you or others around you. We are given many different choices that we encounter and we make decisions that basically affect our lives in a good or bad way. Choices affect our lives daily and the choices we make tells us what kind of person we are. The choices that we do reflect our actions and sometimes the bad choices can lead to disastrous things. When we make bad choices, it affects us and hopefully it makes us realize that we need to make good choices. Sometimes we get stuck making the choice whether to do the right thing or the choice to keep your friends when they did something wrong.
Ultimately, we have to make a choice that is best for you and not others because in the end it is your decision that will affect your life and others. Us humans have the power of choice and we can use it to do bad or good. Choice is a powerful thing and it really changes the world and allows us to have different views of others. Without choice, everyone would be the same and that would be a very boring life. In the end, it is your choice to make the good or bad decision.
Yevgeniy Derkatch
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern lit per 1
11 December 2012
"The idea that I am born inot a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is absurd."
Before reading the novel, I believe that this statement is true. If you believe this to be false then you believe that at birth your life is planned out for you. Just think about it, say that this statement is true, you are saying that you have the ability to change things. Just becuase you are born in a certain time period does not mena that everything that happens then has to effect you. People can change the world in many ways. If the world had an economic problem humanity will find away to solve it. Just the thought that people can not change is absurd.
If you believe that the idea that I am born into a particular time, place, family, and economic environment is not absurd says that you believe life is set for people when they are born and in what conditions they were born in. When people say it is normal and not absurd, to me they are saying we are not going to try to change or that we do not believe we can. People can change there future only if they believe that they can. This statement just says that people are not bound to any rules and can succeed to any level they wish.
Yevgeniy Derkatch
ReplyDeleteMs. Webster
Modern lit per 1
11 December 2012
"Day to day existence is filled with anxiety and fear"
After read the novel "The Stranger" I agree with this statement even more. Every day is full of things that might scare us and can stress out. Is there really a time line set for people when they are born? People have to live day by day and it sometimes gets scary. Anything can happen in a day, you can get a job or lose one or something worse. Anything can happen in the 24 hours of a day and it can scare people. People can pass away or others can be born into this world.
At the end of the book Meursault learns that every day is full of fear. He never feared it earlier but at the end before he was going to die he, feared that day. If he understood what he was doing and actually felt something he might of done different actions then he did. If the anxiety and the fear of killing a man came up would he of done it? what I learned from this book is that the world needs fear and anxiety to run properly. Other wise people do what they want and as we saw from this book it doesn't turn out very good for society.