Albert Camus's novel The Stranger is an extremely explicit work that describes violent acts witnessed by a narrator who appears to be completely indifferent to their brutality. The novel begins with death - "Mom died today" (3) - and ends with the supposed disappearance of Meursault, the main character. The body of the work contains numerous bloody acts: the premeditated abuse of an ex-girlfriend, wanton cruelty to a pet dog, a street fight, and a disagreement that ultimately culminates in a murder on an Algerian beach. The Stranger offers a startling look at what it means to be a human being, to live and have the ability to take the life of another. Camus's unflinching depiction of violence reveals his characters' internal attitudes towards life and death. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Stranger is categorically absurd: Camus conveys the idea that human existence is without order, and his work criticizes a culture that tries to find meaning in a senseless world. Camus reveals two contrasting visions of human life: that of society and that of Meursault. Society tries to find explanations for unanswered questions. In the microcosmic courtroom of the Meursault trial, for example, the jurors and lawyers continually focus on why Meursault killed the Arab and why he is so indifferent to his mother's death. "Why?" the magistrate asks, “Do you have to tell me why?” (68) Meursault, knowing he cannot offer a true answer, provides an absurd explanation simply to appease the stream of probing questioners: “it was,” he says, “because of the sun” (103). If society represents the search for what is “normal” and “correct,” then Meursault represents the absurd. Meursault is different from the other characters in the novel (he is, in fact, "a stranger") in that he is extremely distant from reality. He dabbles in the corporeal, such as food and sex, but doesn't seem to feel like others. In contrast to society's belief in the value of human life, Meursault argues, "everyone knows that life is not worth living" (114) and "one life is as good as another" (41). When his mother dies, he shows little regret or loss, other than physical discomfort from the heat and sun. Camus juxtaposes two contrasting ideals: one that judges life to be good, healthy, and meaningful; another that classifies human existence as useless, absurd and chaotic. It is because of this theme – of banal nothingness versus validity and value – that Camus's use of violence is so effective. The way characters react to violence reveals their inner thoughts and outlook on life. Meursault, for example, is a "detached" character. There are several instances in The Stranger that echo the idea of ​​estrangement and apathy towards human life, especially where violence is concerned. When Raymond asks Meursault to help him carry out a plan to humiliate and assault his ex-girlfriend, Meursault does so "because [he] had no reason not to please [Raymond]" (32). During another incident, Meursault alludes to abusing his neighbor's dog, but expresses no emotion, either for or against the violence. Raymond is another aloof character; He freely beats a woman and then shows no regrets. He seems to share Mersault's distance from violence and death. Raymond nonchalantly observes about Meursault's mother's death that "it's one of those things that had to happen sooner or later" (33) – a statement with which Meursault agrees. In contrast, Marie is a character who considers life meritorious. She is very affected by the beating of her ex-girlfriend.."