NIETZSCHE’S EXISTENTIALISM PORTRAYED WITHIN
MEURSAULT’S LIFE IN ALBERT CAMUS’
THE STRANGER
A THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Sarjana Degree of English Department Faculty of Arts and Humanities UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya
By:
Rizky Aprilliansyah Ananda
Reg. Number: A73213127
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA
ABSTRACT
Ananda, Rizky Aprilliansyah. 2017. Nietzsche’s Existentialism Portrayed Within Meursault’s Life in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. English Departement, Faculty of Arts And Humanities. The State Islamic University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
The advisor: Abu Fanani, SS, M.Pd
Key words: Individualism, Awareness, Morality
This Thesis attempts to analyze a powerful written by the French author, Albert Camus entitled The Stranger. The Stranger tells about a young Algiers man namely Meursault who comes from a simple life, but he has unique thought and action in living his life. This Thesis has two goals, the first is to know Meursault’s characterization. The second is to find out Meursault's description of Nietzsche's Existentialism concept.
INTISARI
Ananda, Rizky Aprilliansyah. 2017. Nietzsche’s Existentialism Portrayed Within Meursault’s Life in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. English Departement, Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The State Islamic University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
The advisor: Abu Fanani, SS, M.Pd
Key words: Individualisme, Kesadaran, Moralitas
Skrispi ini mencoba untuk menganalisa sebuah novel yang sangat luar biasa yang ditulis oleh penulis berkebangsaan Perancis bernama Albert Camus yang berjudul The Stranger. The Stranger menceritakan tentang pemuda Algiers yang bernama Meursault dan berasal dari kehidupan yang sederhana, namun dia memiliki pemikiran dan cara yang unik dalam menjalani kehidupan. Skrispi ini memiliki dua tujuan, yang pertama adalah untuk mengetahui karakteristik Meursault. Sedangkan yang kedua adalah untuk mengetahui deskripsi Meursault tentang konsep Eksistensialisme Nietzsche.
Skrispsi ini menggunakan metode analisa deskriptif. Ada beberapa langkah yang dilalui dalam menggunakan metode tersebut. Yang pertama adalah membaca cerita pada novel. Yang kedua, mengumpulkan bagian-bagian yang berhubungan dengan isu yang di bahas. Yang ketiga, menganalisa bagian-bagian tersebut dengan
menggunakan dua teori, yaitu Eksistentialisme oleh Nietzsche dan New Criticism sebagai teori pendukung. Yang terakhir, membuat kesimpulan dari hasil analisa. Hasil dari penelitian ini menjelaskan bahwa Meursault yang digambarkan sebagai orang yang pendiam, kurang sopan santun, tidak berperasaan, mandiri, kondisional dan materialistis, telah menghadapi beberapa situasi dan kondisi yang sesuai dengan konsep eksistensialisme Nietsche. Situasi dan kondisi tersebut adalah aksi pembunuhan sebagai gambaran akan kehendak Meursault untuk berkuasa,
Examiner Approval Page ... v
Acknowledgment ...…... vi
1.2 Statement of Problem ... 3
1.3 Objective of the Study ... 3
1.4 Significance of the Study ... 3
1.5 Scope and Limitation ...,... 4
1.6 Method of the Study ... 4
1.6.1 Research Design ... 5
1.6.2 Source of Data ...….... 5
1.6.3 Method of Collecting Data ... 5
1.6.4 Method of Data Analysis ... 6
1.7 Definition of Key Terms ... 6
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW 2 Literary review ...……... 8
2.1 Existentialism ...……... 8
2.1.1 Existentialism Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche ... 9
2.1.1.1 Will to The Power ... 10
2.1.1.2 Ubermensch ... 11
2.1.1.3 God is Dead ... 14
2.1.1.4 Nihilism ... 16
2.2 New Criticism Theory ... 18
2.2.1 Character ………... 19
2.2.2 Characterization ... 20
2.3 Review of Related Study ... 21
CHAPTER III ANALYSIS 3.1 Meursauit’s Characterization ... 23
3.2 Meursault’s Existentialism ... 29
3.2.1 Meursault’s will to power ... 30
3.2.2 Meursault as an Ubermensch ... 33
3.2.3 Meursault’s god is dead ... 38
3.2.4 Meursault down to Nihilism ... 42
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION ... 45
WORKS CITED ... 47
ABOUT AUTHOR ... 51
A n a n d a | 1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Literary work is the reflection of society, through which an author can
reveals phenomena and society products. As a container of author’s suggestions,
ideas and thoughts, this imaginative art will be shaped into language. Literary
work has strong relation with author’s experience, that is the author’s reflection
and culture recording toward something that happens inside him and society. This
statement in line with Luxemburg (23), he states that literary work was born from
an author’s imaginative process and also can be seen as a symptom which is
written in certain period, so it is connected with norms and tradition in the era.
Aminuddin (36) states that literary work can be varying such as prose,
drama and poem. Each author has their own style in creating literary work, it
becomes the reason why there are so many kinds of literary work theme such as
controversial, alienation, the search for identity, and also manifest themselves
under the influences of psychology and the phenomenon of cultural history
(Klarer 72). These themes relate with human’s dynamics in living their life
especially as a part of society. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche is one of great author
and a thinker whom focus on human way out from given meaning in society in
order to find their existence, this concept called as existentialism.
According to Nietzsche a human who have existence is the human who
have the will (The will to power), and to have power the human must become a
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(https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/). Existence is able to be achieved
with suffering because it makes the human will think more actively and they will
find themselves. This existentialism concept is described in some novels, one of
them is The Stranger by Albert Camus.
The Stranger was published in 1942. The writer is the Nobel
Prize-winning novelist from France namely Albert Camus. The theme of the novel often
reputed as a model of existentialism, although Camus claims that he is not the
adherent of existentialism, his work explores the mind way through absurdity,
determinism, nothingness, nature, and fortitude philosophy. Meursault is the main
character in the novel, in the story, Camus indirectly describes Meursault as the
conditional man who always tries to fulfill his physical needs. While walking
alone on the beach, Meursault meets one of the arabs who used his knife to wound
his friend, Raymond. Meursault who feels blocked to enjoy the shade place
decided to shoot the arab five times.
In court proceedings, Meursault seems no sorry for his murder action.
Moreover, at the first court sessions he refuses to cooperate with his lawyer and
the magistrate. This action gives a great impact on the prosecutor's decision, the
prosecutor judges Meursault as a monster who has no soul, so never feel sorry, no
place in society and deserves a sentence to death. At the time of the death penalty
are waiting, he refuses the appeal. At the day of his execution, Meursault says the
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Based on the explanation of main character above, Meursault becomes an
object for analysis, which focuses on the dynamics of Meursault existence, by
using the concept of Nietzsche's existentialism.
1.2 Statement of Problems
Based on the background that has been explained above, therefore the
researcher proposes the statement of the problems are:
1. How is Meursault characterized in The Stranger?
2. How does Meursault apply the concept of Nietzche’s Existentialism in
The Stranger?
1.3 Objective of The Study
Based on the statement of the problem above, the objective of this study
are formulated:
1. To characterize Meursault character in The Stranger.
2. To know Meursault’s aplication of the concept of Nietzche’s
existentialism in The Stranger?
1.4 Significance of The Study
This study is expected to give valuable contribution theoretically
andpractically. Theoretically, it hopes that this study can be helpful for readers
inorder to understand the The Stranger’s content and how theexistentialism theory
is applies in this research. Meursault’s principle can alsogive knowledge to the
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comprehending life through literature.Practically, it hopes that this study can be
used as reference, especially forstudents of English Literature in Islamic State
University of Sunan AmpelSurabaya who analyze this novel or other novel by
using existentialism theory.
For literary scholars or other people who are mostly interest in literature,
thisresearch becomes a comparison for other researchers, although this can
bedebatable to be more perfect by using another existentialism theory. Since this
study concerns to someone who falls into despair beause of his own principle, it is
also hoped that this researchwill be helpful for common people to understand their
existence in the world bybeing an unique person who will face several
situations/conditions which is caused by his/her own principleand Nietzsche’s life
philosophy.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
To avoid a broad discussion, the analysis will be limited in the novel The
Stranger by Albert Camus. This research focus on main character’s existence in
the novel. To answer the main problem, the point of this analysis is discussing
about the dynamics of Meursault’s existence. Therefore, the scope of this research
focuses on part of novel that describe the process of Meursault gets in trouble
caused of his will to power until his death through the death penalty. Besides,
existentialism will be the scope of this research.
1.6 Method of The study
Research method plays an important role for getting a valid data and
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some methods which are used. Those are research design, research data, data
collection and data analysis.
1. Research Design
To answer the first and second statement of problem, the research uses
library research by using some books and other references like articles, journals,
and websites related to the subject matter that will be analyzed. This research also
uses descriptive qualitative research methods by explaining the result of analysis
in the form of words and sentences since the result is not statistic or numeral data.
Substantively it employs words to answer questions (Donald 420).
2. Source of Data
There are two sources of data, they are primary and secondary data. In this
research, the source of primary data come from the novel itself that is written by
Albert Camus which is published 1989 by Vintage (first published 1992).
Whereas the secondary data is come from some critical works, journals, website
and some books that concern with the novel and explanation about existentialism.
3. Method of Collecting Data
Since the data becomes the most important aspects in conducting a
research, so it must be collected effectively. Method of data collection is one of
the research methods parts that will explain how the data are collected to support
the research. In collecting data for the research which based on the qualitative
method, the steps of data collection are:
A n a n d a | 6
b. Reading and rereading the novel many times to get the best understanding
on the whole story.
c. Collecting the data from the novel by reading comprehensively to get the
accurate data.
d. Selecting the data which are related references that can support the
research data.
e. Selecting and collecting the narration and conversation from the novel that
are related to the problem.
f. Classifying the data based on the objectives of study.
4. Method of Data Analysis.
The data in this research is written text come from a novel, the data that
have been collected will be analyzed using the theory of literature. The
analysisdata will involve some steps, those are:
a. Collecting and selecting the narration and conversation of the
novel that are related to the problems of study.
b. Classifying the data based on the objectives of study.
c. Analyzing the collected data based on the theory and concept in
theoretical framework.
d. Drawing conclusion based on the result of data analysis.
1.7 Definition of Key Term
Individualism : The principle or habit of or belief in independent
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Awareness :A condition in which a person has complete control
of both internal and external stimulus
(http://hidayahnr18.blogspot.co.id).
Morality : According to Poespoprojo, Morality is a quality in
human actions, the quality becomes the direction to
determine whether the action taken including the
right or wrong, good or bad (as cited in
A n a n d a | 8
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter explains the theory and previous study which are used in this
research. The explanation is divided into two parts; the first is the explanation of
existentialism theory formulated by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche and New
Criticism theory. The existentialism theory will be used as the self-actualization
within the characters; meanwhile, New Criticism will be used to describe the
character and characterization. Then the second part is the explanation about
others’ research which also analyzed The Stranger by Albert Camus but used
different theory.
2.1 Existentialism
Existentialism exists as reaction of materialism and idealism. Materialism
especially Marx’ concept, states that the real thing is material. Material is a
decisive factor of human (consciousness) behaviors, historical movement and
social change (Muzairi 14). According to Rene Le Senne as cited by Muzairi (45),
materialism’s mistake is “the destruction of totality”, which denies the totality of
“complete human” by reducing human becomes a material entity only. It means,
for materialism, human can only be explained merely as a material or object but
not as a consciousness subject.
Terminologically, existentialism is a philosophy trend which sees any
symptoms based on existence (Bagus 185). The term existentialism comes from
the word existere; eks = come out, sister = exist. So, existence means “something
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to pass itself”. In reality, human is the only thing or creature that has existere
characteristic. Human is different from things in the sense that things are
unconscious with their existence and they do not interact to each other.
Meanwhile, human, they realize their existence and because of them, things
become meaningful (Hadiwijono 147). Human tries to not be pent up by any
limits they have, therefore existentialists call human as a process of “become”,
active and dynamic movement (Abidin 34).
2.1.1 Existentialism Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
In Nietzsche’s view, “will” has superiority ethic beside metaphysics.
Although Nietzsche is a professor, he is more like a man of letters than academic
philosopher. Nietzsche does not find a new technical theory in ontology or
epistemology; his important is in ethic and he is a critical critic of history (Russel,
989).
There are some relations between Nietzsche and existentialism. Just like
existentialism community, he argues that humans do not thinking and acting to
find value/meaning but for creating a new future goal and new values with the
exist convection and accepting the truth based on the will to power (Wille zur
Macht). The will to power is Nietzsche’s thought which is connected with the
future goal about “ubermensch (superman)”. In connection with that, Nietzsche
ever dreams Greece’s aristocracyas a kind of superior personality which is able to
respect the power and intelligence. Therefore, Nietzsche refuses the consciousness
concept of the similarity of human’s degree which is promoted by Christianity
A n a n d a | 10
ubermensch is a man without God (the creator of universe) and the man without
God is a creator (Sudiardja 10-11).
Will to power is the main pushing for human and then the pushing will
produce master morality. Master morality is able to be achieved by few wonderful
men who is called as ubermensch/superman. Superman is someone who is really
free that there is nothing forbidden for him; he or she is someone who has passion
and movement and his or her passion is only able to be handled by his or her high
mind (Titus 389-391). Nietzsche’s main contribution is bringing human to face
the life’s consequences in the world which is there is no permanent value and
purpose. Nietzsche’s concept will be explained further in the following.
2.1.1.1 Will to The Power
“This world is the will to power-and nothing besides! And you yourselves
are also this will to power-and nothing besides” (Nietzche in Kaufman,
550).
Nietzsche’s Idea of Will to Power is simply the result of his disgust with
the overwhelming authority of the war campaigns that struck Europe and its
surroundings, as well as the oppression, colonization, human fragmentation, until
Christian failures which is not able to save the people from decadence. Then, will
to power is used by Nietzsche as a knife to dissects the motivation of the will to
get power. Nietzsche’s idea of the will to power was inspired by Schopenhauer
and then become the reason for Nietzsche to search what really exists inside
human. Nietzsche finds out something that makes humans become what they
expect is not because the cleverness, wealth or position, but the will to power.
A n a n d a | 11
form of will to power (Sunardi 92-95). The focus of Nietzsche’s criticism lies in
the interpretation of the phenomenal world and of the metaphysical recognition of
the will. Nietzche says the recognition of metaphysical true world only comes
from weak people and the people like this are pessimists one (Sunardi 67).
According to Nietzsche, will to life appears because of will to power.
Nietzsche formulates the will to power as a distinction between human and
animal. Without the will to power, human and animal can be classified into one
class because the two creatures have similar activities. The will to power is
something that makes human understands the true purpose of every action he
undertakes and then strives to preserve that goal for a better life. This is in line
with Sunardi, he states that the will to power is the basic human motive and also
the central point of ethics (Sunardi 104). The explanation of the will to power also
shows that power or will are able to be arisen when one does or does not plan it.
People need power to resolve and develop their physics in the process of
achieving their goals.
2.2.1.2 Ubermensch / Superman
Ubermensch has a relation with the concept of the will to power. For
Nietzsche, the greatest meaning of the world lies on ubermensch. Sunardi says
that the word “uber” on ubermensch has a role that determines the overall
meaning of ubermensch; it emphasizes the will to power as a spirit to resolve or
self-transcending motives (93). The process of change into an ubermensch is a
possible and natural thing which humans should achieve. Ubermensch must still
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Nietzsche introduces his teaching about ubermensch through Zarathustra
in his book Also Sprach Zarathustra. Nietzsche decides to use Zarathustra as the
main character because Zarathustra was the teacher of Ubermensch (Sunardi 188).
Nietzsche sees that the values inherited by Western culture until then are
collapsed; it is caused by the existing guarantees, therefore through Zarathustra,
he teaches an unsecured value to everyone and this value is ubermensch. So,
ubermensch is a human’s way of giving value to him or herself without turning
away from the world and looking across the world (Sunardi 143-144). Nietzsche
was inspired by Faust, the character that created by Goethe. From Faust,
Nietzsche has an ubermensch’s idea. According to Nietzsche an ubermensch is a
person who is proud of himself and will never influenced by the other’s opinions
or thoughts, especially the attitudes of people who have a relationship with him.
Precisely an ubermensch is someone who gives influence to the people associated
with him or her, it accordance with Zarathustra’s statement in The Portable
NIETZSCHE which is translated by Walter Kaufmann.
“'Verily, a polluted stream is man. One must be a sea to be able to receive a polluted stream without becoming unclean. Behold, I teach you the overman: he is this sea; in him your great contempt can go under.” (125).
This quotation shows that F. W. Nietzsche likens ubermensch is like an
ocean that never experiences the changing although it must accommodate the
turbid water. The point of this whole idea is the human who wants to become an
ubermensch, then that person must have an original principle and never worries
about its association with others. One must strive to maintain his or her principle
A n a n d a | 13
power, then the measure of success is the feeling of increasing power.
Ubermensch is only able to be achieved by using all the capabilities that humans
possess individually. The ubermensch formulation which feels appropriate comes
from Curt Friedlin. He says the most optimal possibility for a person is at the
present time and not at the level of development that lies far ahead, which is only
determined rationally (Sunardi 102).
According to Sardjumunarsa, Nietzsche aspired to grow a superior man at
the end of the journey. This journey must be passed gradually, starts from master
mentality, based on the will to power, and must be brave; this journey marks an
atheistic superior man (as cited in Martin Sardy 146)
This relates to the morality in bourgeois environment. Such bourgeois
morality brings people to a dishonest and natural life. The bourgeois man always
strives and demands more regardless of his ability; unfortunately, no one is same
as the other. This conditions make human’s behaviors always go and look for
"comfort zone" (Sunardi 151-159). This behavior is evidenced by the human’s
actions which have the heart by slandering, cheating, bribing, stealing, killing, or
licking for the sake of finding a comfort zone. This morale becomes the enemy of
nature, therefore Nietzsche rejected it.
Nietzsche also realizes that human often wants something beyond his
ability which is caused by human’s difficulty in realizing their own strength
unlike other creatures that can live life in their world with "steady and sure".
Therefore, human is likened to "an uncertain animal". Human behavior has always
A n a n d a | 14
or she behaves as if leading to stability and certainty. This belief is an oddity and
very impossible for humans to reach the stability and certainty. Supposedly, the
human is able to understand that from inconsistency; they learn to live their lives
so as to be creative to improve themselves (Budiwiarto 30).
Thus, human is able to take complete control of his life such as the
responsibility for all choices and actions. Here, the will to power plays an
important role because it underlies the human’s ability to create and resolve the
problem without having to rely on morals and religion because religion in this
case is the inhibiting factor to become a ubermensch. For Nietzsche, a superior
man is a human being in accord with nature and becomes a symbol of human who
is able to give meaning to life. Ubermensch with great spirit is success to win,
develops his ability and willingness to rule freely and maximally. He or she is a
portrait of a human who knows the truth of himself and drives himself and his
own life. For Nietzsche, humanity must be an endless undertaking to born great
human that capable of living alone (Copleston 77).
2.2.1.3 God is Dead
Nietzsche's philosophy is a philosophy of way of looking at 'the truth' or
known by the term perspectivism philosophy. Nietzsche has many expressions to
express one formulation of the idea of a dead God. One of these phrases is
“Requeim Aeternam Deo!”, which means:” May God rest in eternal peace “. The
phrase “requiem aeternam” is a spoken phrase to honor and pray for the dead.
This expression means that God may rest in eternal peace. Then Nietzsche
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one of the most famous phrases in a Nietzsche aphorism in which he shouts: "God
is dead! We have killed him "(Sunardi 36). Because of this, Nietzsche is called the
God-killer and known as an atheist. This phrase first appeared in ‘The Gay
Science’. It is expressed as follows:
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. "How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all mur~derers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we
ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy o£ it?”(Kaufmann,
181).
In that explanation, the dead of God should not be taken literally; that God
is now physically dead or vice versa. This is how Nietzsche says that the idea of
God is no longer able to serve as the source of all moral or teleological rules.
Nietzsche acknowledges the crisis represented by God's death for the moral
judgments that exist because when one abandons the Christian faith, he or she
take out of his or her right to Christian morality from his or her "feet". By
destroying a central concept of Christianity, faith in God, one destroys the whole
concept and nothing left in his or her hands. This is why Prophet Zarathustra in
the book Thus Spoke Zarathustra spread his teachings about how to maintain any
value system in the absence of the divine order.
The death of God is a way to say that humans are no longer able to believe
in any cosmic arrangement because they are no longer admits it. Nietzsche says
that the death of God would lead not only to the rejection of cosmic beliefs or the
A n a n d a | 16
rejection of the belief in an objective and universal moral law which binds all
individuals. The God that Nietzsche killed was not God in a spiritual,
transcendental, absolute, but God who plunged humans into dehumanization like
God-pagan, including the religious model of our majority polytheism and
monotheism. In this portion, Nietzsche is distinctly different from Western
atheism as Sartre, Kant, Camus and Armstrong who construct existentialist
paradigms only in the context of the exploration of human freedom, not the
determinism of the God existence. Nietzsche never dismisses God in his inherent
understanding and coherent with this dimension (Levine 10-12).
While God is death, all the absolute values and humans enter the territory
of no master territorial. In one of his monumental works of Twilight of the Idols
and Anti-Christin The Portable Nietzsche, Nietzsche puts suspicion on
post-Socratic philosophers especially Plato who has bewitched the later philosopher's
thought with his transcendental idea leading to the formation of a Western
metaphysical view which was later wrapped in the Christian tradition (532-545).
2.2.1.3 Nihilism
When nihilism is viewed as a verb form, it means nullify, exterminate,
annihilate and eliminate all existences. Nietzsche uses this terminology to
illustrate that something ever considered valuable and meaningful has now begun
to fade and lead to collapse. Nihilism is a teaching that denies the validity of any
positive alternative and this term has been applied to metaphysics, epistemology,
ethics, politics and theology. “Nihil” in nihilism means negation as the quality of
A n a n d a | 17
zero value, which is taken by life and the fiction of the higher values, that give it
the value and the will for the absence expressed in higher values (Deleuze 208).
The discussion of nihilism is essentially a reflection on the cultural crisis,
especially European culture as witnessed by Nietzsche at the end of last century.
Nietzsche describes that the movement of European cultural at that time is like a
river which is stretching strongly while approached the lips of the ocean. This
metaphor aims to critic Europeans who are no longer capable to think of his or her
self. This is one of hundreds signs of the coming of nihilism. Thus, nihilism is a
kind of insight about what will happen in later times, as in its aphorism quoted by
St. Sunardi:
“What I relate is the history of the next two centuries. I describe what is coming, what can come more differently: the advent of nihilism. For some time now the whole culture has been traversed by a tortured tension that is growing from decade to decade: restlessly, violently, headlong, like a river that wants to reach the end” (31).
This is one of hundreds signs of nihilism. Besides, nihilism can be also
defined as an impact of the emergence of Nietzsche's thoughts that struck the
remnants of earlier thought and belief. Nihilism is the collapse of all values and
meanings including all areas of human life and the whole areas that is divided into
two, namely religion including morals and science. The collapse of these two
areas makes human loses their guarantees and guidance to understand the world
and their lives (Sunardi 33-34). In short, nihilism leads human in crisis situations
or to a day that becomes a continuous night because all of the certainty of his life
A n a n d a | 18
Nietzsche uses this utterance to make the society realize that all assurance
forms or certainty have faded or meaningless in the community. The first certainty
assurance is God as inherited by Christianity, and then various other forms of
certainty assurance are science and morals. Nietzsche formulates the collapse of
two assurances by saying “God is Dead”. God signifies the source of all certainty,
while all certainty has been lost. This aphorism, then, makes people think. The
conclusion of the notion of nihilism based on the descriptions above is that
nihilism reveals that this world, especially the existence of human in the world,
does not have the same purposes. Nihilis means to eliminate all modern
worldviews. The modern view says that there is the universality of purpose, value
and morality for all human beings in the world (Levine 34-35).
Thus, as if humans are made powerless in one absolute belief, that
inadvertently distorts human as a creature that have the will to power. Nietzsche's
courage offering nihilism has at least two tragic implications: to stop the
movement of western philosophical traditions that give space for the totality or
universality of justification. The theme of nihilism becomes a prophetic
expression of a condition that will occur several centuries after Nietzsche in which
the sublime standard of living is no longer necessary.
2.2 New Criticism
The term of a new criticism is firstly introduced by John Crowe Ransom in
his book entitle The New Criticism (1940) and supported by I.A. Richard and T.S.
Eliot (Rokhmansyah 68). While New criticism is introduced to America, the
A n a n d a | 19
university members in studying literary work and it happens since several decades
(Tyson 135).
New criticism only focuses and concentrates on the text itself without any
influences of external elements such as the historical context, biographical
intellectual, and so on (Selden 19). It means that New Criticism only needs the
text as the source of data and ignoring any external elements. Since literary work
not be able to be separated from the author as its designer, the work itself has
reflects the author’s purpose. In order to find the author’s intention or reader’s
interpretation, the researcher must be examining carefully the formal element of
text such as characterization, setting of the time and place, point of view, plot,
images, metaphor and symbols, so that the researcher can find the theme (Tyson
137). So, New Criticism as a practice or theory is very important and useful for
student in analyzing literary works.
In order to analyze Meursault’s character and Characterization in The
Stranger, this research will use new criticism theory as a supporting theory which
is concerning on the character and characterization. The following explanations of
character and characterization are stated below:
2.2.1 Character
Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work and
created as being endowed with particular moral, intellectual and emotional
qualities. The reader is able to interpret these qualities by taking a conclusion of
what the characters say from their distinctive ways of saying such as their
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verbal representative of human being because they are able to do an action, speech
and qualities like people in real life and also pass the real human’s way of life.
Character is divided into two kinds; they are round character and flat
character. Round character is a character that experiences a changing of its
attitude and makes differentiation between their first and last personality. On the
other hand, flat character is a character that not experiences a changing of their
attitude from the beginning until the end of the story. Flat character is usually
played by protagonist (Abrams 31). While, the kinds of character based on the
characteristics of good and bad, is divided into three kinds. First is a protagonist
character as the main character. Second is the antagonist as the opposite of the
protagonist character. Third is triagonist figure to mediate between protagonist
and antagonist.
2.2.2 Characterization
Characterization is the writer’s method to present and reveal character
through narrative description (given fact) with explicit judgment (interpretative
opinion). Through given fact and interpretative opinion, the readers get an
impression about the character in the story (DiYani 55). This statement shows that
the authors generally give a fact and opinion to reveal the characters in the story.
So, the reader is able to understand them after getting the impression which comes
from the author’s fact and opinion about the characters itself.
There are two different approaches to characterization; they are direct
characterization and indirect characterization. With direct characterization, the
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indirect characterization, the author shows us things about the character to help us
have an understanding of the character's personality and effect on other characters.
According to Terry (5) there are five different methods of indirect
characterization: speech; in this case the author wants to the readers know the
each character from the conversation or dialog between the characters. Thought;
here the author wants to the readers understand what the character is expressed
through his or her mind. The effect on others of the character; Here the author
tries to explain the characters to the readers through a character's behavior as a
reaction to other characters. Action; the author describes the characters to the
readers through the actions or attitudes caused by character. Looks; the author
describes the characters of the story to the readers in terms of the appearance of
the characters.
2.3 Review of Related Studies
The first is from a journal written by Arzu Ozyonentitled Camus’s
Meursault: From An Existentialist Angle. The aim of this research is to display
The Stranger’s protagonist namely Meursault as an existentialist character. The
analysis emphasizes on the Meursault’s life which reflects the main principles of
existentialism, such as the rejection of god, flaming passion for life, struggle
against death, the sense of alienation, freedom of choice, suffering as a part of the
world, individual versus the other people and institutions, the abandonment of
man and the use of myth. Arzu Ozyon uses the theory of existentialism from
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Stranger, the difference is that the researcher uses existentialism theory from
Nietzsche in his analysis.
The second is from a journal written by Moch. Zainul Arifin entitled
Reading Cynicism of an Absurd in Albert Camus Work Entitled Orang Asing:
From the Subject Perspective of Imanen Slavoj Žižek. The aim of this research is
to find how the absurdity is represented as a radical action in Orang Asing, and
how the radicalization becomes symbolic cynicism in the Orang Asing. The
analysis emphasizes on the Meursault’s radical action. Moch. Zainul Arifin uses
the theory of absurdism from Albert Camus. Moch. Zainul Arifin as the researcher
use novel The Stranger. However, the researcher uses existentialism theory from
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CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS
Although literature and philosophy are two different diciplines, they still
have a similarity because both of them are dealing with human life (Sutrisno 16).
The discussion that exists in philosophy and literature comes from the real events
that happen in human life. Those discussions will provide an insight or inspiration
that will be shaped by human creativity in to written texts (Sutrisno 16). In this
case, philosophy and literature are able to work together in order to form a
writing. So, it means that everyone is possible to do philosophical analysis in
literary works. The Stranger is one of the novels which contains some reviews of
those philosophical values.
This chapter discusses about the existence of Meursault as the main
character in The Stranger which applies the theory of existentialism and new
criticism. In order to answer the statement of problem, the researcher divides the
discussion into two parts; The first one will discuss the characterization of
Meursault and the second will discuss how Meursault shows his existence when
kills an Arab until he faces his punishment.
3.1 Meursault’s Characterization
This section discusses the character and characterization of
Meursault. Meursault is the main character in The Stranger by Albert Camus. He
becomes the main character because he always appears in every part of the story.
It is accordance with Nurgiyantoro’s statement (176), he states that the main
character is an important character in a story that appears continually. Since
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protagonist. Moreover, Meursault’s characterization belongs to flat character
because of his personality is never changed. It is accordance with Abrams’
statement (31), he said that the flat character is usually played by the protagonist.
In approaching the characterization, the researcher uses direct and indirect
characterization. From direct characterization, the researcher is able to understand
Meursault’s characterization through the written explanations in the novel.
Meanwhile in indirect characterization, the researcher is able to understand
Meursault’s characterization by drawing conclusions from the things he does,
think and say. Here is the Meursault’s characterization:
3.1.1 Quiet
Meursault is a quiet person, it can be seen through the Magistrate’s
question:
He led off by remarking that I had the reputation of being a taciturn,
rather self-centered person, and he’d like to know what I had to say to that
(pg 42).
The word "reputation" indicates that the judge's question comes from the
information he obtained, the information must come from the environment where
Meursault live because they are the people who know Meursault in his daily lives.
In other words, the people of Algiers are the one who explain that Meursault is a
quiet character. The quotation also explains that the Algiers people do not feel that
Meursault is an egoist, Meursault only rarely starts a conversation with them.
Another character who supports Meursault as a quietcharacter is Celeste,
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prosecutor's statement of Meursault's personality. It can be seen from the
following quotation:
“Was I a secretive sort of man?” “No,” he answered, “I shouldn’t call him that. But he isn’t one to waste his breath, like a lot of folks.”(pg 57).
The quotation shows that Celeste disagrees if Meursault is called a
secretive sort person, he also explains that Meursault is a person who dislikes to
wasting his energy to talk about things he does not want. In other words, Celeste
emphasizes the prosecutor that Meursault is a quietcharacter.
3.1.2. Lack of Manner
Meursault is a person who is lacking of manner. Manner is a way of
behaving with reference to polite standardsas a part of society.
(www.dictionary.com). Meursault as a person who is lacking of manner can be
seen through his actions while vigil in front of his mother's dead body. When
Meursault stays up in front of his mother's body, he drank a cup of coffee and
smoke. The action can be seen from the following quote:
As I am very partial to café au lait I said, “Thanks,” and a few minutes later he came back with a tray. I drank the coffee, and then I wanted a cigarette. But I wasn’t sure if I should smoke, under the circumstances—in Mother’s presence. I thought it over; really, it didn’t seem to matter, so I offered the keeper a cigarette, and we both smoked (pg 7).
The phrase “I wasn’t sure if I should smoke, under the circumstances—in
Mother’s presence” indicates that Meursault is aware of an assessment of the
actions, that judgment will appears from the perspective of the society. In other
words, the phrase describes that there are rules of attitude and action when
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about it and decides to smoke. It indicates that the Meursault has deviated from
the existing rules.
3.1.3. Heartlessness
Meursault is described as a heartlessness person. Heartlessness is noun
form of heartless, heartless means the lack of
feel(https://www.merriam-webster.com). So, heartlessness person is a someone who lacking of feeling.
Meursault's portrayal as a heartlessness person can be seen through his
conversation with Marie. When Meursault and his girl discusses about their
feelings, Meursault only response the painful statements. This situation can be
seen from the following quotation:
Then she asked me again if I loved her. I replied, much as before, that
her question meant nothing or next to nothing—but I supposed I didn’t.“If
that’s how you feel,” she said, “why marry me?”I explained that it had no importance really, but, if it would give her pleasure, we could get married right away. I pointed out that, anyhow, the suggestion came from her; as for me, I’d merely said, “Yes.”Then she remarked that marriage was a
serious matter.To which I answered: “No.”She kept silent after that,
staring at me in a curious way. Then she asked:“Suppose another girl had
asked you to marry her—I mean, a girl you liked in the same way as you
like me—would you have said ‘Yes’ to her, too?”“Naturally.” (pg 28-29)
The quotation shows that Meursault gives painful responses. First, he
states that he does not love Marie. Secondly, he states that marriage is
unimportant thing. Thirdly, he declares that he will marry any girls who asks him
to married. From these points, it can be concluded that Meursault does not think
about Marie's feelings.Meursault's portrayal of a heartlessness person can also be
seen through prosecutors’ statements:
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to the swimming pool where I met Marie, our matinee at the pictures where a Fernandel film was showing, and finally my return with Marie to my rooms (pg 62).
And yet, he made bold to say, the horror that even the crime of parricide inspired in him paled beside the loathing inspired by my callousness (pg 63).
These quotations indicate that the prosecutor considers Meursault as a
heartlessness person. The word "my heartlessness" refers to Meursault's attitudes
and actions that seems so calm at his mother's funeral. Meanwhile, the word "my
callousness" refers to Meursault's attitude that seems lacking of remorse after
killing someone. The prosecutor's statement is a conclusion which is taken from
witnesses, in other words the prosecutor's statement is the right and appropriate
opinion.
3.1.4. Independent
Meursault is depicted as an independent person. An independent person is
a person who is capable of making decisions or actions without any help from
others (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com). Meursault's depiction as an
independent person can be seen from his actions while undergoing his first trial
process, he decides to keep proceeding even though his lawyer is not able to
present. It can be seen from the following quotation:
After inviting me to sit down, the magistrate informed me in a very polite tone that, “owing to unforeseen circumstances,” my lawyer was unable to be present. I should be quite entitled, he added, to reserve my answers to his questions until my lawyer could attend. To this I replied that I could answer for myself (pg 42).
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fate of Meursault in the future. It shows that Meursault is not dependent to others
and capable of undergoing important condition alone.
3.1.5. Conditional
Meursault is described as a conditional person. Conditional is the
surrender attitude toward condition, the surrender attitude is not absolute because
it can be arranged by various terms and rules (http://www.dictionary.com). So, the
conditional person is the person who will act in accordance with the condition or
rule that he made. Meursault's portrayal of a conditional person can be seen
through his speech while discussing with lawyers:
I promised, to satisfy him, but I explained that my physical condition at any given moment often influenced my feelings (pg 41).
The quotation shows two points that support the Meursault’s portrayal as a
conditional person. First, the phrase "my physical condition at any given moment
often influenced my feelings" explains that Meursault is a person who is surrender
or submissive with his physical need. Secondly, the word "but" not only as a
conjunction for two sentences, the word "but" in the quotation also informs that
Meursault gives a requirement. The requirement is Meursault’s agreement to
cooperate with the lawyer provided the lawyer is able to understand Meursault.
3.1.6. Materialist
Meursault is described as Materialist. Materialists is the people who is
more concerned with material than spiritual, intellectual, or cultural value
(http://www.dictionary.com). In other words, the materialist will measure every
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materialist can be seen from his reason of rarely to visit his mother at nursing
home:
That was why, during the last year, I seldom went to see her. Also, it would have meant losing my Sunday-getting to mention the trouble of going to the bus, getting my ticket, and spending two hours on the journey each way. "(Pg 5).
His mind explains that one of the reasons he does not want to visit his
mother is because his reluctance to buying a ticket. It indicates that Meursault is
more concerned with material than a sense of kinship. Another evidence that
describes Meursault as materialist can be seen from his thought while dialogue
with a chaplain in prison. When the chaplain asks about the kind of life which
Meursault expects after death, Meursault thinks that the life he wants is life with a
lot of money. It can be seen from the following quotation:
“No! No! I refuse to believe it. I’m sure you’ve often wished there was an afterlife.” Of course I had, I told him. Everybody has that wish at times. But that had no more importance than wishing to be rich, or to swim very fast, or to have a better-shaped mouth. It was in the same order of things (pg 74).
The quotation explains that the most important thing for Meursault is
wealth or material. The quotation also explains that Meursault does not believe on
the afterlife or the judgment of God, he only sees a world that appear as the only
real life. In other words, he does not believe in something that has no
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3.2 Meursault’s Existentialism
Based on the explanation of Nietzsche's existentialism in the previous
chapter, human will face some situations or conditions in his/her attempt to gain
their existence. The form of the situation or condition are the will to power,
ubermensch(superman), god is dead and nihilism. These four points will explain
about the situation or condition which is faced by Meursault in order to gain his
existence. The discussion will be starts from the killing an arab until receiving his
death penalty.
3.2.1 Meursault’s will to power
This section will discuss about Meursault's actions which is accordance
with Nietzsche's concept of will to power. Meursault's action which is accordance
with the concept of will to power is killing an arab in order to fulfill his need as
the conditional person. This action starts from Meursault's need to relax in the
shade place. He needs to find a shade place because the beach’s weather is very
hot. This situation can be seen from the following quotation:
When we reached the bungalow Raymond promptly went up the wooden steps, but I halted on the bottom one. The light seemed thudding in my head and I couldn’t face the effort needed to go up the steps and make myself amiable to the women. But the heat was so greatthat it was just as bad staying where I was, under that flood of blinding light falling
from the sky. To stay, or to make a move—it came to much the same.
After a moment I returned to the beach, and started walking (pg 37).
The quotation above does not only explain about the beach’s weather, the
quotation also explains the reason of why Meursault do not follow his friends and
come back to Masson's place. Meursault do not return to Masson's place because
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not able to stay in his position because the weather is very hot, so he must make a
move and find a shady place. Meursault's destination can be seen from his mind
"As I slowly walked toward the boulders at the end of the beach." (Pg 37). From
the statement, it can be seen that Meursault goes to the rocks at the edge of the
beach. Meursault chooses the place because he and his friends ever visit it, he
knows that the place provides a shady place through the rocks’ shadows,
moreover the place also provides a healthy spring.
While Meursault almost reach the spot, he sees someone he does not
expect. The man is an arab who has problem with Meursault and his friends. Not
only the presence of the arab who interfere with Meursault, otherwise his presence
also disturbs the arab. Although the arab is relaxing and using the shade,
Meursault do not get away and choose to get closer. This situation can be seen
from the following quotation:
It struck me that all I had to do was to turn, walk away, and think no more about it. But the whole beach, pulsing with heat, was pressing on my back. I took some steps toward the stream (pg 38).
The quotation also explains that Meursault is fully aware about the risk
which is able to be happen if he and the arab stay close. Meursault's decision to
come closer indicates his will to take over the place. Meursault's consciousness in
accordance with Sunardi's explanation (104), he explains that will to power is the
basic human motive and also the central point of ethics. Sunardi's statement
explains that will to power is something that makes human understands the true
purpose of every action he undertakes and then strives to preserve that goal for a
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But the condition becomes more difficult for Meusault to enjoy the place,
it is because the arab threat Meursault in order to make him go away. The Arab
draws his knife and pointing it toward Meursault, automatically this attitude
makes the arab become an obstacle for Meursault to enjoy the place. Meursault,
who is blocked by the arab’s threat, decides to get rid of the arab, he also draw the
gun and shot the arab. This situation can be seen through the following quotation:
Every nerve in my body was a steel spring, and my grip closed on the revolver. The trigger gave, and the smooth underbelly of the butt jogged my palm. And so, with that crisp, whipcrack sound, it all began. I shook off my sweat and the clinging veil of light. I knew I’d shattered the balance of the day, the spacious calm of this beach on which I had been happy. But I fired four shots more into the inert body, on which they left no visible trace. And each successive shot was another loud, fateful rap on the door of my undoing (pg 39).
The quotation also explains that Meursault adds 4 more shots to the arab’s
body. The phrase "each successive shot" explains that Meursault is aware of the
purpose of his actions. It can be said that Meursault’s reason for adding 4 more
shots is to ensure his success to get rid of the obstacle. In other words, Meursault
feels sure that his murder action in order to mastering the place is the the right
thing.
Another evidence that supports Meursault’s confidence if his murder
action is the right thing comes from his explanation about himself. He explains to
his lawyer that he is a conditional person who always follows his physical
condition. His explanation indicates that according to him, every action which is
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belief that the using of gun is a right thing, it can be seen from his dialogue with
Raymond:
“He hasn’t spoken to you yet. It would be a lowdown trick to shoot him like that, in cold blood.”Again, for some moments one heard nothing but the tinkle of the stream and the flute notes weaving through the hot, still air.“Well,” Raymond said at last, “if that’s how you feel, I’d better say something insulting, and if he answers back I’ll loose off.”“Right,” I said. “Only, if he doesn’t get out his knife you’ve no business to fire.” (pg 37)
The quotation shows that Meursault disagree if Raymond shoot the arab
firstly. In other words, Meursault is the one who agree with the using of gun in
order to finishing a problem or gaining what he wants. It is in accordance with Ali
Mudhofir's explanation (347), he states that will to power is the basic thing of
human existence because life is a struggle to get power and struggle is a good
thing. Mudhofir's statement explains that the will to power is something that
pushes human to get power and the process will makes human are fully aware that
their goal of acquiring a power is the right thing.
3.2.2 Meursault as an Ubermensh
This chapter discusses about the Meursault’s depiction which is in
accordance with Nietzsche's concept of ubermensch. Nietzsche's explanation of
the ubermensch can be seen in Thus Spoke to Zarathustra:
“Verily, a polluted stream is man. One must be a sea to be able to receive a polluted stream without becoming unclean. Behold, I teach you the overman: he is this sea; in him your great contempt can go under.” (Kaufmann125).
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It can be concluded that ubermensch is a person who is proud of himself and will
never influenced by the others’ opinions, precisely an ubermensch is someone
who gives influence to the others.
The depiction of the Meursault as an ubermensch can be seen when he
undergoes his court process. After Meursault kills an Arab, he is arrested by the
police and must undergo the court process in order to be responsible of his murder
action. While he walks on his court process, Meursault is portrayed as a figure
who upholds the value of truth in general. Meursault's belief of truth in general
can be seen from his belief on the court process, he beliefs that the court will
process his murder action with true and fair. The word “true” means that the court
will focuses to discuss about his murder action and do not discuss about anything
which is unrelated. The Meursault’s beliefs can be seen when he is interrogated:
Then he inquired if I had chosen a lawyer to defend me. I answered, “No,” I hadn’t thought about it, and asked him if it was really necessary for me to have one. “Why do you ask that?” he said. I replied that I
regarded my case as very simple. He smiled. “Well, it may seem so to you. But we’ve got to abide by the law, and, if you don’t engage a lawyer, the court will have to appoint one for you.”It struck me as an excellent arrangement that the authorities should see to details of this kind, and I told him so. He nodded, and agreed that the Code was all that could be desired. At first I didn’t take him quite seriously. (pg 40).
The quotation explains that Meursault thinks if he does not need the help
of a lawyer. In other words, Meursault is very sure that he is capable to walk on
the court process without anyone’s help. It can be indicated that his confidence
comes from his knowledge about the truth which is linked to the court process. It
means that Meursault believes his reason and purpose of undergoing the judiciary
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be seen from the same quote, the phrase "I replied that I regarded my case as very
simple.", itshows that he only thinks if his murder action is the only one which
will be discuss.
Another evidence that shows Meursault's beliefs can be seen from his
conversation with the lawyer. After the lawyer asks about his feeling and
attitudetowardhis mother, Meursault explained that his murder action has no
relation with it. This situation can be seen through the following quotation:
The lawyer, however, looked displeased. “That’s not enough,” he said curtly.After considering for a bit he asked me if he could say that on that day I had kept my feelings under control.“No,” I said. “That wouldn’t be true.”He gave me a queer look, as if I slightly revolted him; then informed me, in an almost hostile tone, that in any case the head of the Home and some of the staff would be cited as witnesses.“And that might do you a very nasty turn,” he concluded.When I suggested that Mother’s death had no connection with the charge against me, he merely replied that this remark showed I’d never had any dealings with the law. (41).
The quotation explains that Meursault belief if his attitude and actions on
his mother's funeral will not knock him down in court because it has nothing to do
with his murder case. Although the lawyer explains that the people at his mother's
funeral will come as witnesses, Meursault still does not care. Meursault still
maintains his decision of rejecting the lawyer ask, he still refuses to change the
esence of his statement about the reason why he seems calm at mother’s funeral.
In other words, Meursault is unaffected by the lawyer's statement. The evidence
that he is unaffected by his lawyer can be seen from his decision while undergoing
his first court. In the beginning of the first court, the Magistrate informs Meursault
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option to delay the court proceeding, Meursault still decides to start the court
process. This situation can be seen from the following quotation:
After inviting me to sit down, the magistrate informed me in a very polite tone that, “owing to unforeseen circumstances,” my lawyer was unable to be present. I should be quite entitled, he added, to reserve my answers to his questions until my lawyer could attend. To this I replied that I could answer for myself (pg 42).
The quotation explains that Meursault is convinced if he can answer any
questions that will be given with properly and appropriately. It shows that
Meursault is unaffected by the lawyer’s critic. So, it can be concluded that
Meursault is the person who has strong principle and never influenced by others’
opinion, and his heartlessness toward others’ opposition reaction shows that
Meursault is never worry about the relation between his principle toward others.
Other evidence that demonstrates Meursault's belief on truth value of the
court process can be seen through his conversation with the magistrate. In starting
the court process, the magistrate says that he would do his best to help Meursault.
This statement can be seen through Meursault's explanation:
After another silence he stood up and said he’d like to help me; I
interested him, and, with God’s help, he would do something for me in my trouble. But, first, he must put a few more questions. (pg 42).
The phrase “with God’s help” indicates that the magistrate tries to show
that he is a religious man. It can be said that the magistrate will help the person
who has a faith in God, especially the same God as his. The evidence of this
explanation can be seen while Meursault is not able to answer the magistrate’s
A n a n d a | 37
the subject of the discussion in to the essence of God. From Meursault’s
explanation, he magistrate says that he “believed in God, and that even the worst
of sinners could be forgiveness of Him. But first he must repent, and become like a
little child, with a simple, trustful heart, open to conviction (pg 43). This
statement indicates that the magistrate tries to influence Meursault, he forces
Meursault to believe on the presence of God and to ask forgiveness to God. It can
be said that the magistrate will help Meursault if he is willing to admit his guilt
and ask forgiveness of God. Although the judge had given a clue to the Meursault,
Meursault still refuses to believe in the presence of God. Meursault's attitude is in
accordance with Wibowo’s statement about ubermensch, in Para Pembunuh
Tuhan, Wibowo states that ubermensch is a man who dares to live in the world,
accepting and facing the world with all his good and evil without seeking escape
on any supernatural things (27). In addition, Meursault's actions which refuses to
follow the magistrate’s pressure to believe in the existence of a God, also shows
that Meursault does not care with the topic because he only needs to discuss about
his murder action. In other words, it can be concluded that Meursault is convinced
if his faith of God is unrelated thing toward the murder case.
Meursault is also described as the man who proud of himself. His pride
can be seen through the changing of the lawyer and the magistrate in running the
court process. This changing can be seen through the following quotation:
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God again or displayed any of the religious fervor I had found so embarrassing at our first interview. The result was that our relations became more cordial. After a few questions, followed by an exchange of remarks with the lawyer, the magistrate closed the interview. My case was “taking its course,” as he put it. Sometimes, too, the conversation was of a general order, and the magistrate and lawyer encouraged me to join in it. I began to breathe more freely. Neither of the two men, at these times, showed the least hostility toward me, and everything went so smoothly, so amiably, that I had an absurd impression of being “one of the family.” (pg 44).
The quotation explains that the magistrate is no longer discuss any
unrelated thing in Meursault court process. It means that Meursault's attitude gives
some effects on the magistrate. In addition, the lawyer also no longer asks about
Meursault's feeling toward his mother. As a result, the process of the court
becomes more pleasing for Meursault, this pleasant situation can be seen from the
friendly attitude that magistrate and lawyer give to Meursault. Previously, the
lawyer and the judge force Meursault to fulfill what they expect, but now they no
longer do it. Under these circumstances, it can be interprets that Meursault is
proud of his actions against the lawyer and the judge. This interpretation can be
proved by his statement “everything went so smoothly, so amiably, that I had an
absurd impression of being “one of the family”.
3.2.3 Meursault’s God is dead
This chapter discusses the situation which is faced by Meursault, this
situation in accordance with Nietzsche's idea of God is dead. The word "God" in
God is dead not only refers to the real god (the Creator of the universe and its
contents) but also refers to anything which is exalted by human(Wibowo 8). In
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that becomes the center or foundation of every human actions. Wibowo (44) also
explained that the word “god” is a metaphysical symbol for the ideal value or the
ultimate truth. In the previous chapter, Meursault has been described as the one
who upholds the value of truth in general. Therefore, the death of god for
Meursault is a situation where his belief on the value of the truth dies.
The dead of truth value in general for Meursault can be seen in the process
of the last court session. Previously, Meursault has a confidence that the court will
only process his murder action fairly. But at the last court, the magistrate,
prosecutor and lawyers do not only discuss about Meursault’s murder case, they
also discuss some things which is unrelated. It can be seen from the prosecutor’s
claims after hearing the testimony of witnesses:
He began by summing up the facts, from my mother’s death onward. He stressed my heartlessness, my inability to state Mother’s age, my visit to the swimming pool where I met Marie, our matinee at the pictures where a Fernandel film was showing, and finally my return with Marie to my rooms. I didn’t quite follow his remarks at first, as he kept on
mentioning “the prisoner’s mistress,” whereas for me she was just “Marie.” Then he came to the subject of Raymond. It seemed to me that his way of treating the facts showed a certain shrewdness. All he said sounded quite plausible. I’d written the letter in collusion with Raymond so as to entice his mistress to his room and subject her to ill-treatment by a man “of more than dubious reputation.” (pg 62).
“This man, who is morally guilty of his mother’s death, is no less unfit to have a place in the community than that other man who did to death the father that begat him. (pg 64).
The quotations explains that the court process discuss many issues beyond
the Meursault’s murder case. The first is a discussion of Meursault's attitude and
