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Meursault's Understanding of Life in The Stranger

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Published: Jun 29, 2018

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“The Stranger” by Albert Camus: Literary Analysis Essay

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Literary Analysis of The Stranger by Albert Camus

Literature has always been reflecting major trends in various spheres of social and political life at a certain period. Philosophical views also have an immense impact on the development of literary works which represent the core ideas of the epoch. The philosophy of existentialism emerged in Europe, sharing the ideas of individuality and freedom based on which people make decisions. Albert Camus is considered as existentialist, but he acknowledges his contributions to absurdism the basic principles of which are highlighted in his novel The Stranger .

Albert Camus is a famous author and philosopher who was born in the family of French expatriates in Algiers. He studied philosophy at the university so that after obtaining a degree he explored the concepts of existentialism in the middle of the 1930s and examined the principles of the absurdity of human existence several years later. Based on the analysis of the newly acquired philosophical ideas, Camus started to work on his first novel The Stranger .

It incorporates the ideas of absurdity which question the value and sense of human life depicted throughout the subjective experiences of the protagonist. He acts based on his prejudices and choices but realizes what he is doing and knows the value of words (Camus 100). In general, the literary works of the writer explore a search for justice, liberty, and faith in human dignity, disregarding the external factors and neglect of personal identity. Nevertheless, the philosophy of Camus states that people have enough opportunities to determine destiny by making deliberate choices but not chances determined by fate.

The themes of existentialism and absurdism are discussed in The Stranger , a novel about the man who considers the universe is pointless. Meursault, the protagonist, obviously lacks remorse when his mother dies so that his behavior is not typical during the funeral. When the caretaker invites him to the room, he drinks some coffee with milk and smokes (Camus 12). Such behavior is perceived as disrespectful and inadequate because people are usually upset when their family members pass away, while the main character remains unflappable.

Indeed, society is formed based on some ideological principles the neglection of which may lead to the disruptions and uncertainties in the system (Camus 101). Subsequently, the ideas of absurdism affect the audience because they define uncommon values associated with a differentiating behavior that expresses the inner self of the person rather than masks one’s true feelings and motivation for actions. In this case, the existentialism dogma questions the freedom of choice and juxtaposition of subjective and objective values.

The inner struggle between personal values and external expectations are clearly illustrated in the actions and thoughts of the protagonist. Camus admits that human beings form themselves based on their values and freedom of choice. Thus, Mersault takes his chance to fight with Arab and shoot him five times (Camus 59). This case proves that he is a man of a free will that is essential to support one’s human dignity.

Throughout the novel, the protagonist often refers to the power of the sun as the agent that usually provokes Meursault to lose temper and commit some unreasonable actions. Even during the examination when he is asked about the pause between the first and the second shot, the protagonist only reminds of the power of the burning sun on his forehead but could not explain anything (Camus 67).

The life of the main character is the sequence of random and impulsive choices that form his individuality. His values and preferences contradict the external social environment and identify him as a man with no remorse, lack of emotions, and moral premises. The concept of the stranger in the novel symbolizes an enemy of society who ignores fundamental rules (Camus 102). It means that the value of the freedom of choice and action is undermined by justice, ideologies, and moral principles that regulate social order.

Apart from the inability of the individual to resist the power of social regulations, and understanding of the role of religion constitutes another problem of existentialism discussed in The Stranger . The protagonist of this novel breaks the rules, declines the power of religion, questions the sense of life, but his mother said that happiness can be found in any aspect of life (Camus 113). Meursault is happy even before his death which makes him a respected hero of the existentialist philosophy.

Furthermore, he does not change his principles before execution so that during the last chaplain’s visit the protagonist confidently affirms that he still envisions no sense in religion (Camus 117). Despite rejecting the existence of God, Camus acknowledges that a world with no religion will be full of chaos so that everything would be uncontrolled due to no restrictions or moral regulations.

Overall, the themes of existentialism covered in The Stranger affect the audience by the irrationality of life and the inconsistency of the moral principles. The writer’s philosophy implies that people have enough freedom to determine their destiny by making deliberate choices. These actions form a particular individual through the evolvement of personal values that sometimes contradict social regulations and moral principles. Thus, the protagonist neglects the truth of religion, rebels against the rules, and lives an irrational life but declares himself happy, which makes him a respected existentialist hero.

Works Cited

Camus, Albert. The Stranger . Translated by Matthew Ward, Vintage, 1989.

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IvyPanda. (2020, December 13). "The Stranger" by Albert Camus: Literary Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-stranger-by-albert-camus-literary-analysis/

""The Stranger" by Albert Camus: Literary Analysis." IvyPanda , 13 Dec. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-stranger-by-albert-camus-literary-analysis/.

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1. IvyPanda . ""The Stranger" by Albert Camus: Literary Analysis." December 13, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-stranger-by-albert-camus-literary-analysis/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""The Stranger" by Albert Camus: Literary Analysis." December 13, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-stranger-by-albert-camus-literary-analysis/.

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• Introduction

Plot summary

Context and analysis.

• What is Albert Camus known for?
• Where was Albert Camus from?
• What philosophies and ideas did Albert Camus discuss in his work?
• What are some of Albert Camus’s most famous works?

The Stranger

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• Academia - The Stranger
• Literary Devices - The Stranger
• Internet Archive - "The Stranger"
• Table Of Contents

The Stranger , enigmatic first novel by Albert Camus , published in French as L’Étranger in 1942. It was published as The Outsider in England and as The Stranger in the United States .

The title character of The Stranger is Meursault, a Frenchman who lives in Algiers (a pied-noir ). The novel is famous for its first lines: “Mother died today. Or maybe it was yesterday, I don’t know.” They capture Meursault’s anomie briefly and brilliantly. After this introduction, the reader follows Meursault through the novel’s first-person narration to Marengo, where he sits vigil at the place of his mother’s death. Despite the expressions of grief around him during his mother’s funeral, Meursault does not show any outward signs of distress. This removed nature continues throughout all of Meursault’s relationships, both platonic and romantic .

Raymond, an unsavoury friend, is eventually arrested for assaulting his mistress and asks Meursault to vouch for him to the police. Meursault agrees without emotion. Raymond soon encounters a group of men, including the brother of his mistress. The brother, referred to as “the Arab,” slashes Raymond with a knife after Raymond strikes the man repeatedly. Meursault happens upon the altercation and shoots the brother dead, not out of revenge but, he says, because of the disorienting heat and vexing brightness of the sun, which blinds him as it reflects off the brother’s knife. This murder is what separates the two parts of the story.

The novel’s second part begins with Meursault’s pretrial questioning, which focuses primarily on the accused’s callousness toward his mother’s funeral and his murder of “the Arab.” His lack of remorse, combined with his lack of sadness expressed toward his mother, works against him and earns him the nickname “Monsieur Antichrist” from the examining magistrate. During the trial itself, Meursault’s character witnesses do more harm than good, because they highlight Meursault’s apparent apathy and disengagement. Eventually, Meursault is found guilty of murder with malice aforethought and is sentenced to death by guillotine . As he waits for his impending death, he obsesses over the possibility of his appeal being accepted. A chaplain visits Meursault against his wishes, only to be greeted by Meursault’s intense atheistic and nihilistic views. In a cathartic explosion of rage, Meursault brings the chaplain to tears. This, however, brings Meursault peace and helps him to accept his death with open arms.

• Albert Camus : Learn more about the French author, philosopher, and Nobel laureate who wrote The Stranger .
• Existentialism : Camus denied being an existentialist, but it’s revealing to compare his views to this philosophical movement.
• The Myth of Sisyphus : Explore Camus’s philosophical essay on the absurdity of life and the search for meaning—and how it connects to The Stranger .
• Occupied Algeria : Gain a deeper understanding of the conflicts between French colonizers and native Algerians that are The Stranger ’s historical context .
• French-Algerian literature : Assia Djebar , Kateb Yacine , and Rachid Boudjedra have written extensively about Algerian experiences of the complex relationship between France and Algeria.
• Other mid-century French writers : Find out how Camus’s novel was in conversation with writings by his contemporaries Jean-Paul Sartre , Simone de Beauvoir , and Jean Genet .

This AI-generated content has been reviewed by Britannica’s editors.

Camus utilized The Stranger as a platform to explore absurdity, a concept central to his writings and at the core of his treatment of questions about the meaning of life. However, Camus did not identify himself as a philosopher. In fact, he abjured “armchair” philosophy and argued that sitting around and thinking was not enough. One needed to live life as well. He also did not identify himself as an existentialist . He agreed with some proponents of existentialist thought that life has no inherent meaning, but he criticized others for their pursuit of personal meaning.

Camus’s concept of the absurd instead implored people to accept life’s lack of meaning and rebel by rejoicing in what life does offer. Elements of this philosophy can be seen in Meursault, as he refuses to behave as if there is meaning where there is none—or, as Camus himself put it in a preface to The Stranger , Meursault “does not play the game.” Society thus feels threatened and cuts off Meursault’s head. Similar themes can be seen in Camus’s essay Le Mythe de Sisyphe ( The Myth of Sisyphus ), also published in 1942.

Camus wrote The Stranger from a place of tragedy and suffering. His father had died in World War I , and the unfolding carnage of World War II forced a questioning of life and its meaning. Camus had also witnessed mistreatment of native Algerians during the French occupation of Algeria , which had begun in the first half of the 19th century and, after World War I, was opposed by a growing nationalist movement. This conflict can be seen specifically in Meursault’s killing of “the Arab,” the only name he uses to refer to Raymond’s mistress’s brother.

The murder has been read by some as a metaphor for the treatment of Algerian Muslims by the colonizing French. Camus published The Stranger at a time when Algerians were demanding political autonomy with increased forcefulness; although France did extend some rights during the 1940s, ongoing conflicts and failed French promises of more independence culminated in the outbreak of the Algerian War in 1954.

The Stranger

By albert camus, the stranger study guide.

Camus was influenced by a diverse collection of foreign authors and philosophies in the 1930s. The mood of nihilism was high. Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky had remained significant in thought since the turn of the century. German phenomenology was flowing into France. Sartre was struggling against the shallow rationalism of Cartesian thought. Faulkner, Hemingway, and Dos Passos were translated into French and many guess that their styles and concepts made their way into the philosophy of Camus at this time. These influences and moods helped formulate the philosophies of Existentialism and the Absurd as associated with Sartre and Camus. Due to Camus' working-class upbringing, he grows up with a suspicion toward idealism and introspection. He was never one to invest in dreaming. He was interested in living life and the struggle for meaning without the distraction of dreams and fabrications. Although Camus later tried to distance himself from the concept of Existentialism, critics still place him there and his own ideas were influenced by the forum of Sartre and other Existentialist philosophers of the time. According to Existentialism, man existed among and against other men in a brutal adventure to which one must give meaning through his actions. The Absurd deals more with the irresolvable paradox between objective judgment of an action and the subjective motivation behind its performance. The disappearance of truth and goals gives way to the absurdity of existence. Yet Camus too is concerned with the creation of meaning in a meaningless world through the process of living life. The mood of pessimism, which many would take from Existentialism and the Absurd, was strengthened by the political developments of the 1930s. The rise in power of the authoritarian dictators Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco had a harmful effect on the countries of Europe and did not bode well for the upcoming years. The authoritarian regimes solidified Camus as a stong supporter of the Left.

Camus fought stubbornly against war. One can notice the effects of malaise in Camus' earlier writings, reflecting the conflicts of war as well as Franco-Algerian tensions. Economic difficulties in Algeria had increased the conflict. Officially Arabs were equal citizens to the French but they were often treated as a conquered people. When the Popular Front failed to enact a plan increasing Arab franchise, radical Arabs moved toward Nationalism. Conflict existed too between French interests and the pied-noir's, who were also treated as second class citizens but needed French protection in order to compete for working-class jobs against cheap Arab labor. Meursault of The Stranger belongs to this group and one can understand his feelings toward French institutions as well as the tension between those of Arab and French origin in the story by taking this into account. The myths of the French-Algerian are evident throughout the novel, such as the notion that they live on the frontier, are pagans, are sexualized, live through their bodies and sport, and oscillate between indolence and intense emotion. Camus wrote of Arab issues in the paper, Alger-Republican, and campaigned for Arabs who had been wrongly accused. He also wrote of the inadequate French social policy concerning schools and medical care. It was at this time, he began writing The Stranger.

By 1939, Alger-Republican was campaigning heavily against the war. Camus placed hope in Neville Chamberlain and wanted concessions to be made. After the newspaper was banned in 1940, Camus left Algeria in search of a job. Working at Paris-Soir, Camus finished the manuscript of The Stranger by May of that year. During that time he also worked on the drafts of a play, Caligula, and an essay, The Myth of Sisyphus , which he felt, with The Stranger, would be parts of one whole, constituting the cycle of the Absurd. Camus revised The Stranger while living back in Algeria with his wife's family and then sent an edition to Lyon in April 1941 where Gallimard agreed to publish it. French publishers at the time however had to work with the German Propaganda Staffel and so censorship was an issue. The Occupation authorities found nothing damaging to their cause in the book and it was published as written. The first edition consisted of only 4,000 copies. Ironically, it was very well received in anti-Nazi circles and this support, along with Sartre's article on the novel, launched Camus' career. In the context of Occupation, the book was celebrated for its focus on the illegitimacy of authority, a world without values, and the primacy of the individual. It soon became a classic of French literature in many circles and Camus was quickly recognized as a great French/European writer of the 1940s.

The Stranger Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Stranger is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What philosophy of life does Meursault espouse at the beginning of the chapter? How have you seen him live out his philosophy?

Chapter Five begins by introducing the reader to a collision of Meursault's two worlds, the world of the work week and of the weekend. Raymond calls Meursault at work and Meursault is annoyed right away.At work, he is in the mode of his...

What explanation does Sintes give for the fight he has had with an Arab man- what isn't quite honest about the order in which he tells his story? How does Meursault react to the story and to Sintes' offer of friendship?

Meursault description of their friendship alludes to the fact that it is pretty one sided. Raymond confides quite a bit of information, calls Meursault at work, and extends weekend invitations.... Meursault is unfazed, he cannot connect.

What do the following quotes by Albert Camus mean to you?

Experience is intrinsic to learning. One must live it in order to understand.

Study Guide for The Stranger

The Stranger study guide contains a biography of Albert Camus, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Stranger
• The Stranger Summary
• Character List
• Part One, Chapters 1-3 Summary and Analysis
• Related Links

Essays for The Stranger

The Stranger literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Stranger.

• Nonconformity: Condemnation
• Irony Of The Stranger
• The Stranger: Existential Martyrdom
• The Effectiveness of Violence in The Stranger
• Truth Dawning: The Sun as a Symbol for Meursault's Awareness in Albert Camus' The Stranger

Lesson Plan for The Stranger

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Stranger
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• The Stranger Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Stranger

• Introduction

The Ultimate Guide to Analysing The Stranger for English: Summary, Themes & Analysis

Are you working on your analysis for The Stranger by Albert Camus as part of your HSC Textual Conversations Module? 

Well, look no further! In this article we’ll take a look at everything you need to ace your Module A assignment, including the plot summary, key ideas, context and themes. We’ll also walk you through an easy step-by-step guide to analyse the text. 

PLUS we’ll provide you with a free sample analysis table (also called a TEE Table ) and a sample paragraph that you can download! 

Let’s jump right in!

The Stranger by Albert Camus Summary Key Characters in The Stranger Context Themes Explored in The Stranger Studying The Stranger for HSC Module A: Textual Conversations Essay Analysis of The Stranger

The Stranger by Albert Camus Summary

Chapter 1 The novel begins in 1940s Algiers where Meursault , the narrator, receives news that his mother has died . 

The first lines are one of the most famous lines in The Stranger: “Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know.” 

Meursault attends her funeral and gets irritated by his mother’s friends , who are crying and mourning her death. He narrates that he does not remember much from the funeral, only the heat of the day as they walked to the church.  

Chapters 2 & 3

After returning to Algiers, he goes to the beach and runs into Marie Cardona, who he spends the remainder of the day with. As they spend time laughing and flirting, Marie is surprised to hear that Meursault’s mother just died . 

The next day, Meursault runs into his neighbour, Raymond Sintes, who invites him over for dinner. Raymond tells Meursault about how he found out his mistress was cheating on him and wanted to seek revenge on her. 

Raymond asks Meursault to help him seek revenge by helping him lure his mistress back. Meursault agrees and writes a letter to the mistress. Pleased by his support, Raymond now considers Meursault his friend. 

Chapters 4 & 5

Next Saturday, Meursault and Marie hear shouting from Raymond’s apartment as he beats up his mistress . A policeman arrives at the apartment and shames Raymond for beating up his mistress. 

Meursault agrees to testify on his behalf if he is summoned to the police station. That night Meursault bumps into another neighbour, Salamano, who is heartbroken that his dog has run away.

Salamano asks Meursault, “They’re not going to take him [his dog] away from me, are they, Monsieur Meursault? They’ll give him back to me. Otherwise, what’s going to happen to me?”. Seeing his sorrow reminds Meursault of his mother, however, he moves on quickly as he thinks about having to wake up early tomorrow for work. 

At work, Meursault is given an opportunity to transfer to Paris and around the same time, Marie asks him if he wants to marry her. In response to both, Meursault expresses his indifferences and says he is willing to move to Paris if his boss wants him to , and get married to Marie if she wants to .

On Sunday, Meursault and Marie join Raymond to his friend Masson’s beach house. Later that day, they spot two Arabs on the beach and Raymond realises one of them is his mistress’ brother .

They get into a fight and Raymond is stabbed . After dealing with the stab wound, they decide to return to the beach and Raymond momentarily considers shooting the Arab. Meursault later wanders along the beach alone and is troubled by the heat of the day. 

The sun and heat get unbearable as he once again runs into the Arab and shoots him . He fires “four more times at the motionless body…like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness”. 

Chapters 1 & 2

Meursault is then arrested and his lawyer is shocked by Meursault’s unremorseful and apathetic response to killing the Arab. But his lawyer is particularly disgusted by his unemotional behaviour at his mother’s funeral. 

Similarly, the court magistrate is startled by Meursault’s approach to life and also finds Meursault’s lack of religious belief unacceptable .

From here, the trial discussion moves away from the murder of the Arab to a discussion of Meursault’s beliefs, apathy, and his insensitive response to his mother’s death . 

Chapters 3 & 4

The prosecutor describes Meursault as a monster who lacks morality and is a danger to society . The trial concludes with Meursault being found guilty and sentenced to death. 

As Meursault waits for his execution, he struggles to comprehend the absurdity of his situation and grapples with the certainty of his death. He imagines a fairer justice system and fantasises about winning a legal appeal that overturns the current verdict. 

One day, he receives a visit from the chaplain, who encourages Meursault to think about the afterlife and move away from his atheist beliefs. Meursault, infuriated by this, screams and shouts at the chaplain.  

He fully embraces the absurdity of his life and the meaninglessness of human existence, accepting the “gentle indifference of the world” . This realisation comforts Meursault and he accepts, even welcomes, his execution. 

Access our The Stranger Downloadable Sample Analysis Paragraph and Analysed Examples here!

Key Characters in The Stranger

Meursault  Meursault, the protagonist and narrator, is a young man living in 1940s colonial Algeria . He is a very apathetic character who describes people, places, events, and experiences from a detached perspective . He rejects societal assumptions and refuses to act in line with social and moral expectations. As a result, he is often unemotional in social situations , and doesn’t form meaningful relationships with others in his life, including Marie, Raymond, and his mother. 

Raymond Sintés  Raymond Sintés is Meursault’s neighbour , who asks him to help seek revenge on his mistress and adopts him as a friend. Raymond acts violently and emotionally . His character contrasts significantly to Meursault’s apathetic and detached nature.

Marie Cordona A former co-worker of Meursault , Marie is a young and lively woman who feels attracted towards Meursault despite, or maybe even because of, his unique and peculiar attitude. While Meursault’s interest in Marie is largely because of her physical beauty, Marie feels a romantic love towards him and wishes to be his wife. Despite his indifference towards loving or marrying her, Marie still offers him support during his trial.

Algeria in the 1940s

The Stranger is set in 1940s Algeria, during a period of French colonialism and World War II . During this period, the French territory was occupied by Nazi-Germany and experienced the violence and horrors of the war. 

As a French colony, 1940s Algeria is also characterised by racist ideas that see the French as superior to the Arab population. The Stranger embodies a lot of these contextual ideas and attitudes through its characters and their attitude towards Arabs in the narrative . 

Camus’s Philosophy and Absurdism 

Albert Camus, born in French-colonial Algeria, wrote The Stranger in the early 1940s, during WWII. The violence, death, and trauma of this period gave rise to emotions of futility, pessimism, and disillusionment.

Camus, influenced by the moral and intellectual bewilderment of WWII, contributed to the development of a philosophical theory called Absurdism, which is a major philosophical concept within The Stranger.  

Themes Explored in The Stranger

Here are some of the important themes in The Stranger to help your analysis: 

The Meaninglessness of Life and Death The events that lead to Meursault’s death — such as, the sun making him trigger the gun, his abrupt imprisonment — as well as his detached attitude emphasise the idea that life has no purpose. More accurately, we must find our own meaning in a meaningless world. In Camus’s philosophical essay The Myth of Sisyphus,  he states “We build our life on the hope for tomorrow, yet tomorrow brings us closer to death and is the ultimate enemy; people live their lives as if they were not aware of the certainty of death.”

The Absurd and Irrational Universe Absurdism refers to the idea that life is absurd and meaningless. For Camus, the universe is irrational and indifferent to our actions. Once we accept this and embrace the absurd, we are free to give meaning to life and portray our own value and meaning onto the universe. 

Religion and God Seconding Camus’ view that one has to find their own meaning in a meaningless life, Meursault denies the existence of God and even argues that “it’s common knowledge that life isn’t worth living, anyhow.”

The Physical World Camus focuses on the material world to drive the plot in The Stranger. For example, the heat and the beach gets to Meursault, leading him to kill the Arab. This contrasts with the detached tone when Camus explores Meursault’s emotions and social interactions.

Studying The Stranger for HSC Module A: Textual Conversations

If you’re working on The Stranger analysis for HSC English Advanced Module A , you will be studying it with The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Doud.

For this Textual Conversations module, it’s super important to spend time finding connections between both texts. As the rubric describes it, this module is all about finding “resonances and dissonances” and identifying how one text can “mirror, align, or collide” with another. 

Link #1: Common Issues, Values, and Assumptions

Module A encourages you to consider how some ideas and themes are relevant regardless of the context of the text and author. 

In The Meursault Investigation, Kamel Doud carries forward key ideas from The Stranger , including absurdism, religion, atheism and God, and existentialism.

So when you analyse both texts, think about how these concepts resonate with the author and reader, and what makes them so intriguing for us, regardless of our context. Consider these points in relation to the narrators of both texts, since Meursault and Harun are characterised with a similar perception of life , particularly of religion and absurdism. 

Link #2: Disparate Issues, Values, and Assumptions

A major component of Module A is to think about how the texts might diverge or collide in their key themes and ideas. This is especially relevant with our pair of texts , since the texts have been composed in very interesting contexts.

While Albert Camus wrote The Stranger in the 1940s and set the story in 1940s French Algeria, T he Meursault Investigation was published in 2013 and is largely set in Algeria after independence . 

As you study The Meursault Investigation, think about how Harun’s perspective and narrative voice criticises Meursault’s characte r and the colonial influences within The Stranger.

In The Stranger, Meursault shoots an unnamed Arab, who remains an anonymous figure until the end. During his court trial, the discussion quickly moves away from the killing of the Arab to Meursault’s immoral and insensitive response to his mother’s death.

Harun in The Meursault Investigation challenges this representation as Kamel Daoud writes from his postcolonial perspective .

Essay Analysis: How to Analyse The Stranger in 3 Steps

Now that you’ve got a strong foundational understanding of The Stranger and its context, themes and key ideas, it’s time to start analysing! 

Having a good analysis is key to accessing those top marks, so it’s super important to spend some time perfecting your analysis. You might be tempted to jump into writing your thesis, but take some time to lay the foundations with your analysis! 

Step 1: Choose your example(s)

The very first step is to find good examples within your text. After all, your example is the evidence to support your argument. 

For this analysis, let’s take a look at how The Stranger explores the meaninglessness of human life and the absurdity of the universe through the characterisation of Meursault.

We’ve chosen the following quotes as an example: 

“Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe” and “…she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so”

Need help finding good examples? Check out our list of 50 important quotes from The Stranger here !

Step 2: Identify your technique(s)

Once we’ve chosen our examples, we need to identify techniques within that example. 

When you’re finding techniques, make sure you’re not just choosing any old technique!

It’s about finding ones that best illustrate your argumen t. Identifying one or two relevant techniques to discuss will help you develop a sophisticated and nuanced analysis. 

In this example we’re focusing on characterisation and truncated sentences . 

Are you having some trouble finding techniques? Check out our literary techniques cheat sheet here !

Step 3: Carry out your analysis

Now that we’ve got the techniques and examples ready, it’s time to jump into carrying out our analysis!

Your analysis needs to delve deep into the text and link your example to the broader themes , ideas and meanings that the composer is trying to convey through the text.

So make sure to flesh out the effect of the techniques and explore what the example achieves and how it achieves this through techniques. As you analyse The Stranger, don’t forget to link everything back to your argument and thesis !

Instead of simply labelling techniques like this: 

Camus characterises Meursault and the meaninglessness of his life through the truncated sentence “Maman died today”. This characterisation is further achieved through his response to Marie, who asks if he loves her and he responds, “I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so”. 

Try to expand on the effects of the technique and example by linking it to a broader theme and argument like this:

For Meursault, apathy becomes a medium through which he can embrace personal liberation and the absurdity of his condition to achieve a state of honest and existential living. His characterisation thus becomes representative of a philosophical truth that conveys the absurdity of the universe and the meaninglessness of human life. 

Need some help with your essay analysis of other texts aside from The Stranger?

Check out other texts we’ve created guides for below:

• Run Lola Run
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Tempest
• In Cold Blood
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Book Thief
• Things Fall Apart
• Blade Runner
• Mrs Dalloway

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Maitreyi Kulkarni is a Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently studying a Bachelor of Media and Communications (Public Relations and Social Media) at Macquarie University. She loves writing just about anything from articles to poetry, and has also had one of her articles published with the ABC. When she’s not writing up a storm, she can be found reading, bingeing sitcoms, or playing the guitar.

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The Stranger Essay

The Stranger is one of the most famous novels by Albert Camus. The novel tells the story of Meursault, a man who is seemingly indifferent to the death of his mother and the trial that follows her death. The book has been praised for its exploration of freedom and death, two central themes in Camus’s philosophy. In The Stranger, Camus challenges our notions of what it means to be free and whether or not we can truly control our own destiny. The book is a powerful reminder that life is unpredictable and often meaningless, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t live it to the fullest.

The idea that individuals are free when they die is taken from The Stranger by Camus, as it is in all of his works. One dependent on the other, freedom and death are major themes in Camus’s view. For Camus, freedom springs from a sense of ones life; it is an intense magnificent existence that does not need to be redeemed or regretted. Death is unjustified and ridiculous; it simply represents a return to the cosmos for a liberated individual.

The key to this awareness is lucidity, seeing things as they are without illusions. The stranger is the character in The Stranger who most fully embodies and experiences these ideas. The novel also dramatizes the confrontation of the individual with an unjust, absurd world. The central problem of the novel is whether or not the stranger can maintain his freedom and integrity in the face of a hostile and indifferent universe. The answer to this question is ambiguous, and its ambiguity is one of the chief sources of the novels power.

In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus explores the idea that life may have no inherent meaning but that it can be lived fully in accordance with ones own values. The title refers to the ancient Greek legend of Sisyphus, a man condemned by the gods to roll a heavy rock up a hill, only to have it roll back down again each time he nears the top.

The point of the story is that Sisyphus chooses to continue his task even though it is pointless; in so doing, he affirms life and gives it meaning. The character of Meursault in The Stranger may be seen as a modern-day Sisyphus. Like Sisyphus, Meursault is an individual who feels no connection to the world around him and who experiences life as meaningless. Yet he persists in living, despite the futility of existence. In this way, he too affirms life.

In a nutshell, The Stranger is a Camusian parable about the necessity of what is necessary for freedom. Meursault, the protagonist of The Stranger, is not a person one would encounter in real life in this regard; until the novel’s conclusion, Meursault was unable to attain enlightenment and freedom from Camus philosophy.

The Stranger begins with Meursault receiving a telegram informing him of his mother death. The first act that Meursault does is to go and inform his employer, for which he is reprimanded. From the very beginning, then, we see that Meursault is indifferent to the social conventions that most people live by. This indifference toward social conventions continues when Meursault attends his mother funeral. He shows no emotion whatsoever during the funeral, which shocks and upsets everyone else in attendance.

The only thing that Meursault seems to be concerned about is whether or not the funeral will interfere with his plans for the weekend.

After the funeral, Meursault goes on vacation with a friend named Raymond. While on vacation, they meet some Arabs, and Raymond gets into a fight with one of them. The next day, Meursault goes for a walk on the beach with Raymond and the Arabs. The Arabs spot them and start following them.

Meursault and Raymond eventually lose them, but when they go back to where they are staying, they see the Arabs again. The Arabs start throwing rocks at them, and one of the rocks hits Raymond in the face. The two men then go back to town to get a gun, and they go back to the beach and kill the Arabs.

Back in court, Meursault is found guilty of murder. The prosecutor tries to get him to show some regret or emotion for what he has done, but Meursault remains indifferent. The only thing that matters to him is whether or not he will be executed. In the end, Meursault is sentenced to death, and he accepts it without any regrets.

Camus’s philosophy is based on the idea that there is no inherent meaning in life, but that we can create our own meaning by living in accordance with our own values. This is what Camus calls “the absurd” – the recognition that life is ultimately meaningless, but that we can choose to live in a way that makes our life meaningful. The goal of Camus’s philosophy is to achieve a “state of freedom” in which we are able to live authentically, according to our own values, despite the absurdity of life.

Meursault is not able to achieve this state of freedom until the end of the book, but he is still living in accordance with Camus’s philosophy even though he is not aware of it. The fact that Meursault is indifferent to social conventions and does not care about anything except his own interests shows that he is living authentically, in accordance with his own values. The fact that he is willing to accept death without any regrets shows that he has achieved a state of freedom in which he is not afraid of death or of the absurd.

An irreligious person from a nation that has never heard of Christianity is an example of his counterpart in the Christian worldview. Having it explained to him by a missionary, he understands he has never sinned, which represents the morality and characteristics needed for liberty in this case. What was Meursault’s underlying moral value? His foremost character trait is his dedication to absolute knowledge. While Meursault’s truth of being and feeling takes this form, it remains true for the conquest of the self or the world.

The absolute, according to Camus, liberates. The second trait is Meursault’s courage in the face of death. The hero is he who faces death without flinching and thereby affirms life. To be sure, Meursault does not so much confront death as accept it as a natural phenomenon; but this is tantamount to the same thing. For Camus, life and death are two aspects of the same reality. The third quality is Meursault’s detachment or indifference to opinion. He does not care what people think of him; he lives for himself alone”

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Essay Samples on The Stranger

The psychological and sociological approach to writing in gimpel the fool.

Throughout, both, Gimpel the Fool by Isaac Bashevis Singer and Albert Camus’s The Stranger, they both have a psychological and sociological approach to both writings. Albert Camus and Isaac Bashevis Singer both associate philosophical imagery, the contradicting impression of God and the social construct in...

• The Stranger

Book Analysis: The Stranger, Savage Inequalities.

The Stranger by Albert Camus The Stranger by Albert Camus is written as a stream of consciousness that doesn’t have a direct or clear plot line, especially initially. Instead of an event relating to the next to form a coherent story, the thoughts of the...

• Savage Inequalities
• Social Inequality

Theme of Existentialism in The Stranger by Albert Camus

In the novel, The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault is a French man who just had his mother pass away. However, Meursault while he may not realize it is an existentialist. As we see him progress through the novel we notice that he lacks the...

• Existentialism

Analysis of Mersault's Behavior in The Stranger

The Stranger is Mersault, the storyteller and hero of the novel. He feels alone in the world. His story is isolated into two segments. Part I manages the normal undertakings of Mersault, with the exception of two key occasions. The story starts with the demise...

• Human Behavior

The Theme of Absurdity in "The Stranger" by Albert Camus

Absurdity in The Stranger by Albert Camus is a vastly discussed topic, mainly because Camus has managed to bring on a subject of humanity that is not often discussed. Absurdity, in philosophy, is the conflict to find meaning to something that doesn’t have meaning, and...

• Meaning of Life

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Analysis of Haeree Choi's Representation of Meursault's Character from "The Stranger"

In the image by Haeree Choi, the artist effectively represents the character Meursault in the book The stranger by making the painting meaningful of the surrounding of meursault and therefore the painting makes the person looking at the image have more of a feeling of...

Best topics on The Stranger

1. The Psychological and Sociological Approach to Writing in Gimpel the Fool

2. Book Analysis: The Stranger, Savage Inequalities.

3. Theme of Existentialism in The Stranger by Albert Camus

4. Analysis of Mersault’s Behavior in The Stranger

5. The Theme of Absurdity in “The Stranger” by Albert Camus

6. Analysis of Haeree Choi’s Representation of Meursault’s Character from “The Stranger”

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The Stranger

73 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Before You Read

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-3

Part 1, Chapters 4-6

Part 2, Chapters 1-3

Part 2, Chapters 4-5

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Meursault is detached from society and struggles to care about anything. How is his detachment portrayed in the novel? How does this apathy affect his relationships with other characters and with society? How does Meursault overcome or accept this sense of meaninglessness?

Raymond Sintes is the closest character to a villain in The Stranger. How does his character compare and contrast with Meursault?

Salamano and his dog are caught in a vicious cycle. How does their acrimonious relationship echo the travails of the other characters?

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The stranger in my life.

• Word Count: 1392
• Approx Pages: 6
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• Grade level: High School
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             I don't know if they thought I was asleep, that I was too young to understand the altercation, or if they neglected my presence altogether. Either way, every night I could hear them. I'd pretend to be asleep whenever my mother would come in to check on me, but I'd lie awake listening until eventually I heard a door slam and a car back out of the driveway and into the gloomy night. It was usually my mother who was lucky enough to get out of the house. Unlucky for me, I was left alone in the house. With him.              Growing up, it had always been just my mother and me. My biological father abandoned me at birth and hadn't been heard from since. The sting of abandonment had me in and out of counselor's offices for a few years, but I eventually grew to really enjoy the bond my mother and I had created. We didn't have much money. In fact, even that would be an understatement. We were living in a trailer park, getting benefits from the state, and I learned at an early age the myth about Santa Claus because my mother couldn't handle the guilt of trying to explain why my next door neighbors always got the presents they wanted when I didn't. As afraid as she was of my reaction, I didn't mind. I felt that I had everything I needed. I was close with most of my family and our trailer was comfortable and large enough to occupy the two of us. The park was essentially its own little neighborhood and all of us went to the same school, which meant I was surrounded by lots of friends. I never saw the need for money. The state provided us with Food Stamps to buy groceries, we went thrift store shopping on a regular basis that it became routine, and in the early mornings before the garbage trucks came, we'd drive around to see if anyone had thrown anything of value out. It felt like a great life. And the best part? My mom didn't work, so she was always around. We'd spend our days doing everything together and had built such a close relationship that I felt that I could tell her anything.

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Essays Related to The Stranger in My Life

1. the stranger.

A Stranger to Morality Meursault, the novel's hero, a "stranger" to the system of Christian morality insofar as he cannot comprehend it, is certainly not an "outsider", neither consciously choosing to remain "outside" society nor being rejected by it. ... At the same time, there is a typical Camusian clinging to life: "At this point my chain of thought was shaken by the terrible leap I felt in me at the idea of having twenty more years to live." ... In the final paragraph of The Stranger, Camus does not "sum up" his hero's fate, but leads him into a breathtaking vision of new lif...

• Word Count: 350
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

2. The Stranger

I think that according to this definition, in the book The Stranger, by Albert Camus, the character Meursault, does not act with integrity. ... Meursault does not get involved with his life. ... I found that this book grabbed my attention right from the first page. I have never met a person in my life that has been so apathetic towards life, and it never crossed my mind that there are others out there who might be like Meursault. ... He was the Stranger. ...

• Word Count: 732
• Approx Pages: 3

3. The Stranger

The Stranger For Camus, freedom arises in awareness of one's life, the every-moment life, an intense glorious life that needs no redeeming, no regrets, no tears. ... In a sense, The Stranger is a parable of Camus" philosophy, with emphasis on that which is required for freedom. Meursault, hero of The Stranger, is not a person one would be apt to meet in reality in this respect; Meursault does not achieve the awakening of consciousness, so essential to freedom and to living Camus" philosophy until the very end of the book, yet he has lived his entire life in according with the morality o...

• Word Count: 1005
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography

4. Stranger

In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, Meursault undergoes a mental transformation from Part 1 to Part 2. ... Throughout The Stranger, Meursault transforms and begins to develop meaningful memories about the meaning of his life. ... Meursault is much more interested in trivial details about strangers. ... He begins to develop memories about his own life. ... He does not want to anger his boss, and so he apologizes several times for his absence, saying "it's not my fault" (3). ...

• Word Count: 1329
• Approx Pages: 5

5. Existentialism in The Stranger

As this sensual feeling overwhelms him, Mersault says, "My whole being tensed and I squeezed my hand around the revolver" (59). This part of the novel shows how Mersault is not only a stranger to his experiences in life, but also to nature. ... Mersault notes, "My mind was always on what was coming next, today or tomorrow" (100), as if life solely consists of a set a routine, steps that had no deep meaning. ... Thus, Albert Camus illustrates the absurdities of life in The Stranger, with the actions of Mersault to portray his existentialist beliefs. ... Mersault is a true stranger in his worl...

• Word Count: 1242

6. The Stranger Tone

He creates a way of interpreting Meursault's views Albert Camus" The Stranger is a novel at worst and haunting reality of what life can be seen as if it is considered meaningless. ... A few days after I entered prison, I realized that I wouldn't like talking about this part of my life" (72). I had lived my life one way and I could just as well lived it another.. ... In Albert Camus" The Stranger the protagonist, Meursault lives his life through a meaningless moment. ... My lawyer threw up his hands, and immediately after that he was give the floor" (103). ...

• Word Count: 651

7. Metamorphosis - The Stranger

In contrast, Monsieur Meursault, the protagonist in The Stranger, knows of his existentialism, only realizing his life's lack of meaning moments after he is sentenced to death. ... This is the main turning point as far as existentialism is concerned in The Stranger. ... The protagonist was the narrator in The Stranger, a man who told the story of his demise from existentialism, only to find he needed a life just before his chances were taken away. ... The Stranger's Meursault is existentialist, finding a need for a meaning to life only when his is about to be taken. ... Life ...

• Word Count: 1697
• Approx Pages: 7

8. The Stranger by Albert Camus

"Death presents an ultimatum to the individual struggle to find meaning in life." ... Everything in between is the result of inconsequential luck and it is this luck which gives way to the idea that there are no absolutes, on one a hand I could be born and on the other I couldn't of even been a thought on my parents mind. This is the same for death, and so consequences as a part of my choices in life become futile. ... However there are many similarities between the two and in Meursault's case he rejects both forms of law as he begins to retreat into himself, to him ˜it is the...

• Word Count: 1691
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. The Stranger

An Exploration of "The Stranger" by Albert Camus The Stranger is a book of many facets and meanings most of which are not immediately apparent. ... The manner of story telling in The Stranger is unique and at first hard to come to grips with. ... This simple leap of thought, if the conclusion is correct is precisely the key to understanding The Stranger. ... The lack of explanation shows a disinterest in his work, the same he shows toward life in general. ... Mersault continues to see Marie and life is going pretty well. ...

• Word Count: 3032
• Approx Pages: 12

10. The Stranger

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Widower of doctor who suffered fatal allergic reaction rips disney+ subscription defense: ‘borders on absurd’.

Disney’s attempt to weasel its way out of a $50,000 wrongful death suit using a widower’s Disney+ subscription “borders on absurd,” the grieving husband argued in court papers.

The entertainment empire hit back at Jeffrey Piccolo’s suit over the death of his wife Kanokporn “Amy” Tangsuan — who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating at a Disney Springs restaurant — claiming the case must be arbitrated because of the small print in the widower’s Disney+ plan.

But Piccolo’s lawyer Brian Denney called the argument “fatally flawed,” according to court papers first reported by Law & Crime .

“There is simply no reading of the Disney+ subscriber agreement … which would support the notion that [Piccolo] was agreeing on behalf of his wife or her estate, to arbitrate injuries sustained by his wife at a restaurant located on premises owned by a Disney theme park or resort from which she died,” Denney wrote.

“Frankly, any such suggestion borders on the absurd.”

Disney argued that Piccolo agreed to arbitrate — rather than publicly fight in court — any disputes with the juggernaut when he signed up for a one-month trial of its streaming platform Disney+ in 2019 and because he bought tickets to Epcot in September using the “My Disney Experience” app.

Disney claimed that the agreements in both apps forced Piccolo to authorize to the arbitration language before he made any purchases.

But Denney claimed any agreement made when Piccolo signed up to the streaming platform is strictly between Piccolo and Disney+ and doesn’t involve Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

He said the My Disney Experience terms can’t be applied to Piccolo’s case because it doesn’t include an arbitration provision.

Piccolo filed suit in Orange County, Fla., court in February after Tangsuan’s Oct. 5 death following a meal at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant with her husband.

Tangsuan, 42 — a physician at NYU Langone hospital — had repeatedly notified the restaurant staff of her severe nut and dairy allergies when ordering scallops, onion rings, broccoli and corn fritters, Piccolo’s suit claimed.

But after leaving the establishment she started having difficulty breathing and collapsed and was unable to be saved by the EpiPen she was immediately given.

Tangsuan died at a nearby hospital of anaphylaxis — or a severe allergic reaction.

A Disney spokesperson said the company is “deeply saddened by the family’s loss.”

But the company maintained it shouldn’t be included in the suit.

“Given that this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiff’s attorney’s attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant,”

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Essay on Happy Incident in My Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Happy Incident in My Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Happy Incident in My Life

The unexpected surprise.

One day, after school, I found a small box at my doorstep. Wondering who it could be from, I quickly opened it.

A Delightful Discovery

Inside the box was a cute little puppy, with a note from my parents saying it was my new pet. I was overjoyed as I had always wanted a pet.

Life with My Pet

Having the puppy brought so much happiness. We played, studied, and even slept together. This was the happiest incident of my life, a surprise that brought endless joy.

250 Words Essay on Happy Incident in My Life

The serendipitous encounter.

Life is a beautiful journey filled with a myriad of experiences, each one unique and transformative. One such happy incident that left an indelible imprint on my life was a serendipitous encounter with a stranger at a local library, which later turned into a life-changing friendship.

The Unforeseen Meeting

The profound impact.

The chance meeting with Alex was not just a fleeting interaction. It evolved into a profound friendship that enriched my perspectives about life. Alex introduced me to diverse philosophical ideologies, encouraging me to question the status quo and develop my critical thinking skills. This intellectual stimulation was a refreshing departure from my routine, fostering personal growth and broadening my worldview.

The Enduring Happiness

The unexpected encounter with Alex was indeed a happy incident that brought lasting joy and growth in my life. It reinforced the belief that happiness can be found in the most unexpected places and that every encounter has the potential to transform our lives in unimaginable ways.

In conclusion, life’s beauty lies in its unpredictability and the potential for joy in every moment. As we navigate through life, let’s remain open to new experiences and encounters, for they might just be the happy incidents that shape our lives and enrich our journey.

500 Words Essay on Happy Incident in My Life

Life is a beautiful journey, punctuated by moments of joy, sorrow, triumph, and defeat. Among these myriad emotions, the ones that we cherish the most are the happy incidents, those serendipitous encounters that leave an indelible mark on our lives. One such incident in my life occurred during my college years, which not only brought immense joy but also significantly impacted my life trajectory.

The Unplanned Trip

It was the summer of my second year in college, a time of exploration and self-discovery. A group of friends and I decided to embark on an unplanned road trip to a nearby town. The spontaneity of the trip, the thrill of the unknown, and the camaraderie among friends were exhilarating. Little did I know that this trip would lead to a happy incident that would change my life.

The Unexpected Meeting

While exploring the town, we stumbled upon a local book fair. Being an avid reader, I was drawn to the myriad of books, their pages whispering untold stories. As I was engrossed in a book, I bumped into a stranger who happened to share my enthusiasm for literature. Our conversation flowed naturally, from our favorite authors to the influence of literature on society. This unexpected meeting with a stranger at a book fair in an unknown town was the happy incident I had been unaware I was seeking.

A New Path Unfolds

The stranger was a professor of literature at a renowned university. Our shared passion for literature led to a mentor-mentee relationship. He introduced me to various literary theories and perspectives that I had been oblivious to. This encounter not only enhanced my understanding of literature but also inspired me to pursue a career in it. I switched my major from engineering to literature in my final year of college, a decision that was met with surprise and skepticism. However, I was confident in the path I had chosen, all thanks to the happy incident at the book fair.

The Lasting Impact

Looking back, that unplanned trip and the subsequent encounter at the book fair have had a profound impact on my life. It not only brought me immense joy at the moment but also shaped my future. Today, as a literature professor, I often recount this incident to my students to emphasize the role of serendipity in life.

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Woodburn: The bamboo field life lesson

I have a craving for corn on the cob.

Also, memories being a funny thing, my mind has leapfrogged from fresh corn to garbage cans and jumped again to saying “hello” to total strangers. All of this because Chi Chi Rodriguez, one of the greatest and most charismatic golfers ever, died last week, his age matching the number of keys on a piano and in my cerebrum’s ear I hear the music of a story he once told me.

Let me begin, however, with a memory about Sparky Anderson, the late Hall of Fame baseball manager, who, on his daily morning walks through his Thousand Oaks neighborhood, would personally deliver onto front doorsteps any newspapers still resting in driveways. Moreover, on trash day he would go for an evening walk and move empty garbage barrels from curbside up to the garage doors.

Asked why, Sparky replied simply: “Woody, it don’t cost nothing at all to be nice.”

It also don’t cost nothing at all to be friendly, as another Hall of Famer, basketball coach John Wooden, illuminated to me with an anecdote. He was driving a friend to the airport after a weeklong stay in Southern California and the Midwestern visitor complained to his transplanted Hoosier host: “John, I honestly don’t know how you can stand to live here. No one is friendly like they are back home.”

“Sure they are,” Wooden answered. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been here an entire week and not a single person out on the street or sidewalks has said ‘Hi’ to me.”

“Did you say ‘Hello’ to them?” Wooden wisely asked.

“Well, no,” the visitor explained with slight exasperation. “I didn’t know any of them.”

Even to strangers Wooden made friendliness a fine art. An excellent example is an encounter a woman shared with me after I gave a talk about my long friendship with Coach.

She was in a coffee shop, very early, literally the only customer at the moment. Enter Wooden, who walked over — remember, every other table was available — and politely asked if he could join her. Years later, she still lighted up in the retelling of her masterpiece breakfast with a perfect stranger.

Which leads, as promised, back to Chi Chi Rodriguez, one of the nicest and friendliest athletes I ever had the privilege to meet, and the inspiring lesson that sprang to life in my mind upon hearing of his death.

“When I was a young boy we had a little field that was overgrown with bamboo trees,” Rodriguez had recalled of his childhood in Puerto Rico. “My father wanted to plant corn, but clearing the bamboo would have taken a month. He didn’t have the time because of his job. So every evening when he came home from work, my father would cut down a single piece of bamboo.”

“Just one piece.”

A knowing smile.

“Every evening.”

A longer dramatic beat.

“The very next spring, we had corn on our dinner table.”

A hole-in-one grin.

“The bamboo story to me is the secret to success,” Rodriguez went on. “If you really want something and set your mind to it and work hard enough, one by one, little by little, miracles happen.”

And so, this weekend I plan to have corn on the cob on my dinner table; sweet and fresh-picked from a roadside stand; boiled with some salt and a little butter added to the water; then served in honor of little miracles and a 5-foot-7 golfer and champion philanthropist who stood tall as a single stalk of towering bamboo.

Woody Woodburn’s next biweekly column will run Friday, Aug. 30. His new novel “The Butterfly Tree” is available in bookstores, at online retailers, or at  woodywooburn.com  and  barkingboxerpress.com .

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Bystanders who recorded a stranger’s proposal go viral for their commentary

When Nicole Cochrane's fiancé pulled off a surprise proposal, Cochrane couldn't have imagined how many people were cheering her on, both online and beside her in the sand.

Cochrane, 28, is a content creator who works in marketing. She and fiancé Taylor Symmank, 31, have been together for nearly three years after meeting on a blind date set up by a mutual friend.

On April 26, Cochrane visited Rosemary Beach for what she thought was a girls' trip with her best friend.

“My best friend is a wedding photographer, and so it’s pretty normal that she would ask me to come on a weekend trip with her, because she typically does elopements all over the world,” Cochrane says.

Cochrane and her friend frequently have impromptu photoshoots — “We always take pictures together, it’s just like a girly thing" — so she wasn't surprised when her friend began snapping photos of her during an evening walk on the beach.

“We got there and she was very cool, calm and collected, but I could tell something was on her mind," Cochrane recalls.

To her right, Cochrane noticed a large family group sitting around a bonfire.

She had no idea that they had spotted Symmank patiently waiting for her on the beach — or that they were filming the moment on their phones.

“This is the cutest thing ever,” one of the women said in the background of the video.

“Should we cheer?” one person asked. “We'll cheer after,” another responded.

“I have chills all over my body,” one woman exclaimed.

Cochrane had noticed the women watching her, but she didn't realize what was going on until she saw Symmank standing on the beach surrounded by roses.

“I looked back at the people and I could like, hear them cheering, and then I just couldn’t hear anything because I feel like I blacked out.”

When Cochrane and Symmank finally embraced, the group of onlookers cheered and clapped in approval before offering to AirDrop Cochrane the footage.

“They were just amazing, just so, so kind," Cochrane says. "I ended up listening to the video the next day, and hearing their commentary, I was like, no way.”

The video's commentary received an equally enthusiastic reaction on TikTok.

“Their commentary makes the moment even sweeter,” jeans brand Wrangler wrote in a comment.

“This is girlhood,” skincare brand Kiehl’s commented on the post with a heart and happy crying emoji.

Cochrane agrees with the sentiment: “It felt like that in the moment, too.”

“What’s beautiful about the video is that people are supporting other people in it,” she says. “It’s just such a beautiful moment.”

Though Cochrane and the women didn't exchange contact information, they saw the video when Cochrane posted it on Instagram.

Now, the women are planning to meet up once again at the same beach.

“We actually want to go back out to Rosemary Beach and see them,” Cochrane says.

The couple's wedding is scheduled for November 22, and they're considering inviting the women who filmed their proposal.

“The jury is still out,” she says. “I don’t want to make them feel like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to come to this wedding,’ but it would be so fun. If they wanted to come, we would love that.”

Associate Lifestyle Reporter

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The ‘Orgasm Gap’ Isn’t Going Away for Straight Women

A new study suggests they still have fewer orgasms during sex than men do, even with age and experience.

By Catherine Pearson

Sex researchers and therapists have long known that women in heterosexual relationships tend to have fewer orgasms than men do. A large new study suggests that this “orgasm gap” persists — and does not improve with age.

The Numbers

The research, published recently in the journal Sexual Medicine, found that across all ages, men of all sexual orientations reported higher orgasm rates during sex — from 70 to 85 percent — compared with 46 to 58 percent for women. Lesbian and bisexual women between ages 35 and 49 reported higher orgasm rates than their heterosexual counterparts.

The analysis included data from eight Singles in America surveys, which are funded and conducted by Match.com annually in collaboration with The Kinsey Institute, the sexuality and relationships research program at Indiana University. The sample included more than 24,000 single Americans between the ages of 18 and 100.

Researchers were especially interested in the question of whether orgasm rates vary by age. Amanda Gesselman, a research scientist with the Kinsey Institute and lead author on the study, said she thought the team might find evidence that the orgasm gap narrows as women develop confidence and learn what they like (and, perhaps, their partners develop skills to help pleasure them).

However, while older gay and bisexual men and lesbian women did have higher orgasm rates, “we really didn’t see evidence of closing the orgasm gap overall,” she said, adding that she hopes future studies will explore the age-orgasm connection further.

“We really, as a society, sort of prioritize men’s pleasure and undervalue women’s sexual pleasure,” Dr. Gesselman said. “And I think that contributes to consistent disparities.”

The Limitations

Emily Nagoski, a sex educator and author of the book “Come Together” — who did not work on the new study — said a limitation of the study was that the survey asked: “When having sexual intercourse in general, what percentage of the time do you usually have an orgasm?” But it did not provide a more specific definition of what “sexual intercourse” means.

Research shows the majority of women require some form of clitoral stimulation in order to orgasm. So if straight women defined “sexual intercourse” as vaginal penetration alone, it makes sense that there was a significant gap in orgasm rates, she said.

A more revealing question might be, “What percentage of the sex you have do you like?” Dr. Nagoski said. “Orgasm is not the measure of a sexual encounter. Pleasure is the measure of a sexual encounter.”

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