THE STRANGER PART I CHAPTER 1:
REACTION TO TONE AND OPENNING BY CAMUS
The opening to Camus’ The Stranger, has, ever since the novel’s publication, been a recurring aspect and reference in existential literature. The novel opens to the death of the protagonist, Meursault’s, mother. Her death plays a major role which recurs through the plot, but in the essence of the opening to The Stranger, it already introduces readers to the indifference of the protagonist and the initial tone at which the story is told.
From the first paragraph, Camus lets the reader already establish an initial tone; through which he establishes thru many ways. Primarily in the texts structural level, Camus established the tone with the use of short, declarative sentences with no emotion. The narration is done in a matter of fact way creating the detached tone which resonates throughout the whole chapter. The detached tone allows no medium for which emotion is to pass. No matter the event the text maintains this structure of declarative, short clauses bearing no emotion- thus adhering to the tone of detachment.
Secondly, Camus also uses digression as a method of establishing the detached tone. Digression serves as a method for Meursault to go to his own world: one he could call his own, with his own norms and beliefs. The motif which recurs as a medium for Meursault’s digression is the weather. This is witnessed initially in the bus trip as he dozes off from glaring at the sky (Pg4). This occurs just pages after when Meursault wakes up to the day of the funeral, as he refers to the day as “beautiful” (Pg12), which directly contrasts the supposed mood of sadness due to the death. Finally, he digresses again at the time of the funeral. He impatiently waits for it to be over- as he claims that he cannot concentrate because of the heat. (Pg15). These digressions to weather have enforced the establishment of the detached tone as in these happenings Meursault seems to detach or remove himself from reality. He pays no attention to events of higher gravity as a simple “beautiful day” may grab his attention away.
Moreover, Meursault’s reactions to event also correspond to the establishment of a detached tone. Meursault reacts in an indifferent manner; quite unlike a person conformed to the norm would react. At receiving the telegram from the home and learning of his mother’s death, he shows no psychological movement as he monotonously even adds “or yesterday maybe, I don’t know [when she died]…that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it WAS yesterday. ”(Pg3) Meursault grew apart from his mother the day he sent her to the home; as days and days passed without seeing her on a regular basis their relationship had withered. Even though, one would still expect sympathy at the death of one’s own mother. Meursault’s reaction to his mother’s death, though, was nowhere near sympathetic. In addition, Meursault reaction to his mother’s death recurs through different parts of this chapter. Firstly, Meursault smokes at the vigil (Pg8). This ordeal is of great disrespect. Secondly, Meursault also refused to see his mother after being offered at the morgue (Pg6). Lastly, Meursault shows extreme happiness at the sight of the bus (just after the funeral) as he can finally escape the heat (Pg18).These actions of Meursault reveal his true character, his thoughts and his beliefs. Through this character’s actions we can observe a detachment feeling from the actual world he belongs to. Meursault is guided by different principles (principles of existentialism), at which his actions are affected, hence, affecting the tone. In conclusion, the opening of Camus’ The Stranger strikes readers immediately and it makes them aware of an indifferent and unique sort of literary character. This character’s actions, along with digression to weather, and the structural level of the text allows the establishment of the detached tone. And as the plot unfolds in chapter 1, detachment is already imprinted by Camus as a tone, which is foreshadowed to resonate throughout the novel.