Important Facts and Notes of The Outsider or The Stranger
Title: L’étranger (translated as The Stranger or The Outsider ) Author: Albert Camus Language: English - Translated from French Genre(s): Philosophical novel , Existential novel; Crime drama Publication: 1943, French 1942 Exploration: The novel explores different philosophical schools of thought, including absurdism , as well as determinism , nihilism , naturalism, and stoicism . Setting: a) Time: Slightly before World War II b) Place: Algeria Themes : The irrationality of the universe; the meaninglessness of human life; the importance of the physical world ; free will; colonialism Narrator and Point of view: Meursault narrates in the first person and limits his account to his own thoughts and perceptions. His description of the other characters is entirely subjective—that is, he does not attempt to portray them in a neutral light or to understand their thoughts and feelings. Tone: Detached, sober, plain, at times subtly ironic