Project by: Lucy Kronzon (9th Grade), Kate Deming (9th Grade)
Project Advisor: Shauna Finn
Student(s)’s Advisor(s): Joan and Jacqueline
Description of the Project: Our project entails reading The Stranger by Albert Camus. We want to be able to explore the concept of absurdism through this novel, learning more about not only what that entails but also philosophy through literature in a broader sense. We are both interested in pushing ourselves in terms of pieces of literature and wanted to take on a project that could allow us to explore the complex concept that is absurdism that both interests us. After reading The Stranger, we then would like to create a visual representation of a theme we felt prominent or interesting throughout the novel. This visual representation could be either a painting, sculpture, or collage of some sort. As we create these art pieces, we want to think of the artistic choices we make, and how they connect and reveal themes and ideas from the text. To do this, we will write an analytical piece that connects our visual project to evidence. We overall wish to gain analytical skills and a broader understanding of how philosophy can be conveyed through literature.
Final Product (e.g., documents, images, video, audio, poster, display, etc.):
Lucy’s Painting:
This piece of art portrays and symbolizes a scene from The Stranger, by Albert Camus. Meursault, our main character, has just slaughtered his friend’s temporary rival with a few shots, for one reason and one reason only: it was too hot outside. This book explores the idea of absurdism and the meaningless of life. I used my painting to portray this ridiculous action, showing a greater emphasis on the heat and landscape than the action itself. In fact, the figures themselves have no faces- they’re merely figures in a hot burning world, challenging the ideas of what we know and value, in short, curt lives.
Kate’s Painting:
Throughout reading The Stranger by Albert Camus I found myself noticing how the weather is impacting all of Mersault’s decisions. Meursault is extremely connected to physical aspects of life and distant from the emotional aspects. When Mersault is faced with the decision of shooting his friend’s rival, he decides to do so, just because he is growing overheated. It was all due to the sun. Camus is showing through the vivid descriptions of the weather and contrasting descriptions of the monotonous, even bland descriptions of other aspects of life that absurdism truly shows that life is pointless. He wants to convey that the universe has no “plan,” and it doesn’t really care about what we as humans want or deserve. The universe is simply indifferent. Through my artistic choices such as color, and composition, I hoped to reflect so. Meursault is being taken away in handcuffs, but all he seems to care about is the sun. Despite the fact there is a blackness beginning to surround him, which is symbolizing the fact he just killed someone and will go to jail, he doesn’t care. By making Mersault much smaller than the space around him I hoped to convey how the universe is simply much bigger than him.
Final Reflection on Learning:
After completing this project, we have both been left with a greater sense of our values of life. It was both of our first times exploring the complex idea of absurdism, and the philosophy of the meaning of life. Being an eye opening, this discussion period and final painting result not only changed our ideas but increased our understanding of these themes, and those who turn to religion for their faith in life.
Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3:
Date: 5/5/21, Meeting #2, @3:05 → 3:50
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think Camus uses so many descriptions of the sky and the weather/temperature?
- Why is it that he only truly dives into detail, or uses any sort of literary elements, when discussing nature, the sky or the weather/temperature?
- Why do you think Camus is unemotional about his mothers death? Why do you think he gives such brief and emotionless details surrounding his feelings about his mothers passing? Do you think he feels bad about putting her in a home?
- Do you think this also connects to his brief details about Marie?
- After Meursault receives the gun he states, “We stared at each other without blinking, and everything came to a stop there between the sea, the sand, and the sun, and the double silence of the flute and the water. It was then that I realized that you could either shoot or not shoot” (Camus 56). What do you think he meant by this, and how does it attribute to a theme you’ve noticed in the novel?
Discussion Notes:
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- Weather → puts you in his mindset, isn’t thinking about the past or future, only living in the present
- He has a fundamental desire for physical connections, rather than social/emotional
- Literally “goes with the flow”
- Not a typical guy: different ideas of feelings, social forms, social cues
- Physical, momentary things that drive him.
- No consideration for the aftermath
- Why did he shoot the man?
- Doesn’t have a “reason”
- Has a strange look upon life, no underlying issue with mental
- Peculiar to wonder, is there something wrong with him? Or deliberately deciding to “just live life”
- Is he so boring?
- Exentalism, all that matter is “here and now”
- Question becomes, you create your own meaning in life
- Camus is trying to lay out next part of argument, he doesn’t see the point in things that most humans see point in/love
- There isn’t a meaning in life at all
- We need structure and meaning in our lives, we don’t know how someone can be like Meursault
- How did Merseult get to be this way? It’s one way to think like that, another way to bring others into it. It is sort of immoral → killing something for religion
- Is it a deliberate decision, or is it the way he is (dead inside)
- Sociopath? What is it sprouting from?
- Out of touch with emotions, never mentioned emotions, in terms of anyone
- Almost too out of touch with emotions, not uncomfortable with social interaction, sociopath
- “Everlasting suicidal figure”
- Does not feel anything beside physical senses, is completely void of emotion
- Everyone still has a sense of emotion, except Meursault?
- Is Camus trying to lay out a point? Meursault is a construct in how he can show his point of view
- Monotonicity of his job and day to do
- There must be a point to why Camus is doing this, why so many mundane details?
- Lack of emotion → Camus laying out point of how people think about life where everything we think usually matter, doesn’t
- Camus laying out symbols? Idea of life?
- He has no willpower/no will → wants what he wants when he wants it
- He doesn’t have opinions, isn’t driven by morals, no agency, not allowing himself to be driven by principles
- How will this change for him because he only lives in the moment? It won’t matter to him, but he will be separated from physical pleasures
- Doesn’t care for consequences
- Raymond is HORRIBLE
- Is he holding back descriptions of others? Specifically of Marie? Doesn’t know how to identify emotion
- “It was then that I realized that you could either shoot or not shoot” → philosophical idea that the universe (in the grand scheme) that nothing matters. In terms of humans/human beliefs. we don’t believe so, we don’t want someone to die
- Beyond our feelings, it doesn’t really matter?
- None of the things we do really matter besides emotions from humans
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- You must make your meaning before you arrive of absurdity
- Meursault is in abursidity phase
- Will morality come through eventually?
- Taking joy in a nonchalant way of life
- Mersault won’t lie to himself
- “Why am I living a life that’s not structured?”
Major takeaways from this section/what we have accomplished:
For this session, we had to finish the first section of the book in which our protagonist, Meursault, has gone through a variety of life events, from the death of his mother and beyond. In this section we have dove into the themes of absurdism, specifically how Mersault believes that life doesn’t matter, he isn’t driven by morals, and doesn’t care for consequences. We discussed with the guidance of some discussion questions (seen above) and we also discussed freely. We also made a plan to finish the book, and begin to form ideas of what we would like our art project to be.
Goals For Next Week:
- Finish the book
- Brainstorm for art project
Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6:
Date: 5/12/21, Meeting #3, @3:05 → 3:40
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think he never changes his outlook to help himself? Do you think he actually felt remorse or guilt for the shooting?
- Also in terms of his trial/defense and his relationship with Marie
- What differences do you notice in Meursault between these two sections, specifically about death and religion?
- Do you think Mersault truly murdered the Arab due to the sun/weather? Do you think Meursault truly justifies it with the sun?
Discussion Notes:
- Interesting word choices → weather, never says “it’s hot” says “I’m hot”
- Vague idea, what is Camus meaning by this? Sense of self awareness? Has depth?
- Focusing art project on weather/word choice
- “Nothing really mattered in the end” → aburisdm leads you nowhere
- When discussing religion, Mersault didn’t want to waste time on god, but he didn’t have anything to waste?
- Has similar reactions to events, specifically in terms of heat
- Always stoic?
- Camus is trying to indicate something larger with the shooting → idea that human life has no purpose or meaning
- Physical aspects of the world are more guaranteed than emotional
- Peacefulness with death is the only thing he knows to be true
- Reading multiple times → finding new things in the novel? Idea?
- Camus’ absurdist physiology implies that there is nothing natural about morality, life’s “lack” of a moral compasses shouldn’t negatively affect the person
- Camus valuing justice and human dignity
- Externalism → idea there is no higher meaning to universe
- Approach the Stranger from the philosophical idea of absurdism
- There is major contradiction to our natures, and natures of the universe
- We look for purpose and meaning, universe is indifferent
- Juxtaposition of human nature and nature of universe
- Meursault reflects absurdism as an idea?
- Prison → don’t fit into traditional society
- Meursault fits the nontraditional way of this
- Breaking out of our thoughts, philosophy, basic values
- He broke the rules of society
- Indifferent about death, only worried about discomfort
- “The Philosophical scuide” → give up rationale, make decision to have faith
- “Revolt” → not despair, not result to religion
- Sissafiss is hero for absurdism
- Struggle of rock, struggle of human experience, no reason or meaning, you must accept it
- If you can accept that, you can no longer be devastated
- Routine and getting used to something is where we find happiness
- Wonderful thing → Mersault about Maman
- “Life is a struggle” if you always trying to escape io, an issue, must confront it
- Philosophies are a “dead end”
- Camus is indicating the idea of absurdism, through murder of Arab
- Art projects? → Lots of imagery to work with
- How do we know there isn’t rhyme or reason? Higher purpose?
- Prove it! Job is to prove it
- Passion, pleasure, freedom → youthful philosophy ?
- Awakening moment with this philosophy, Camus and authors resonate with teenagers
Goals for Next Week:
- Create a concrete art plan
- Supplies?
- Plan for artist statement
Date: 5/19/21, Meeting #4, @3:05 → 3:15
N/A
Date: 5/26/21, Meeting #5, @3:05 → 3:40
Meeting Notes:
- Secure plans for art project, used as a work time
Proposals for Art Project:
Kate: I will create a watercolor painting of Mersault.
Brainstorming:
- How the weather is impacting all of Mersault’s decisions, he is always connected to physical aspects of life, ex: the sun (Mersault growing overheated) when he shot the Arab
- Camus is showing through the vivid descriptions of the weather and contrasting descriptions of the monotonous, even bland descriptions of other aspects of life that absurdism truly shows that life is pointless, that the universe has no “plan,” and it doesn’t really care about what us as humans want or deserve
- universe is indifferent
Quotes to illustrate symbolism:
- Page 16, Highlighted
- Page 59, Highlighted
- Pages 102-103, Highlighted
Art Component:
- Watercolor of Mersault being taken away in handcuffs, captivated by the sun/heat, ignoring injustice behind him
Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant):
See above in the Final Product section.
