I was surprised at how lively the discussion was of our last book, The Outsider by Albert Camus, which I found difficult to put down once I’d gotten into the flow of the story. The book is written with a staccato phrasing which bought to mind what I imagine the Algerian sun must feel like.
The protagonist, Meursault, seems to lead this strange disconnected life where he just drifts along without much direction or care and through one of the other tenants where he lives winds up getting on the wrong side of a group of Arabs. This comes to an unsettling climax on the beach where Meursault winds up shooting an Arab in an unprovoked attack. Camus's writing is magnificent, I really felt the character’s confusion from too much booze early in the morning, wandering sunstruck on the beach and the ill-considered decision to use the gun that he had on him.
The book then drifts along exploring Meursault’s indifference to his fate as he’s imprisoned awaiting trial and then gradual realisation that things aren’t looking good, at all … His trial is almost a farce as his friends stand up to testify and do nothing to help him with his case.
After sentencing there is a powerful scene where a priest having tried several times to get him to repent his crime is confronted by Meursault. He shows a commitment and determination that he will not repent even though he could help his case by doing so, and after having spent so much of the earlier part of the story being so aloof to his fortunes.
I thought it was a great book, really giving me an insight into another person. We wondered whether these days Meursault might have some sort of diagnosis attached to his nature, perhaps some kind of autism.
When we studied the book while I was at school, the teacher talked about an experiment that was held during the French revolution where a person who was destined for the guillotine did a test to see how long someone stayed conscious after the blade has fallen. They picked up the head and watched how long they kept blinking, I seem to recall it was about 30-40s.
Our next book was proposed by Edward, Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. See you at the All Nations on June 2!
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