The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, is probably one of the best books I have ever read. The story is unlike any other. The novel begins by Monsieur Meursault, the main character, casually stating that his mother died today. Though he did love his mother, he was not sad, nor happy, rather indifferent towards the whole situation and everyone around him. Meursault was completely detached from society. He did not live up to the moral standards of his community, nor did he aim to. Instead, he lived up to his own standards, which was strictly to please himself and live his life only for his pleasures and comfort. His characteristics made him a threat and a stranger to society. Unfortunately, his narcissism and carelessness towards others was the reason he was found guilty for murder in court, not for the fact that he took the life of an innocent man. Towards the end of the novel, before his execution, Meursault realizes that he was happy about the way he lived his life. He realized that the world was indifferent like him. People did not matter, all human beings were insignificant and did not possess any meaning to the world, and he was okay with it. That is why I love this book so much, it allows me to look at life in an existentialists point of view, and because Monsieur Meursault was not sentanced to death for killing a man, but for being a stranger to society.
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