Philosophy in Literature

The Case of the Foreigner

Abstract

Camus is one of the writers with whom we find the relationship between philosophy and literature most vividly. His novel The Foreigner is not only a novel, but also a work with a philosophy in it. This novel, as a novel that deals with existential themes such as an absurd world view, a hero who experiences an absurd feeling, loneliness, foreignness, and killing, is a novel that is emphasized in both literary and philosophical circles. The protagonist of the novel, Meursault, represents the first phase of Camus’ thoughts. This phase is the absurd phase, and the absurd phase, which is considered as the break of the relationship between consciousness and the world, is a phase in which the system of values that provide moral judgments is also rejected. Therefore, it is not possible to make a moral distinction between actions. There is no difference between dying and killing, living and keeping alive, getting married and not getting married. The relationship with the society results in failure from the perspective of society’s value judgments. Meursault would not even attempt to realize such a form of relationship [...]