The Stranger (translator's note)

Meursault addresses a specific conversation he has with Marie in a passage from Part One, Chapter 4. With characteristic emotional indifference and detachment, Meursault responds to Marie’s question with complete honesty: "a minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so." Always blunt, he never alters what he says to be considerate or to conform to societal expectations. However, Meursault’s honesty reflects his ignorance. His blunt words connote that he does not fully understand or care to acknowledge the emotional stakes in Marie’s question. In addition, in Meursault’s assertion that whether he loves Marie or not love “doesn’t mean anything,” the reader begins to understand one of Meursault's central idea: that the human life is meaningless.

The Stranger (pg 33-44)

Meursault does not attempt to assign a rational order to the events around him, and he is largely indifferent to human activity; he does not see his mother’s death as part of a larger structure of human existence. Meursault is Camus’s example of someone who does not need a rational world view to function and can function in an universe that is indifferent to human struggles. In addition, Meursault places such importance on the physical aspects of existence. He barely addresses Marie's personality and character; however, he focuses on describing their physical interactions. Lastly, in chapter 3, Meursault's neighbor, Raymond, serves as a foul for Meursault. Raymond convinces Meursault to assist him in his scheme to take further revenge on his mistress, to punish her for her infidelity. After manipulation, Meursault adheres to Raymond's request; this crystallizes the distinction between Meursault and Raymond. Raymond arranges to have sex with his mistress and then spit in her face. He uses the physical act of making love to his advantage, as a tool to humiliate and punish his mistress. However, Meursault views his sexual affair with Marie as fundamental pleasure. 

The Stranger (pg 12-33)

"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know." This is the first sentence in the novel, The Stranger, and we already discover the emotional indifference the novel's narrator and protagonist possesses. Meursault does not reveal any agony or dejection from the news of the telegram of his mother's death. Instead, he simply announces the news in an ordinary and frank manner. Moreover, he does not even care to find out the exact date of his mother's passing. His ambivalence and carelessness reveals a lot about his character. The reader can also perceive his aloof attitude as that he finds human existence meaningless. 

Style Matches Audience and Purpose

The text of the Bible's creation story, Genesis, is written in a simplistic form. Genesis contains clear, choppy statements illustrating a vivd image of all of G-d's commands. It's as if Genesis was written so every being could fully understand G-d's work and His creation of animals. "And G-d said, "Let"" begins every paragraph to establish G-d's supreme power. In addition, "And it was so" confirms G-d's authority in the world. Furthermore, not only does Genesis reveal the evolution of G-d's creation of the world, but it also affirms the reason behind G-d's will: "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years (14-15). It is extremely straightforward and an easy read. The clear and picturesque diction makes the text accessible to children and adults.

Perks of Being a Wallflower is also written in a concise, straightforward format. The main character, Charlie, writes in his journal almost every day to another teenager around his age; thus, this kind of writing is also accessible to children and adults: "After the dentist's office, my mom drive me to the cemetery where a lot of her relatives are buried. My dad does not like to go to the cemetery because it gives him the creeps," (26). Using colloquial  language like "the creeps" connotes that this is a novel for a wide range of audience members. Genesis conveys a more informative tone, whereas Perks of Being a Wallflower affirms a serious, vulnerable, and eventually an adventurous tone. 

Darwin v Genesis

The text of the Bible's creation story is far more simplistic than the scientific writing of Charles Darwin. Genesis contains clear, choppy statements illustrating a vivd image of all of G-d's commands. It's as if Genesis was written so every being could fully understand G-d's work and His creation of animals. "And G-d said, "Let"" begins every paragraph to establish G-d's supreme power. In addition, "And it was so" confirms G-d's authority in the world. Furthermore, not only does Genesis reveal the evolution of G-d's creation of the world, but it also affirms the reason behind G-d's will: "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years (14-15). It is extremely straightforward and an easy read. On the other hand, Darwin's scientific writing is more complex and includes plenty of scientific vocabulary that seems to reject religious. However, Darwin capitalizes the 'c' in Creator out of respect to the Church and religion. It is evident in his writing that he becomes defensive with some of the counter arguments being made against his theories. Darwin refers to natural selection as an example to support his claim that evolution is the foundation of the creation of animals: "The theory of natural selection, even if we looked no further than this, seems to me to be in itself probable. I have already recapitulated, as fairly as I could, the opposed difficulties and objections: now let us turn to the special facts and arguments in favour of the theory." Moreover, Darwin refers to modified descendants and their diversified habits and structures  which constructed the evolution of humanity.

In-class quiz

Warm sunshine fills the family's car on their way to the countryside, which connotes a significant contrast from the restrictive image of the Samsa's small apartment. In addition, the family concludes that now with Gregor deceased and removed from their lives forever, they now have better and aspiring things to look forward to. This feeling of relief affirms that the family obtains a sense of hope for the future. The last scene of the novel is an image of Grete stretching. Kafka symbolizes this act as Grete's own metamorphosis: emerging after a long period of confinement, as if from a cocoon. "It struck Mr. and Mrs. Samsa... how their daughter... had blossomed recently... into a beautiful and voluptuous young woman. And it was something of a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of their journey their daughter got up first and stretched her young body" (Kafka 53). Metamorphosis depicts a transformation during which an immature form of a species undergoes a physical or emotional transfiguration to become an adult. While Grete begins to uphold such unfamiliar responsibilities, such as watching over Gregor and finding a job to financially support her family, she gradually matures. Towards the end of the final scene, her parents realize is it time to find her a husband. This closing scene connotes that she has fully blossomed into an adult, emotionally and physically. 

The Metamorphosis: day five (45-58)

After Gregor's death, the family travels out to the countryside to get away from the stress and chaos that lies within their apartnment. Warm sunshine fills their car, which connotes a significant contrast from the restrictive image of the Samsa's small apartment. In addition, the family discovers that they have more money than they initially believed, and that all of their worrying for most of the novel was for nothing! Selfishly, the family implies that it was, of course, Gregor who kept them from a nicer home and living condition. Thus, the family concludes that now with Gregor deceased and removed from their lives forever, they now have better and aspiring things to look forward to. This feeling of relief affirms that the family obtains a sense of hope for the future. The last scene of the novel is an image of Grete stretching. I believe Kafka symbolizes this act as Grete's own metamorphosis: emerging after a long period of confinement, as if from a cocoon.