73 pages • 2 hours read
Albert CamusThe Stranger
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1942A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Albert Camus's The Stranger, Meursault, a young man in Algiers, learns of his mother's death and displays emotional detachment. He reconnects with a former coworker, Marie, and becomes involved with his neighbor Raymond's conflicts. Ultimately, Meursault's indifferent attitude leads to him committing an impulsive crime and facing a trial where his lack of conventional emotions results in a death sentence. The book contains sensitive topics such as death and violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Albert Camus's The Stranger is largely praised for its compelling exploration of existentialism and absurdism, with strikingly detached prose that enhances its philosophical themes. Critics appreciate the novel's deep contemplation of meaning and morality. However, some find the protagonist's emotional detachment and minimalistic style off-putting and alienating. Overall, the novel remains a seminal work in existential literature.
Who Should Read The Stranger?
A reader who enjoys existential and philosophical literature, and themes exploring the absurdity of life, would be captivated by Albert Camus's The Stranger. Fans of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis and Jean-Paul Sartre's Nausea will find the novel's introspective and thought-provoking nature particularly appealing.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Classic Fiction
Mystery / Crime Fiction
French Literature
Philosophy
Relationships
Race / Racism
Absurdism
Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Society: Colonialism