Camus Criminal Justice

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The Stranger, a fiction novel by Albert Camus, provides the reader a kaleidoscope of altering interpretations and a spectrum of emotions. Camus develops situations and events based on characters’ responses to actions. As seen by the magistrate’s questioning of Meursault, each situation is strongly molded by the characters’ expression of their individual views. In the text, Camus implants messages and warnings in both subtle and glaring approaches. In The Stranger, Camus’ portrayal of the magistrate and peoples’ reactions towards Meursault’s “crime” of indifferent views suggest Camus views colonial justice as biased and believes society is a uniform being, forcing others to conform to its beliefs. In The Stranger, Meursault has seemingly committed…show more content…
One sees great evidence of Camus’ negative views on society through the people in the courtroom and interpretation of characters’ arguments. Meursault’s confrontation with the priest conveys such views. Meursault says, “What [do] other people’s deaths or a mother’s love matter to me; what [do] his God or the lives people choose or the fate they think they elect matter to me when we’re all elected by the same fate, me and billions of privileged people like him who also [call] themselves my brothers?” (Camus 121) This quote radiates an intensely strong standpoint from the author. Camus, like Meursault, believes society should not place importance on others’ varying dogmas. Meursault’s statement serves as an outlier from his previous standpoint. He had earlier been indifferent towards most aspects of life. Such a turnaround of opinion signifies Camus’ attempt to grasp the readers’ attention and convey his beliefs about…show more content…
Instead, the entire justice system seems primarily focused on Meursault’s beliefs. This leads the reader to question, “If Meursault had admitted he was sorry and asked forgiveness of God, would he have been pardoned?” The fact that the reader has to ask such a bizarre question demonstrates how Camus achieves his goal of portraying society as greatly biased. Society consistently attempts to shun Meursault exclusively because he does not agree with their morals and views. Moreover, Camus reveals how society uses a filter for conformity and casts disapproval upon those who stray from the masses. Meursault says, “Hardly anyone listened when Masson testified that I was an honest man. Hardly anyone listened to Salamano either” (Camus 94). Thus, Camus is indirectly portraying to the reader how society tends to think in frequencies and responds to high waves or negativity far more than the low emit of good deeds. Overall, Camus’ views shine from the pages of The Stranger, and it would be wise for one to heed to his warnings and messages about

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