The Stranger #5

            In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, Mersault explains his thoughts on the way the guillotine is used during an execution. Mersault tells the reader that a person “walks up to [the guillotine] the way you walk up to another person. That bothered me” (112). Mersault is bothered by the guillotine’s use due to the lack of imagination. Mersault compares executions by the guillotine to the way the structure of life takes away from personal contentment. Mersault does not see beauty in society’s structure; rather, Mersault believes that structure dismisses the beauty of life. Merasult’s view of life can by contrasted to Dorian’s view of life in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Generally, Dorian can find beauty in the world around him and appreciate the aesthetic appeal of a situation. Contrarily, Mersault is only able to look beyond societal structure appreciate the world’s beauty once Mersault realizes he is going to die. Throughout the novel The Stranger, the reader is lead to believe that Mersault lacks emotions. However, Mersault does not lack emotions. Mersault simply cannot find meaning behind social norms that do not focus on being content with life in the present moment. According to Mersault, societal structure takes away personal free will just like how the guillotine executes a victim.