The Outsider - Albert Camus

The Outsider (The Stranger) is a philosophical novel that explores absurdism through the story of Meursault, a man detached from emotions and social expectations.

The novel begins with the death of Meursault’s mother, to which he reacts with unusual indifference. As the story progresses, he becomes involved in a senseless act of violence, leading to his arrest and trial.

However, what truly shocks society is not the crime itself—but Meursault’s lack of emotion, his refusal to conform, and his honest, almost unsettling view of life. During his trial, he is judged as much for who he is as for what he has done.