The Stranger #2 Analysis

            Albert Camus’s The Stranger actively engages the principles of Absurdism through Salamano’s interaction with Mersault. The absurd is born out of the confrontation between human need and the unreasonable silence of the world. Absurdism correlates with Existentialism, where this philosophy is marked by a set of themes about the human conditions, struggles, and freedoms that humans must endure or embrace. The interaction between Mersault and Salamano explicates an example of Absurdism and Existentialism where Mersault describes that “Every night and every morning after the dog had gotten that skin disease, Salamano rubbed him with ointment. But according to him, the dog’s real sickness was old age, and there’s no cure for old age” (Camus 45). Salamano’s belief towards his dog’s skin disease suggests that no matter how he attempts to cure his dog, Salamano will not be able to. According to Absurdism, the universe will never truly care for humanity the way we truly want it to. Salamano wishes that the dog’s deterioration is caused by the disease, but instead, Salamano overcomes this fact to accept the tragedy: “the dog’s real sickness was old age, and there’s no cure for old age”. As much as Salamano desires for a simple solution, Absurdism takes its part by confronting Salamano with the unchangeable care for humanity and its desires.