We Journal #1

In the beginning of We, I have found that the author uses some paradoxes. In merely the beginning of the book D-503, the main character, states was was printed in the State Gazette, "If they won't understand that we bring them mathematically infallible happiness, it will be our duty to force them to be happy," (3). First of all, I believe that they rely on  math for every bit of their orderly lives because math will always be 100% (for the most part). That is what is meant by when they say "infallible". And secondly, they will force the alien people to be happy, which is strange. In the act of forcing someone to do something, does not mean that they will be happy for if everybody has their own way of being happy which in a sense does not imply force. 

As I read through I start to notice that Zamyatin uses a lot of alliteration in the text, which is followed by some imagery. Strangely, D-503 looks at the a male and a female which are at his side then suddenly starts talking about something else, "The blessed-blue sky, the tiny baby suns in each badge, faces unclouded by the folly of thought," (7). The author uses this alliteration to prove something that I cannot come to an understanding with but intrigues me. It seems very odd that the main character was explaining in his record of certain events that are occurring, and then you start reading about how there are "tiny baby suns in [a] badge". Next, after he met with I-330, he notices her teeth, "Suddenly she caught herself that sting-smile of white, sharp teeth appeared," (25). Whenever D-503 encounters I-330 he describes her teeth as sharp, white, and occasionally evil. This shows how he knows that she represents chaos in the novel, and a rebel in the eyes of D-503.

The Stranger Journal #4

In the last chapter of The Stranger, Meursault has his final epiphany. "And I felt ready to live it all again too. As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-so like a brother really-..." (122). Meursault here is opening himself, letting himself sink in that the gentle indifference of the world really is like him. The indifference of the world means that everybody else in the world doesn't pay much attention and does not care about the rest of it and thus will not react. For example, hundreds of thousands of people suffer from disease, war, malnutrition, etc. but really is anybody mourning about that right now? Obviously not. Meursault sees this and realizes and accepts the fact that its just almost like him, "Finding it so much like myself-so like a brother, really-I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again," (123). The world he sees now has always been indifferent, just like himself, and not caring so much as to other people's actions and what will become of them. An example of how Meursault portrays indifference, "They were announcing departures for a world that now and forever meant nothing to me," (122). The overall effect of this epiphany is that Camus wants to get the reader that, in the idea of existentialism, he wants to give up on the world, give up his caring, and has also become indifferent to the world, because of how he sees everything in his perspective.

Meursault's final epiphany connects to the idea of existentialism. It connects to existentialism because right before Meursault even has his epiphany, he has a physical and sensual experience, "Smells of the night, earth, and salt air were cooling my temples," (122). The idea of existentialism states that you rely on physical and sensual experiences as you move forwards in your life. The starting point of philosophical thinking has to start with these sensual feelings you experience through life. Since Meursault is considered to rely on and depend on his sensual experiences he reaches his epiphany at the end of the novel. This is purposely done by Camus to portray the fact that since Meursault relies on his physical encounters he is able to achieve his "philosophical" epiphany. Since the ideas of existentialism state that moral and scientific thinking alone cannot achieve this, it explains that Meursault never has curiosity or either the desire of knowing, which is almost a human instinct.

The Stranger Journal #3

When Meursault is in court, he is being tried in a different kind of way then normally would be done. The court looks upon religious morals and repentance. Since the French culture influenced Algeria their justice system is heavily effected by religion. So, in court Meursault's magistrate judges him by the laws of religion or as to say morals, "And I tried to listen again but the prosecutor started talking about my soul." (101). I feel it to be very unfair that Meursault is put in this situation of being accused of having no morals or remorse. I don't believe it is Meursault's fault for experiencing the world as he does, by physical means and sensory experiences rather than dwelling on what is happening. It could actually be that Meursault is insane and crazy, but that is an unsure statement. I also find irony in the fact that Meursault's lawyer stating he is already suffering from internal remorse, "I barely even heard when my lawyer, wrapping up, exclaimed that the jury would not surely send an honest, hardworking man to his death because he had lost control of himself for one moment, and then he asked them to find extenuating circumstances for a crime for which I was already suffering the most agonizing of punishments---eternal remorse," (105). At this point, Meursault starts having less and less say in the case, and he expresses that, "My fate was being anyone so much as asking my opinion," (98).

Since Meursault is not given a say, he believes that his fate was in the hands of basically everyone else but him. One fact that should be given consideration is that the courtroom should be a place without any disrespect. It seemed strange to me that the whole courtroom laughed just because Meursault wanted to tell everybody what really happened in the way he saw it. "Fumbling a little with my words and realizing how ridiculous I sounded, I blurted out that it was because of the sun. People laughed. My lawyer threw up his hands, and immediately after that he was given the floor," (103). The courtroom laughs because obviously this idea that the sun had made him give the trigger and kill him is absurd and do not understand his viewpoint on the whole subject. " 'It is true I killed a man.' He went on like that saying 'I' whenever he was speaking about me. I was completely taken aback," (103). I also believe that this, speaking in the perspective of Meursault is not fair because it does not give consent to him that what he is saying is completely true. Meursault's treatment is not realistic because in real given situation, he would have say in this and not just have his fate decided by people who are not willing to see through his eyes. 

The Stranger Journal #2

Meursault lets himself get overpowered by nature. The Sun is really a big factor when you see how his actions reflect this. In the beginning Meursault is in a happy and good mood with Marie, "..., the day, already bright with sun, hit me like a slap in the face. Marie was jumping with joy and kept on saying what a beautiful day it was. I felt a little better..." (47). Right after Meursault notices how nice it is oustide, he immediately starts feeling better. When Meursault is lying down on the sand with his friends he dozes off because of the sun, the fact that the sun was present and shining down on his face shows that Meursault is controlled. "...warmth from her body and from the sun made me doze off," (51). As it gets closer to the end of Part 1, Meursault seems to be getting more and more irritated by the shining of the sun, "The sun was shining almost directly overhead onto the sand, and the glare on the water was unbearable," (52). Meursault doesn't seem to be consciously thinking when he is in control of the sun, "I wasn't thinking about anything, because I was half asleep from the sun beating down on my bare head," (53). Right before Meursault shoots the Arab, he describes how hot the sun is and compares it to how hot it was on the day of his Maman's burial, "The sun was the same as it had been the day I'd buried Maman, and like then, my forehead was especially hurting me , all the veins in it was throbbing under the skin. It was this burning, which I couldn't stand anymore, that made me move forward," (59). This quote that shows Meursault directly stating that he moved forward and shot him was that the sun was overpowering and Meursault's actions depend and reflect on nature, more specifically the sun.