We show you quick details about The Stranger (L’Étranger) by Albert Camus and how to download it completely free and of course, legally.
Attention: This is a short analysis that will help you understand some points when reading The Stranger. You will not find spoilers.
The Stranger (known as “The Outsider” in British English) was published in 1942, it is one of the first Albert Camus works, and in turn one of his most widely read works worldwide.
It’s classified within the philosophy of the Absurd. It has also been studied within existentialist thought, however, Camus always denied belonging to this current.
The protagonist is Meursault, a Franco-Algerian man, passive, oblivious, and indifferent to his surroundings.
Why is the book called The Stranger?
The original French, L’Etranger, also means foreigner or outsider. So, If we analyze the etymological origin (origin of the word) we will find that it comes from the old French “estrangier”, which means “strange”. At the same time, we can find a provenance of the Latin word extraneus, from extra, “outside”, from exter, “external”.
Therefore, Meursault is a stranger to social codes, to society, and his own life.
The sun as a character in The Stranger
All of us who read The Stranger without clues or details were surprised by the great role of the sun.
Camus uses the sun as a literary device to denote moods, the passage of time, and even some poetic evocations.
Just as music and film effects help us internalize the emotions of characters and events, Camus uses the sun to help us discover what is not written between the lines.
The sun is essential to recreate in the reader that feeling of distance or absence of the protagonist with his own actions, with his very existence.
The sun is decisive at the crucial point of the work, where we even come to believe that it’s the main character.
Where to buy or download The Stranger?
Albert Camus’s original works are (unless proven otherwise) in the public domain for those countries where copyright expires when more than 60 years have passed after the death of the author.
Note: Translations and adaptations cannot be in the public domain.
Also, some countries have copyright terms older than 60 years, so please check the copyright laws of your country before using this material.
Options to buy or download The Stranger:
- PDF thanks to Freeditorial
- Kindle and paperback on Amazon
