So I guess that really the only thing that I can talk about for this blog is Albert Camus'  The Stranger. Now, I have to admit, I did not fully understand this book as much as the others. Anyway, here goes. Final blog commencing now.

It is stated that Mersault's most existential and triumphant part of the novel is the ending, right before he is executed.  He basically decides to face his execution and whatever else society throws at him because nothing truly matters. He's not acting like that to be a martyr or anything; to him, the existentialist, he lived and now he is going to die. There's no meaning, hidden or otherwise, no plot twists, no surprise endings. He's gonna die and that's pretty much it. This is his triumphant moment because he still sticks to his ideals and does not give in to what society thinks he should be.

I can't really think of much to connect this to the modern world. The only thing that comes to mind is the constant joke surrounding an "existential crisis." I say that it is a joke because kids say "Oh I just had an existential crisis...what does my life mean...hahaha." But, an existential crisis is a real thing, defined as when an individual questions their life and whether it has any meaning at all. I personally am not an existentialist. I believe that my life has some sort of meaning, but I just don't know what that is as of yet. This greatly contrasts from Mersault's views, but he would never shame me. My beliefs don't affect him and mine don't affect his. Mersault and his fellow existentialists can go on believing that their lives are what they are and that they end, and I can go on searching for my "meaning," whatever it may be.