The absurd and revolt: a study of absurd heroes in selected fiction by albert camus

Abstract

The absurd can be defined as the conflict which arises due to the human inclination to pursue meaning and purpose in life, and human incapability to find any in a disordered and unreasonable world. Absurd heroes in literature perceive the world as meaningless and irrational and thereby revolt against the dynamics of power which are pervasive within societal institutions. This research is based on a study of the absurd and revolt of the protagonists in selected fiction of Albert Camus (1913-1960). The objective of this study is to scrutinize the ways in which the characters in Camus‘s fiction resist the absurdity of modern existence, ideological expectations and the dialectics of power in social institutions. The problem statement is based on exploring to what extent the characters‘ struggle, revolt and resistance can be considered as subversive in terms of how they are realized in the narratives. The methodology is a textual analysis of fiction which includes Camus‘s novel The Outsider (1942) and his short fiction ―The Guest‖ (1957), ―The Growing Stone‖ (1957) and ―The Renegade or A Confused Mind‖ (1957). This study conceptualizes the absurd and revolt in Camus‘s selected fiction via theoretical frameworks predominantly based on ideology and power. It concludes that, Camus engages in a powerful sociopolitical critique by engaging with the diverse ways in which the resistance of his absurd heroes can be realized. These are explored in fictional contexts where such characters are surrounded by societal institutions which seek to discipline, regulate and control them.