Theodore Roosevelt once said, In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. Roosevelt meant that success is a consequence of action and inaction teaches us nothing, other than regret. Roosevelt must have been an existentialist. The cornerstone of existentialism is that the individual is responsible for his own happiness and success. The Guest, a short story written by Albert Camus, himself a well-known existentialist, illustrates the problematic void created when man makes no choice and pushes the responsibility onwards. Throughout the story, each of the three characters, Balducci, Daru, and the Arab, are forced to make a decision that will affect someone else. Balducci and Daru cannot make the seemingly right choice, leaving the fate of the prisoner in his own hands. Balducci and Daru do not make a decision, which in itself is a decision. What Camus is saying is that modern man is essentially superficial, lacks personal vision, and can be decisive only when forced into it. Camuss extensive use of description of nature matches the emptiness of the characters.
The Guest opens with Balducci and a prisoner climbing the abrupt rise (Camus 323) leading towards Darus schoolhouse. This abrupt rise is a signal of a conflict to come. The setting is in the desert on a plateau (Camus 323), an area that belongs to neither the plains nor the mountains, symbolizing the moral space that Daru wants to find. The weather is cold, the land is stony with a layer of dirty white snow, (Camus 324) and the surroundings are deserted. Nature mirrors the void and impurity in mans soul.
Balducci brings the prisoner to Darus door, informing Daru that he has to hand him to Daru and return without delay, thus freeing Balducci of his responsibility. Balducci abdicates his responsibility, and by doing so, he passes on the task to Daru. During their climb, the weather is dark and frigid symbolizing the cold calculation of Balducci. As soon as Daru assumes the responsibility for the Arab, albeit unwanted, the weather was clearing and the light was increasing over the snowy plateau (Camus 327) and the reader has a sense of hope that Daru will do the right thing.
Daru is forced to wait for the next day to take the journey to the jail (Camus 330). During that night, he is presented with another choice. He can treat the Arab civilly, or he can treat him like an animal. By setting the table for two (Camus 330) and giving the Arab food and tea, Daru shows the reader his hospitality, even though he does not know the mans name, but overall he is ambivalent towards him.
Throughout the night, darkness seemed to coagulate (Camus 331) reflecting the emptiness in Darus mind and his inability to decide. Daru does not actively prevent the prisoner from leaving, giving the prisoner the decision whether to do so. When the Arab turns over on his side the hens flutter a little (Camus 332), as if he is struggling with his thoughts. The second time the Arab moves, he goes outside where the hens do not flutter at all (Camus 323), creating a sense of suspense. Nevertheless, the Arab did not run away and went back to sleep (Camus 323).
The next morning, the sky was clear; a loose window let in a cold, pure air. (Camus 333). With the Arab still there, Daru must make a decision. At this point, the snow is melting fast and the sun is cleaning the plateau (Camus 333). The symbolic warmth and spring-like conditions reflect Darus thought processes and again creates an element of hope. However, instead of taking the Arab directly to Tinguit, he stops the Arab on a hill (Camus 334). Looking east, the terrain is low plain where there were a few spindly trees (Camus 334). The walk is downhill and the journey to jail is easy. The spindly trees symbolize the barbed wire on the top of a prison fence. Looking south, the outcroppings of rock (Camus 334) give the Arab a more difficult path to walk. But difficulty usually comes with rewards, and that reward is freedom. Daru gives the Arab food and money (Camus 334), in effect selling his responsibility for nothing. When the Arab looks south, there is a faint path to freedom (Camus 334) but the road to prison is firm. When the prisoner decides to go to prison himself, he is giving substance and meaning to his life. He validates himself only when forced to decide. Having now passed the dilemma onto the prisoner, Daru leaves. But as he leaves, the ground is cold (Camus 334), but he becomes bathed in sweat (Camus 335) from the stress of not doing the right thing. The rock fields stand out sharply against the blue sky (Camus 335) reflecting the stark reality that he did the wrong thing. To the east, a steamy haze (Camus 335) is rising, symbolizing his inability to think clearly. It is worth noting that Daru is the apparent protagonist, but he is the one who does the wrong thing. By nature, the prisoner should be the antagonist, yet he is the only one who does anything of value.
The Guest is a narrative about not choosing. It is a condemnation of modern man who, by not taking a stand, creates difficulties for others. Camus wants the reader to realize that he who is void of vision and morals will only act when he has no choice and even then will choose not to act. It is noteworthy that Camus use of settingan empty space, changing weather conditions, and harsh conditionsplays a perfect role in mirroring mans nature. In looking back to Theodore Roosevelts words, the prisoner did the right thing, Balducci did the wrong thing, and Daru did the worst thing.
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