Aspects of a Relationship in The Stranger Essay

The Aspects of a Relationship

In The Stranger, Camus philosophy pertaining to relationships is quite simple. He looks at relationships to be nothing more than a physical attachment. He portrays this through Meursault, the protagonist in the novel. It is obvious that Meursault only finds physical attachment to be the only type of relationship. For example, when he is with Marie, he only talks about her physical features and nothing more. When she asks him if he loves her, he clearly states that he might and that he is not sure. Even when she asks him to marry her, he goes along without really knowing why. Another instance of his physical attachment to Marie appears when he is in jail. When he thinks of Marie, it is not because he misses her company or that he misses chatting with her. Instead, the only time he thinks of her is when he wants to have sex. Other than that, he barely thinks of her. The same philosophy can be applied to his relationship with his mother. Camus shows no signs of attachment by making his main character seem like a robot, one who has no feelings whatsoever. Meursault expresses no sadness at the funeral and he even goes out on a date later on the day of the funeral. Camus shows that there is no reason to become emotionally attached. He sees it as useless and that you will always end up getting hurt. Since Marie became emotionally attached to Meursault, she was the one who ended up getting hurt.

My view of relationships is much different than that of Camus mainly because I believe there must be some sort of emotional attachment in order for there to be a relationship in the first place. To me, physical contact is not a form of attachment. The reason for this is because physical contact can be found anywhere. Encarta defines relationships as the connection between two or more people or groups and their involvement with each other, especially as regards how they behave and feel toward each other and communicate or cooperate. The key phrase here is how they feel toward each other. When there is only physical contact, there is almost no feeling toward each other. One doesnt have to know the other person for there to be physical contact. However, if they are emotionally attached, then there must be some sort of feelings exchanged among each other. Since feelings are exchanged between the two, then there must exist a relationship.

Imagine that there are two couples: one couple is young and are dating and the other couple is old and have been married for years. If the younger couple decides to call it quits after a year or so, they will have no problem moving on. However, if the older couple is split up, it will be much difficult for them to move on. The reason for this is because the younger couple was not emotionally attached. They might have known each other very well, but they could have gone on without each other. On the other hand, the older couple had been together for a countless number of years and had grown old together. They remember doing everything with each other and are dependent on one another. For this reason, they will have a much more difficult time moving on without each other.

It is almost impossible for any young person to be in a relationship because it takes many years for one to become emotionally attached to someone. If a couple has been dating, then they are not in a relationship. If a couple is engaged, then they are not in a relationship. If the couple is celebrating their one year anniversary, then they are not in a relationship. The reason for this is because it would take countless number of years for one to become emotionally attached to another person. One must be able to share their feelings openly, laugh, cry, love, and any other feeling imaginable. If there goes a day where one does not wish to be with their partner, then they are not in a relationship. There is no way of knowing one is in a relationship in terms of time. If you are in a relationship, you will just know it.

That is the difference between Camus philosophy and my own. Camus believed that in order for there to be a relationship, emotional attachment does not need to be involved. To him, the only type of relationship is physical. However, I believe that in order for there to be a relationship, one must be emotionally attached to his/her partner. Without emotion, there exists no relationship.