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Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
It is important to acknowledge that The Stranger was written by Camus in French, while this guide is based on an English translation of the novella by Matthew Ward. The diction and syntax is then a cross between Camus’s own writing and the work of Ward. This affects the reader's understanding of The Stranger writ large, as well as the style of the writing in particular. Any specific language used throughout the story is merely an interpretation of Camus's writing, not a one-to-one reproduction (which would be functionally impossible to create). Understanding Camus's style is therefore more challenging to do with The Stranger than with other authors of different stories, and in many ways, the style of the work is the product of Ward as opposed to Camus himself.
Nevertheless, it is clear that Camus writes in a matter-of-fact style, with direct language and simple diction that both mimics Meursault’s apathy and contributes to the reader’s understanding of the protagonist as apathetic. While there is figurative language throughout The Stranger, the prose is for the most part not flowery or overly poetic. This straightforward diction contributes to both the mood and the tone of the novel.
The style of the novella does change somewhat as Meursault is forced to introspect after being sentenced to death. While he ultimately embraces death, confronting his absurd existence head-on, Camus employs longer sentences and a more complex prose in the passages where Meursault waxes poetic on the life he is leaving behind. In the brief moments where Meursault demonstrates an emotional depth that he lacks for most of the story, Camus's style changes accordingly.
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