Noreen's 20th Century Novel Blog

          Meursault’s prison cell becomes the only place he feels safe in during the trial. At first, the cell being a place he looks forward to spending time in surprised me, but then I remembered his uneasiness around others and in external environments. Being around many people at once is something Meursault feels uncomfortable with before the trial, but his feelings are highlighted in the courtroom. For example, he thinks, “But all the long speeches, all the interminable days and hours that people had spent talking about my soul, had left me with the impression of a colorless swirling river that was making me dizzy (Camus 104). Being around many people makes Meursault feel sick, sweaty, and dizzy. He is never truly at peace around others and thoughts concerning sensory aspects of his environment occupy his mind. Meursault’s appreciation for his cell is signified when he thinks, “The utter pointlessness of whatever I was doing there seized me by the thro...

          I did not consider the significance of the second epigraph by Ecclesiastes until reflecting on Jake’s view of life and love for Brett. The start of the epigraph reads, “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever” (Ecclesiastes). This statement suggests that life goes on even after great loss and that everything is replaceable, as even a full generation will eventually be replaced by a new one. Hemingway incorporates this ideology into Jake’s perspective of life. Jake doesn’t take many aspects of his life seriously. He takes risks by drinking often and pursuing spontaneous traveling adventures with his friends. He knows that life will go on even after taking risks while struggling with his career. However, he does not acknowledge that life will also go on if he does not end up with Brett until the last scene. Their relationship is the one aspect of his life he takes seriously and cannot imagine existin...