In this blog post, we’ll examine the connection between absurdity and rebellion through Albert Camus and his novel ‘The Stranger’. Albert Camus (1913–1960) was a writer born in Algeria, then a French colony. He began writing around the age of twenty and later gained widespread fame through his interactions with the philosopher and novelist Jean-Paul Sartre—whom he met in...
How does honesty ultimately lead to the death penalty and absurdity in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’?
In this blog post, I will explore how Meursault’s honesty and indifference, as depicted in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’ and the myth of Sisyphus, lead to a “dead end,” absurdity, and ultimately, the death penalty. The Work and Its Publication Background Albert Camus wrote ‘The Stranger’ (l’étranger) between approximately 1939 and 1941. Of course, he had spent a long time...
How does Meursault’s detachment in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’ reveal death and absurdity?
In this blog post, I will examine how Meursault’s indifference and perception of death in Camus’s ‘The Stranger’ connect to the themes of absurdity and freedom, focusing on the unfolding of events in Part 1 and the trial scene in Part 2. Work Analysis ‘The Stranger’ garnered significant attention immediately upon its publication in 1942 and has been hailed as a...
Is Chichikov Don Quixote, or is he the character who sought to save the dead souls of Russia in ‘Dead Souls’?
In this blog post, I will carefully examine the dual meaning of the title and the intention of salvation in Gogol’s ‘Dead Souls’ by exploring the similarities and differences between Chichikov and Don Quixote. Chichikov and Don Quixote — Similarities and Differences Now that you’ve turned the final page of this work—which may feel somewhat unfamiliar compared to the works...
Is ‘Chebengur’ a narrative of resistance against capitalist modernity?
In this blog post, I’ll share my thoughts on ‘Chebengur’ and explore the world of resistance and love toward modernity that this work presents. I first read ‘Chebengur’ in 1988, when I was in high school. Although the full text of ‘Chebenkur’ had already been published abroad in 1978, it was not until 1988—when censorship within the Soviet Union had...
Book Lovers: What Is a Guide?
In this blog post, I’ll discuss the history of books, the passion of book lovers, and provide commentary on the three stories featured in this book. The History of Books and the Art of Printing The history of books goes back a very long way. Even before the art of metal-type printing became widely known in the West, the “Papyrus of Ebers”—recognized as the world’s first medical text—was...
What Legacy Did Charles Lamb’s Life and Essays Leave Us?
In this blog post, I will summarize the character and stylistic traits revealed in Charles Lamb’s life and essays, as well as the significance of his work. Life and Family History Charles Lamb was born on February 10, 1775, as the youngest of seven siblings in a poor family; his father was merely a clerk at a law firm. Most of his siblings died at a young age, and the only survivors were...
Was Charles Dickens’ life similar to that of David Copperfield?
In this blog post, we’ll briefly introduce the life of Charles Dickens to readers of ‘David Copperfield’ and explore the similarities between their lives. Readers of ‘David Copperfield’ will quickly realize, upon briefly reviewing the life of Charles Dickens (1812–1870), that it bears a striking resemblance to that of the novel’s protagonist, David. Charles Dickens...
Can evolutionary psychology be the key to understanding human behavior?
In this blog post, I will summarize how we can interpret the human mind and behavior through the lens of evolution—using the core ideas of evolutionary psychology and various everyday examples presented in ‘The Old Toolbox’—and examine the critiques of this approach. Darwin and the Framework of Evolutionary Psychology In the 150 years since the publication of Darwin’s ‘On...
What is the story behind Jules Renard’s life and ‘The Beetroot’?
In this blog post, we’ll take a step-by-step look at Jules Renard’s life, the background behind his masterpiece ‘The Beetroot’, the work’s content and the historical context of its time, and the process of adapting it for the stage. The Life of Jules Renard (Jules Renard, 1864–1910) French novelist and playwright Jules Renard was born on February 22, 1864, in Salon-du-Mén...