"Meursault is "the only Christ we deserve"

Albert Camus prefaced his novel, "The Stranger," with the following note in 1955:

I summarized The Stranger a long time ago, with a remark I admit was highly paradoxical: "In our society any man who does not weep at his mother's funeral runs the risk of being sentenced to death."

... I also say that I tried to draw in my character the only Christ we deserve. It will be understood, after my explanations, that I said this with no blasphemous intent, and only with the slightly ironic affection an artist has the right to feel for the characters he has created.

1. Define the author's worldview -- his judgments about individual and the societal values -- and where he places blame -- based on this statement.

2. Do you agree with Camus' assessment of Meursault as "the only Christ we deserve"?

3. Do you agree with Camus' worldview?

WHAT IS FICTION FOR? DUE: 9/10

Math builds bridges. Science heals disease. What does fiction do? What real value do stories offer? Why read a story about a guy who falls in love, when that guy is not real anyway? What are stories for? How much do we need them?

FOR CREDIT, you must write one entry and make at least one thoughtful response to another entry. Use the above questions to begin your discussion. Try to use specific examples in your responses.

WHEN YOU RESPOND, PLEASE DO NOT
CREATE A NEW POST.
JUST CLICK ON THE WORD "COMMENTS"
(NEXT TO THE PENCIL).
AND ADD YOUR COMMENT
TO THE LIST IN WHITE.

Use complete sentences in your discussion. Use correct grammar, or at least try your best.

Note: If your discussion includes the words “think,” “feel,” relate,” or similar transitive verbs, you must be specific: in other words, “It really makes you think” or “You can relate to it” is not specific enough.