Reflective Statement: “How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations developed through the interactive oral?”
Throughout the interactive oral, my group members and I discussed the role of the novels setting in 20th Century French Algeria; we found that this Algerian setting was of obvious importance, as it established and clarified the conflict between the Arabs and French colonists which included the stressed ambience of disobedience to French customs. This carried over to underline the flaws in the legal system of the time period as well as racial segregation and tension between both the Arabs and the French. We also noted both the drive and yet traditional standards for social advancements in the patriarchal system given this unstable environment, which was delineated throughout the novel. In a cultural and social perspective, it was clear to my group that Camus illustrated the philosophical theory of existentialism within the book and with it, its many flaws and inconsistencies; an example of this was revealed through Salamano and his lost dog, his love for his furry companion awakening only when it disappeared. However, Meursault’s indifference to his mother’s death was easier to comprehend because of the revolving theme that the simplicity of not caring hurts less. Moreover, my group members and I found it difficult to understand why the Arabs responded in such a neutral tone towards Meursault even after he had killed one of their own, despite some readers’ accusations declaring Meursault to be a racist. Making a connection to present day, we used the example of the
