Thursday, December 2, 2010

Explication on Part 1 of "The Stranger"

       In the passage when Raymond beats his ex-wife, Albert Camus suggests that love can be an emotion that can trigger other emotions to show a lot more in may ways. Raymond had loved his ex-wife, but when he learned that she had cheated on him, he showed a lot of anger, and had violent impulses about her.
     
      When the passage starts, it starts with "a woman's shrill voice and then saying 'you used me, you used me. I'll teach you to use me'" (35) Camus uses tone to express how Raymond had loved his ex-wife, and how he had anger in his voice because she had caused him a lot of hurt, and he felt that beating her would be a way of hurting her back and teaching her a lesson, to not use someone who loves you for you're own gain. "There were some thuds and the woman screamed." (35) Raymond at this point in the passage had started to beat his ex, and she did not realize that he was going to that extent, so in response she had started screaming.

     Near the end of the passage Raymond still didn't stop when a police man came to handle the situation. Raymond's ex tried to blame him saying that "He's a pimp!" (36) She tried to tell the policeman that Raymond was convicting a crime for being a pimp, because she knew that the only way to get rid of him was to get him arrested since she didn't want him anymore. Raymond responds to that by saying "you just wait sweetheart- we're not through yet." (36) Raymond still wants to show his ex that he's not done with teaching her a lesson, but he couldn't stop, because when someone starts playing with another persons love, that love can trigger other emotions to show strong, and one of the main emotions that are triggered is anger.