Meursault as a metaphysical rebel in L'Étranger (The Stranger)The Stranger by Albert Camus was published in 1942. The setting of the novel is Algiers where Camus spent his youth in poverty. In many ways, the main character, Meursault, is a typical young Algerian. Like them and like Camus himself, Meursault was in love with the sun and the sea. His life is devoted to the appreciation of physical sensations. He seems so emotionless. Something about Meursault's character has especially appealed to readers since the book's publication. Is he an absurd anti-hero? Is he a moral monster? Is he a rebel against conventional morality? Critics and readers have challenged various approaches to Meursault. I believe he is the embryo of Camus' metaphysical rebel as expressed in the philosophical essay The Rebel. It is the man who says by his actions: “I will go this far, but no further.” » To understand Meursault's rebellion, we must first understand the nature of his personality as described by Camus. The novel begins with the terse statement "Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday; I can't be sure." The death of his mother briefly interrupts the pleasant course of Meursault's life, a life devoted to the appreciation of sensations. He loves the feeling of a clean towel in the toilet. He likes to eat, drink and smoke cigarettes. He likes to look at the sea and the sky. Swimming and making love with pretty girls like Marie are his favorite pastimes, so much so that an offer of advancement in Paris does not appeal to him at all. When something bothers him or distresses him, he simply falls asleep, like on the bus to his mother's funeral and even in prison. He is a detached observer of life. Symbolic of this quality......middle of paper......noble act. Even we might be able to do it.BIBLIOGRAPHYBree, Germaine. Camus. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1964. Camus, Albert. The rebel. New York: Vintage Books, 1954 Champigny, Robert. A pagan hero. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1969. Cruickshank, John. Albert Camus and the literature of revolt. New York: Oxford University Press, 1960. King. Adele. Camus. New York: Capricorn Books, 1971. Lottman, Herbert R. Albert Camus: A Biography. New York: George Braziller Inc. 1980. Masters, Brian. Camus: a study. London: Heinemann, 1974. McCarthy, Patrick. Camus: A critical study of his life and works. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1982. O'Brien, Conor Cruise. Albert Camus of Europe and Asia. New York: Viking Press, 1970. Quillot, Roger. The sea and the prisons. University of Alabama: University of Alabama Press, 1970