Albert Camus's "The Guest"

As critic snitch Roy McGregor puts it, "Camus brings together in this single story 'the three characters of the [absurd] drama': 'the inconclusive ['this vast land' that denies man], human being nostalgia [the desire to understand and belong] and the absurd [absolute meaninglessness] that springs from their encounter' (307). It is paradoxical for the guest to lead prison over freedom, yet he does this. Nihilists might use the guest's decision to support their contention that aliveness is pointless and that it does not matter which way the guest decides to go, scarcely Camus clearly does not believe that. Daru is deeply troubled by the guest's decision to go toward prison, and this evidences a belief that brio is value living and that imprisonment equates to a theft of worthwhile years of life. Marxism, too, could justify itself in the guest's decision, arguing that the decision could be criticized on many levels, both from the guest's point of view, Daru's, and society's, but Camus is not criticizing anyone. gentle nostalgia and the desire to understand and belong permeate the story, although Camus provides no resoluteness to them. The absurd is palpable in the story, as well. It is absurd to choose prison over freedom and life, yet the prisoner does this. McGregor points come out that Camus, "by a masterstroke, leads the protagonist of this historically realistic human encounter with the phys

ical world, humanity and the conventional occidental world view, from the 'esclavage' ('slavery') of existentialist philosopher philosophies to the discovery of the absurd, the same person-to-person discover that Camus narrates in Le Mythe de Sisyphe" (307).

Wyatt, C.S. 2008. "Albert Camus: documenting the absurdities of war and peace." The Existential Primer.

Freeman, Comrade. "The inconclusive Hero & The Ruthless Critic." InterActivist Info Exchange.

"The Guest" is in union a commentary on all human existence, and Camus champions the existentialist viewpoint in it. In opposition to nihilism and Marxism, he defies the idea that life is pointless or that criticism is valid. Instead, he holds up Daru and the guest as quintessential representatives of humanity. Like everyone on this planet, they do what they can and what they must in the midst of life situations that are perplexing and difficult to decide upon. Camus does not mention that man always makes the right decision, but he does signify that man does the best that he can within the mise en scene of his limited understanding and the nature of his circums
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