The Outsider is an intricate story that is rooted in Camus' theory of absurdism. It's a story about the meaninglessness of life which conflicts with our human desire for meaning.

In The Outsider we follow Meursault, a man that is indifferent to the world. The story begins with the death of his mother and we learn that Meursault feels no shock or remorse, only fatigue as the events of his mother's funeral unfold. His reaction is unsettling, and moving through the story we understand that this is Meursault's nature. He is an eccentric character that moves through life with moral and emotional detachment. He is an outsider.

As the story progresses, Meursault commits more and more illicit acts. But the poignant point of the novel is that the protagonist isn't judged by society for his acts, but for his unconventionality. Camus reveals to us that society is performative, we each have a part to play, and we will be condemned when we avoid playing it.

One aspect I found really intriguing was the inverted symbology of the sun. Associated with life, hope and clarity, the sun is usually a positive symbol. However in this story, the sun often causes harm for Meursault, both directly or indirectly. I enjoyed how the overpowering imagery of the sun was juxtaposed with the consoling depiction of the stars in the night sky. It's the stars that bring Meursault clarity, allowing him to 'open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world'. At this moment he realises that he is happy and that he was always happy. Embracing his identity, Meursault finally stops being a stranger to himself.

The novel does have quite an undeveloped characterisation of women. Personally, I wish that Camus tied Marie's character to the notion of being an outsider/stranger. Nevertheless, The Outsider was a compelling read about identity, that poses endless interesting questions such as: Why do we attribute meaning to our existence? What part do we play in society and why do we play it? What does it mean to be an outsider and is it worth it? And many many more.