Journal #1 - Brave New World

In Brave New World, there are varying motifs like the word pneumatic and sleep-taught phrases that define the society. Pneumatic is an adjective that is used to describe both women and furniture, meaning curvy in shape. The use of this word to describe these things shows that sex is placed at the same level as furniture, a product. This placement resembles the idea that this society is a whole, uniform being. The fact that everyone belongs to everyone else, as shown by turning sex into a commodity, means that there really is no individuality in this society. Sleep-taught phrases appear in every chapter as "common-sense". These phrases are repeated to the population as they are sleeping, to the point where the phrases become etched into everyone's memory, much like old nursery-rhymes, except much more significant. For example, children are taught in their sleep that "ending is better than mending," which is used to cause consumerism by giving them thee mindset of always buying new clothes (54). These phrases symbolize the way that the government dictates what society should be. Each phrase has a purpose, like keeping social classes apart and increasing consumption of products in the market. Through sleep-taught phrases, the government is able to carefully control every aspect of society.

The book takes place in the future, primarily Great Britain, but is not limited to just Great Britain. The continent or country is not very significant, but rather the actual building or area. The beginning takes place in a building that can be described as a hatchery, except for humans. This place by itself tells of the way that society is in the novel. In the Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, as it is called, one learns of the way a human is conceived and "born", from a test tube. One learns of the process of making batches of identical humans, up to 96 of the same baby, a processed way of having twins. One also learns of the steps taken place each of these groups into social classes. This whole process shows the predetermination of groups by the government, and also shows the lack of individuality the society has.

The language itself is not strange. But there are some peculiarities, like strange names that are given to new products. The most interesting peculiarities would be the taboo subjects that are in this society's language. For instance, father hold comical connotations, because babies are not born anymore, and anyone being a father or relying on a father is absurd. Mother is worse. The word mother holds connotations of absolute disgust, for the idea of having a baby is unimaginable in this society. This disgust is reflected by the Director explanation to children that "the parents [of children] were the father and the mother. [...] These are unpleasant facts, I know" (32). These new taboo subjects might contradict the idea of individuality, if one does not have parents to care for them and take care of themselves, but in this novel, the youth are all still cared for by government agents. These taboo subjects actually show the sacrifices that humanity must make in order to obtain happiness. To obtain happiness, society needed to dispel any obligations to anything, and therefore eliminate things like war. If one does not have anything to love and fight for, there need not be any war. This is also supported by the way in which every civilized person indulges in free love. With free love, there is no strong feeling to be with someone, and therefore that person has no significance. There is no obligation.

Journal #5 - The Stranger

I believe that the philosophy that I follow most closely is existentialism. I do believe that in the end, civilizations fall and the universe collapses, and that there will be no breath left to speak about the achievements of humanity, and therefore every action one makes can be considered absurd. However, I don’t submit to this. Although there may be no actual purpose to life, I believe that life should be lived with the max amount of happiness obtained. If one should retain life, one might as well make the most of it. Life can be considered a sort of a gift, where it gives us the happiness and sadness, the experiences. In this way, I also believe in hedonism, but I will focus on existentialism.

1. You are the choices you make. There is no predetermined personality for you, but rather, it is created through the choices you make in life. This is important because it puts emphasis on the individual and that a higher entity did not create the essence of the individual. Due to this, many existentialists do not believe in a higher being.

2. Your existence precedes your essence. This is related to the previous principle, but is more direct. The being that you are right at this moment constitutes your essence. This also puts emphasis that there is not a entity determining who you are.

3. You are responsible for your choices. You must take the full responsibility of your choices, no matter what the outcome. This emphasizes the individual and self-justice. It acknowledges that the world will not dish out justice, but rather that justice comes from yourself, or in a related way society.

4. Freedom. This is an important principle, defining existentialism directly. It means that one has the ability to make any choice that comes by them, but that these choices must be made through one's values. It again emphasizes the individual and also acknowledges that the world will be indifferent to your choice. Responsibility is built directly off of this principle.

5. Live authentically. This means that you do not act as your genes determine or society determines, but rather you act as yourself. This is related to freedom, and also implies that morality is relative, and that someone acting as themselves, even if making "wrong" choices, is living in the right way. Also, one must follow their own beliefs in accordance with this.

6. You give meaning to your experiences. There is no predetermined meaning that you must take out of an experience. This means that meaning is  relative throughout humans, and that there is not a universal meaning. This principle is important because it is the way you build your character.

7. Do not rely on rationality. In a way, rationality is a limitation because when you rationalize something, you often bring in society's values and do not completely rely on your own. This emphasizes freedom to make your own choices based off of your own values.

Journal #4 - The Stranger

At the end of the novel, Meursalt realizes that he cannot do anything about the indifference of the universe. He also realizes that the universe is indifferent. During the events leading up to this epiphany, Meursalt merely could not find the point in doing things, thus his lack of motivation. His statements of indifference represent the subconscious conflict he has with the absurd. However, at the close of the story, with immense time with himself and a looming death, the idea of the absurd surfaces into his head, and he confronts it directly for the first time. Meursalt loses all hope in this chapter and is then able to accept his death, and in a way becomes "enlightened".
Camus does not want the reader to give up hope and accept that all life ends, but rather, I think that he wants the reader to become aware of the absurd, enabling them to go through the process themselves. I think he more introduces the reader to a concept than he does try to influence the conclusion the reader gets.

Journal #3 - The Stranger

Camus splits The Stranger into two parts in order to make evident the process in which Meursalt develops. In the first part of the novel, Camus uses short sentences that are very to the point. With Meursalt as the narrator, the activities and events that take place in Meursalt's life are given to the reader in a very matter of fact way, without much speculation or hidden meaning.

"After them, the street slowly emptied out. The matinees had all started, I guess. The only ones left were the shopkeepers and the cats. The sky was clear but dull above the fig trees lining the street." (22)

This is contrasted in the second part with Meursalt suddenly voicing his thoughts to the reader, speculating on his life. The infinite time that he has to himself allows him to examine who he is, and this is reflected by the longer syntax that Camus uses.

"My ears had never heard so many noises or picked up so many sounds. One thing I can say, though, is that in a certain way I was lucky that whole time, since I never heard footsteps." (113)

Also, in the mortuary where Meursalt kept vigil for his Maman, the roof was a skylight, allowing the sun to cast its light onto the room. In the last prison cell that Meursalt stays at, there is also a skylight with sunlight filtering in. In the first part, this light causes for Meursalt to become sleepy and inactive, but in the second part, Meursalt becomes thoughtful under his skylight. This could represent the idea that although Meursalt changes, the sky he is under does not change.

Journal #2 - The Stranger

Camus uses a first person point of view so that the focus of the story remains entirely on Meursalt. It is important that it is first person because the plot of the story built around a mix between a conflict of person vs self and person vs nature. In this context, Camus uses the point of view to show every one of Meursalt's thoughts or feelings so as to elaborate on these conflicts. The inner conflict that Meursalt experiences develops his character and comes to a breaking point at the very end of the novel. The plot follows the process of which Meursalt develops and reaches this breaking point, and Camus uses the point of view to fully be able to describe this process and help the reader understand what point has been reached by providing the reader with the thoughts of Meursalt.

Journal #1 - The Stranger

Marie-
Marie is described as being an old acquaintance as well as sexually attractive to Meursalt. They both fill their basic sexual and companionship needs with each other. But for Meursalt, this is all that he really needs, and does not pursue love, whilst Marie very much wants Meursalt's love.
Marie acts as a foil to Meursalt. She retains hope throughout the novel while Meursalt remains indifferent and hopeless, highlighting the absurd idea that Meursalt conflicts with. Camus shows this contrast when Marie asks about love and marriage with a hope for Meursalt's love, and Meursalt remains indifferent to love and marriage.

Raymond
Raymond is described as a shifty type of character seeming to be connected to the underworld. But Meursalt tolerates them and Raymond is friendly to Meursalt because of this. Raymond also admits to having a short fuse, and seems resorts to violence in aggravating situations. He also resents the popular opinion on him, claiming that he is an honest man.
Camus seems to use Raymond to push the plot, having many events in the book take place around Raymond's actions. For instance, Raymond invites Meursalt to the beach, which leads to the climax of the story. Raymond also gives Meursalt the gun, which allows him to kill the Arab. It can be said that Raymond is responsible for many of the events taking place in The Stranger.

Salamano-
Salamano is described as being old and angry. His constant companion is a dog, which in many ways represents his spouse, whose death was the reason he got a dog in the first place. Although he acts angry and ungrateful towards the dog, it is revealed that he cared much for the dog.
Camus uses Salamano to highlight the natural human fear of change. Salamano is what one could call a conservative. He walks his dog along the same path everyday at the same time, not changing the route in all of the years they've been together. Salamano also becomes incredibly used to the dog, and once the dog is gone, he becomes nervous and flustered.
Salamano also parallels Maman. Maman cried a lot when she was put into the home, but not because she missed Meursalt, but rather because she was not used to the home.