THE GUESTBy Albert Camus

VOCABULARY

Absurdism - refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any

Existentialism - generally considered to be the philosophical and cultural movement which holds that the starting point of philosophical thinking

Estuaries - a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea

VOCABULARY

Obstinate Stubbornly adhering to a purpose, opinion, etc.

Faze To cause to be disconcerted; daunt; fluster

Husky Big and strong (of the voice)somewhat hoarse

Tyranny arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despoti

c abuseof authority.

VOCABULARY

Squabble To engage in a petty quarrel

Billhook Tool for pruning and cutting

Peevish Cross, querulous, or fretful

VOCABULARY

Muffle To wrap with something, to deaden sound

Furrow A narrow groove made in the ground, esp.

by a plow Coagulate

To change from a fluid into a thickened mass

Slither To move, walk, or slide like a snake

VOCABULARY

Gendarmerie – a military or paramilitary force charged with police duties among civilian populations

Jellaba - a traditional long, loose-fitting unisex outer robe with full sleeves worn in the Maghreb region of Northe Africa and in Arabic-speaking countries along the Mediterranean.

VOCABULARY

Cheche (Tagelmust)- an indigo dyed cotton garment with the appearance of both a veil and a turban

ALBERT CAMUSBIOGRAPHY

Albert Camus

Life of Camus

Early Years

Literary Career

R.U.M. & Europe

DeathIdeas on

the Absurd

Religious beliefs

Opposition totalitariani

sm

Football

HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDBerbers

Muslim Arabs

Spaniards

Turkish Supervison

France

MEANING OF THE TITLE

L'hôte

The Guest

Prisoner

Schoolmaster

The Host

Prisoner’s Host

SETTING

October of a year in the early 1950s on a desolate plateau in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria after a blizzard. At that time, native Algerians—both Arabs and Berbers—were agitating for independence. 

LITERARY DEVICES

LITERARY DEVICES

Symbolism:

The specific location of Daru's home is symbolic of the colonial conflict in Algeria. He requested to be placed at the foothills, between the desert and the dark plateau. However, he was placed upon the plateau where he would be—a schoolmaster. In this symbol, the desert represents the Arabs and the plateau represents the French. He was placed upon the plateau, or in other words, he was forced to join up with the French (though he wanted to remain neutral, as was his character).

LITERARY DEVICES

Irony:

Balducci was the "bad guy" character in this story. Though he was callous and rude to the Arab prisoner, in the end he will just return to his post and live a normal life. On the other hand, Daru was the only person to treat the Arab kindly, and yet he will most likely die for "handing him over."

Daru, who frees the prisoner, only frees the prisoner to go back to supporting a society similar to the one that Daru is trying to disassociate himself with.

LITERARY DEVICES

Foreshadowing:

Frequently throughout the short story, the reader is hinted to that trouble might come to Daru. The author says that the village was beginning to stir, and that was the reason for the transportation of the prisoner. Also, Daru hears sounds of footsteps around the schoolhouse, but he found nothing to materialize from them.

CHARACTERS

•French teacher born in AlgeriaDaru•Algerian villager accused of murdering his cousinThe Arab

•Gendarme who takes the Arab from El Ameur to the school where Daru teaches. •He assumes that the Arab is guilty of the alleged murder. 

Baducci

Type of Work and Narration

• Camus uses omniscient third-person point of view to reveal the thoughts of the main character, Daru.

• Limited third-person point of view to conceal the thoughts of the other two characters. 

Themes

Self-Determination

Isolation and LonelinessInjustice of

Colonialism

Desolate mountain plateau

CLIMAX

When Daru decides to release his prisoner. This decision becomes his personal declaration of independence from the authority of the state. It also provides the Arab an opportunity to choose his own fate

THE SECOND PRISONER

After the Arab prisoner arrives, Daru realizes that he too is a prisoner

THE THIRD PRISONER

The old gendarme Balducci is a prisoner of lockstep obedience to French authority. When he receives an order, he believes it is his duty to execute it without questioning it. He expects Daru to do the same.