Valences de l’impersonnel dans l’Étranger de Camus
Impersonal Dimensions in Camus’s L’Étranger

Summary/Abstract: One of the surprises, from the first line of Camus’ book, is the impersonal tone of the narrator. The narrator, also the main character of the novel, the one that Camus calls “the stranger”, finds out about his mother’s death. This event is perceived by most people as tragic, as a major, trace leaving, generally traumatizing tragedy. This is not the case of Mersault, who gives a rough recount of the moment. He does not know the exact moment when his mother died, he does not know her exact age. There is a multitude of elements that he does not know exactly, therefore, the line “I don’t know” seems to be the most frequent answer Mersault can offer in different circumstances. Paradoxically, Mersault’s absence from the scenery is just an appearance. His way of being impersonal, of escaping the understanding of some feelings, is perceived in this way only by the other ones, the majority that understands life in a different way, or better yet, in the same way. In other words, all the others live in the same way, guided by the same, collectively assumed rules and conventions. The one that they see as a “stranger”, is not only awkward to them, but frustrates them through his totally different way of being. As for Mersault, he is the most “personal” of all, from a different perspective. The conversion of “impersonal” into “personal” is approached by Camus in a special, unique, original wathat places Mersault in a point where he offers himself simultaneously to the eyes of the others and to the ones of the writer, pointed at him from totally different angles. “The most impersonal” becomes, thus, “the most personal”, depending on the eye that watches him and on the setting. From the point of view of the writer, the character builds his impersonality with several lines which seam to define him : “peut-être...je ne sais pas”, “ce n’était (est) pas de ma faute”, “ça m’était égal”, “cela n'avait aucune importance”, “mais cela ne voulait rien dire”. These add to what Camus calls ”étonnement”, that is the amazement of Mersault facing some events or words, attitudes, gestures of his fellows. The reading that we propose shows an inventory of the occurrences of these lines, in the body of the text, and analyzes the light projected on the one who is the main character.

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