The Guest by Albert Camus Essay Example

story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, Balducci is a French policeman. Balducci is a very disciplined man, who follows instruction and expects the same. Balducci expects nothing but the same dedication from anyone else and does not believe in one disobeying the law. Although he is polite and friendly, Balducci means nothing but business, Balducci hadn’t said it outloud, but he made it obvious he did not enjoy his work. Balducci knows Daru because Daru is a teacher at the local school. Daru is very content and quiet man, who is very respectful to both of the men; he shows his tender side by releasing the prisoner’s hands. Daru is not highly affected by living on his own. Because of where he was raised in Algeria, Daru does not like quarreling.

Daru avoids being with political control or the Algerian rebels; because, he only wants for the world to be in serenity. Which is the reason being for him to not want the prisoner to go to the French. Daru thinks that by bringing the prisoner, he would be disobeying the Arab beliefs.

3. Why did Daru give the prisoner his freedom? What reasons were there for not giving him his freedom? In the short story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, Balducci notifies Daru about the time constraint regarding him bringing back the Prisoner to the French Officials. Balducci lets Daru know that eventually it will be his choice to either take the prisoner away or not. Daru is hesitant to this, because it is not his duties to fulfill. Daru also is reluctant to siding with the Algerians, while being called to

France for duties. Daru does not show interest in the very deep business with many controversial feelings towards the unruliness. Daru has been given one very important dutie that he is responsible for fulfilling, he knows he should do the deed, although he doesn’t feel it is right. If he were to refuse the French orders, it would show his betray to the country.

4. In what respect is the title ironical? What kind of irony is this? Why does "The Guest" make a better title than "The Prisoner"?

In the short story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, irony is show in many aspects throughout the story. In the main title, the irony of it is that the word “guest" is not necessarily used to really describe a guest, because “the guest” is the prisoner of the French government. The arab prisoner, had been convicted of supposingly killing his cousin while they were in the village, the police want to get the arab prisoner to France for a trial regarding his conviction. The short story ``The Guest” is much more appropriate rather than titling the story “The Prisoner” because, the story isn’t based on the Prisoner and his choices and decisions, but more towards Daru and the duties he had to fufill as he was the host.

5. This story has as its background a specific political situation - the French Algerian crisis in the years following World War II. How does Daru reflect France's plight? Is the story's meaning limited to this situation? What does the story tell us about good and evil and the nature of moral choice? In the

short story "The Guest" by Albert Camus, Daru's predicament goes hand in hand with France's difficulties and Camus' self-appreciation. In the short story “The Guest” we are introduced to see Daru’s concern to attend the political situation in the French North Africa. Daru is reluctant and refuses to bear arms and follow the orders from the military militia because they are just like the situations where Daru faced many similar situations in Algeria.

The author Camus was drawn to Algeria and did not desire to see it separate from France. The story is not closed to this one idea, but to also how Camus looked at the world’s perspective. Camus hadn’t believed that life was meaningless and purposeless, as many people had before. Without knowing what he would have done if he escaped (because he had no family or friends) He made the decision instead to go to the jail, because that way, he knew he was going to do something.

6. In what respect is the ending of the story ironical? What kind of irony is this? What does it contribute to the meaning of the story? In the short story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, the irony is potrayed at the end of the story in more than one way. The irony at the end of the story is there for two reasons. The Arab Prisoner, whom had been given another chance at freedom, chose to retreat toward the jail alone instead. While Daru heads to return home, even after he had provided the Arab with the choice of staying with him or to escape, he is greeted to an unkind

and terrifying message left on the blackboard with the words "You have handed over our brother.

You will pay for this." even after Daru had gone against the law by not turning the Arab prisoner to France for the trial, and handing him the opportunity to escape given him opportunity to escape, the Arab disregards it, and still Daru is going to be in trouble. The second example of irony is situational irony. Situational Irony is when what we expect to happen doesn’t happen. In the short story, Daru shows the Arab prisoner respect and treats him as a guest, rather than a prisoner; but however, Daru is still as fault. Daru is a man who is very content and happy with the life he has, but his kindness is mistaken for something else.

7. Besides the ironies of the title and of the ending, there are other ironies in the story. Find and explain them. Daru uses verbal irony on page 237 when he exclaims, "Odd pupils!" Is verbal irony the same thing as sarcasm?

In the short story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, Irony is shown throughout the story, some more prominent than others, even the title, "The Guest," alone is ironic. In the short story, the Arab is a prisoner, ironically Daru insists on treating him otherwise and makes him a guest, by Daru opening the prisoner with open arms, and it is ironic in the sense that if anything he should treat the prisoner with shame and guilt for being accused of murder.

When Daru exclaims "Odd pupils! And you're spending the night?" (Daru) Daru is stating

that there are Policeman and the prisoner is "odd pupils" because he teaches at a school, and a police station has no relation to a school house. Daru is further stating how he finds it somewhat odd how police would towards his school house rather than back to the office. Verbal irony is similar to sarcasm but it is not the same. Both share a dry humorous mood, but irony is not intended, while sarcasm usually is. Irony is the difference between what people expect to happen and what really happens.