Absurdity In This World of Nothingness

By: Melanie Moca

An existentialist has a strong belief that man is free and responsible for himself alone,
and that he/she shapes their own existence through living their life and though the daily choices
they make. Someone with this philosophy in mind will constantly think about how their own
choices affect the world around them and their relationships with others. Existentialists know
that, when faced with a decision, they have to be aware of their choices and think critically about
the result of their choice. In the story, The Guest, by Albert Camus, the main character, Daru,
is faced with a decision that he does not want to be apart of and eventually, he ends up having
to be responsible with his choice. As he faces his decision, Daru demonstrates some key
principles that appear true to an existentialist, which prove that Daru has the ideology of an
existentialist. Throughout the story, the author makes clear that Darus ideology and isolation
play a part in his perception on man and the world around him, shows the internal conflict that
arises from dealing with a difficult decision, and ultimately, shows Daru knowing that he has to
take responsibility for his choice.

Someone who follows existentialism would believe that humanity can be very absurd.
Living away from society gives someone a strong sense of individualism and forces them to
have a singular perspective on the world around them. The story, The Guest, takes place in
Darus isolated schoolhouse on the barren Algerian plateau. Daru has very little contact with
anybody other than his students. These students do not show at the school for the duration of
this story because there is a storm taking place. As Daru looks out the window, he stares at the
storm and his thoughts as he thinks about the weather prove to exhibit his thoughts about the
absurd universe that he lives in, ...This is the way the region was, cruel to live in, even without
men, who did not help matters either (p.73). The importance of this thought from Daru is that

it demonstrates his perspective of humanity around him, he says that man did not help matters
either, which shows that Daru does not think that man is good to have around him, he would
rather be alone. He is also saying that men are generally cruel. His isolation makes Daru used
to doing things by himself and to living alone. Because of his existentialist views, Daru believes
that other men would complicate his life because without men, his life is very simple and he
does not have to look after anybody as he is alone, but if he would be living among others, he
would have to become engaged in their situations and help others. Darus solitary makes him
accustomed to not having to deal with the burdens of other people, he enjoys his simple life
away from people so he can do as he pleases. Daru is later surprised by the visit of an old
acquaintance, a french officer, Balducci. He is there to bring an Arab prisoner to Daru and to
present him with the orders of delivering the prisoner to prison to the city of Tinguit, which was
twenty kilometers away, the next day. Daru is astound to receive these orders and he refuses
and says, Are you pulling my leg? (p.75) By saying this, Daru displays his bewildered state as
he questions the officers orders. Daru thinks that these orders are absurd and later on, he says
that it is not his job to transport prisoners to prison. He does not want to get involved in this
matter because Daru does not was to be the person to decide the prisoners fate. His
existentialist view makes him believe that it is ridiculous that the officer is ordering him to have
to deal with a prisoner since he is only a schoolmaster, and he thinks that humanity is crazy for
putting him in this situation. Curious about what the prisoner had done, Daru asks Balducci.
After hearing that the man has killed his cousin, Daru started to have a different mindset about
this man, [he] felt a sudden wrath against the man, against all men with their rotten spite, their
tireless hates, their blood lust (p.76). The significance of Darus anger towards the man
demonstrated by this quote is because he is perplexed about how humanity can be so reckless
and he believes that this man, and all men, are unreasonable to be so hateful towards others.
Darus existentialist views forces him to believe that the people should be much more
compassionate towards each other and be more reasonable with their decisions. Daru liked his

seclusion from men because it kept him away from their hatefulness and hostility. Daru had
distaste for mankinds spiteful nature and believed it to be nonsense. An existentialist would
believe that the world is an irrational place.

A person that believes the key principles of existentialism would agree that when an
individual is faced with a difficult situation and/or absurdness, they will have angst from dealing
with it. After Balducci leaves, Daru finds himself alone with the prisoner and alone with his
decision: to let him go or to follow orders and bring him to prison. At first, he was not intimidated
by the prisoner and insist to Balducci that he does not need a gun, but later he started to
become mentally agitated and decides that he will use Balduccis revolver that he left for him,
he had a second thought, went to his desk, took the revolver, and stuck it in his pocket (p.78).
By having these second thoughts, it is clear that Daru is afflicted by the fact that he was alone
with a murderer and took extra measures to be able to protect himself if the situation escalated.
Daru decided to take Balduccis revolver that he left in order to satisfy his uneasiness about
being left alone with the prisoner. Because he was faced with being alone with a killer, Daru was
having second thoughts and doubt about being able to transport this prisoner twenty kilometers
on a road that would render them absolutely alone, he knew he has to take extra precautions.
Darus existentialist views shine through as is shown that he has angst while dealing with being
alone with the prisoner. When Daru had left the room that the prisoner was in and came back,
he thought he did not hear any noise and a thought came over him that made him pleased: he
was amazed at the unmixed joy he derived from the mere thought that the Arab might have fled
and that he would be alone with no decision to make (p.78). This quotation displays the joy that
came over Daru because when he thought that the Arab had left, he was happy that he would
not be faced with the decision of bringing him to prison or letting him go. Daru was thrilled with
the thought that the Arab left because then, he would be free from his internal conflict regarding
the situation. Daru did not like to get involved with decisions that decided someone elses fate

because his views makes him believed it was not right to be able to decide for someone else.
He was conflicted with the fact that he was left to be the judge of someone elses fate, so he
was overjoyed with the mere thought of the prisoner fleaing and deciding for himself. Later in
the story, before it was time to leave to escort the prisoner to the prison, Daru struggled with the
predicament he was faced with, he had a thought come to him: That mans stupid crime
revolted him, but to hand him over was contrary to honor (p.82). This thought demonstrates
Darus internal conflict growing as he got closer to the moment when he had to make his
decision. He was dreading the moment that he had to make his decision because he did not
want to decide for the man. Daru knew that what the man did was not right, but he did not want
to bring him to the prison either because he believes that it was not right to decide for the
prisoner. Daru was uneasy about this absurd decision he was left with because he was
struggling with deciding what the right thing to do was. Daru felt angst as he knew his time was
coming to make his choice. Existentialists believe that all people face difficult situations, and
they will feel anguish at certain times; they will ask themselves what is right and what is wrong.

All existentialists believe that people are free to a choice, and through every decision
they make, they are left to be responsible with the result of their action. As Daru was in a light
sleep, he thought he heard footsteps around his normally quiet and undisturbed house, he
became irritated with the thought of having to deal with the issues of someone else and he
thought to himself: Im dreaming! Im dreaming! (p.82). The importance of this quotation is that
it demonstrates the grief he faces as he thinks about that fact that he has to be bothered with
making decisions for others. He feels distressed because he does not want to have the power to
decide the Arabs destiny. He does not want to be had responsible for the choice that he has to
make for the prisoner. As an existentialist, Daru knows that he is free to chose for this man, but
as he spends the night with this man, Daru finds that him and the prisoner share a friendship
bond as they are both only human. This bond makes it much more difficult for Daru to make his

decision because he feels guilt forming from the thought of turning this prisoner in. Daru did not
want to be held accountable for sending him to prison, even if there would be no one to quilt him
about it, he knew his internal thoughts would consume him and make him regret sending him
away. As Daru later thought about how things ended with Balducci, he felt ashamed: He
thought of Balducci. He had hurt him he felt strangely empty and vulnerable (p.82). This
quotation provides proof that Daru had regretted neglecting Balduccis order, refusing to sign the
paper, and bring the prisoner to Tinguit. Daru had remorse because the gendarme had left after
they had a little dispute and he did not leave while they were on good terms. This made Daru
feel uneasy, but he knew that it was his own fault for how he had treated the officer and he knew
that he had to deal with the guilt and regret. After Darus big decision of leaving the prisoner with
supplies and the freedom to turn himself in or go and live in freedom with other Arabs, he comes
back to the schoolhouse feeling uneasy and discontent with his decision. He comes inside to
discover that the prisoners companions had observed Daru leave with the prisoner, and had
written on Darus board: You handed over our brother. You will pay for this (p.84). The
importance to this is that it is evident that Daru now is faced with the internal distress because of
what he has done, and also, whatever else the prisoners companions will do to him. After
reading this, Darus views make him aware that he was free to make his choice and he is aware
that he has to be responsible for his choice. He felt that he wanted to reconsider his choice he
had made but, he knew that what is done is done and that he could not change what he had
decided. Daru recognizes that he is left to deal with the consequences of his choice from the
prisoners comrades and from his own conscience knowing what he has done. An existentialist
believes that no matter what, a person has free will to make decisions and should therefore be
responsible for what they decide.

Existentialism is a philosophy that is held by who believe that humans are left alone to
their own life and choices in this wild world full of surprises and unexpected journeys. These

existentialists also think that grief and uneasiness arise from dealing with crucial situations that
make an individual discern what is the right thing and what is the wrong thing to do. As has been
noted, existentialists presume that everyone has the freedom to make choices in their life and
accordingly, be held accountable for their actions.