The Discursive Construction of Identity in Camus’ The Stranger: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Albert Camus's The Stranger is an influential work of existential philosophy. The novel constructs themes of values, meanings, and individual freedom. Understanding the novel's construction of identity can help to understand the broader philosophical implications of Existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that puts strong emphasis on the notion that people are free and identify their purpose in life and own values. Existentialism rejects the idea of the supernatural in figuring out what makes a human (essence) (Macharia, 2022). This research uses Fairclough's critical discourse analysis approach, which helps researchers to uncover the meaning and inherent ideologies existing in the Novel under study. The researchers endeavor to reveal the complex layers of ideology and meaning present in the selected excerpts of The Stranger. The novel is open for future scholars to explore various research gaps, including stylistic analysis, psychoanalysis, and postcolonial perspectives for diving deep into the implicit meaning of the novel.