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Lit2.the Guest
Lit2.the Guest
THE GUEST
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
Faze
Husky
Tyranny
VOCABULARY
Squabble
To
Billhook
Tool
Peevish
Cross,
querulous, or fretful
VOCABULARY
Muffle
To
Furrow
A
narrow groove made in the ground, esp. by a plow change from a fluid into a thickened mass move, walk, or slide like a snake
Coagulate
To
Slither
To
VOCABULARY
Gendarmerie a military or paramilitary force charged with police duties among civilian populations Jellaba - a traditional long, loosefitting 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 Camus
Group for Internl Liasons
Tuberculosis
Absurdism
Literary Career
Life of Camus
Death
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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 Algeriansboth Arabs and Berberswere 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 bea 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
Daru
The Arab
Baducci
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.
Themes
Desolate mountain plateau Untying the prisoner's hands Blackboard drawing of the rivers of Franc
Symbols
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
After the Arab prisoner arrives, Daru realizes that he too is a 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.