The Trials and Tribulations of Josef K. and Meursault

Abstract

Kafka's and Camus' social criticism is epitomized in their condemnation of a specific institution: the trial. Though the former prefers satire to the latter's more direct approach, each levels a scathing attack on societal norms. While the satire in Der Prozess does not contribute much to the plot as a whole, serving primarily as a metaphor, in L'Etranger Camus is more successful in integrating his attack on bourgeois justice with his existential plot. Though Josef K. and Meursault have rather tragic roles to play, the two novels do not present a pessimistic view of man's fate. L'Etranger is even rather optimistic. Camus chooses to end, not with Meursault's nihilistic tirade or with his execution but on a note of tranquil reflection. Through their failure as individuals the two heroes offer positive hope to the rest of mankind. They are scapegoats who are sacrificed to save the reader from the same fortune. Both authors specifically address themselves to the latter and urge him to reflect on the problems dramatized in their works. That K. and Meursault are possessed by a strong desire to live at the end stresses the infinite value of life despite its tragic brevity.