Camus's "The Guest"

Setting
- Algeria, mid-October on the eve of the Algerian war
- Published during the war
- Colonizing Text **
- Characterization - how the characters are marginalized in order to justify takeover

Theories
1. Cultural Differences allow each character to perceive the crime differently
    - different moral codes and honor
    - Daru can't take the man all the way to prison because his own moral compass and he has gotten to
      know the man
    - The Arab has a moral obligation to and chooses the path of punishment to face what he has done
2. Arab never makes the run for freedom
    - Because of Daru's hospitality

Geography "vast landscape" implies isolation from society and specifically people on his level
      - detached and introverted
      - put up on a hill (French side) - elevated level looks down on the Algerian culture
           - has all of the food, knowledge etc.
           - revaluing the white man's role and it's importance
Daru's Moral Conflict
- He's gotten to know the Arab and doesn't want to be responsible for his fate
- Not his right/job to punish him or lead him to his death
    - The Arab must decide what he wants his life to mean
         - Daru doesn't know all the details so he cannot decide such a huge punishment
Message written on the Blackboard

You handed over our brother. You will pay for this.

- The Arab Tribespeople - know the land, snuck in during the night to threaten him

- Threat to Morality - should've taken initiative

**Who's colonizing who??

What is Daru contemplating as he looks out the window?

- His morals, if he made the right decision

- What decision the Arab made

- What might happen to him -> threatened by society

- Upset both sides! didn't take the prisoner there and didn't take him to freedom (indecisive=2 enemies=ALONE)

** GUEST in his own home

No Name Arab

- Emphasize insignificance - not an equal and a criminal no less

- entity of people, not use one person

Themes

Power/Powerlessness

Humanity and Brotherhood

Colonized and the Colonizer

Image of "The Guest"

- The French are the guests in Algeria

- The Arab becomes Daru's guest instead of his prisoner

- In the Arab culture, prisoners are becoming guests (Daru) so they believe prison will treat them the same

"Beastly" way of describing the prisoner's features - unlike European looks
- otherized, animal look that's not like "us"