What will future generations say of modern man? Camus asks in The Fall. Camus answers his own rhetorical question this way: He fornicates and reads the newspapers. Most people will agree that is a very depressing view of human existence. But that is the philosophical problem which the novel presents to the reader. Is life pointless? Is there more than that? Is that all there is? In a eulogy to Albert Camus, existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre described the novel as perhaps the most beautiful and the least understood of Camus books. In my position,having started this book as an intended coffee table venture and later stumbling upon a web of literary intricacies,I concur with him to no end. A confessional novel with a very matter-of-fact writing style and set in Amsterdam,The Fall goes to lengths to expose our unnerving cynicism to the inherent objective good in society and in our ourselves,and establishing radical ideas as to the state of a world that is devoid of God, and thereby freedom.In the end,despite all the incredulity Camus harbors towards modern man,no doubt at heart he still remains optimistic about the final outcome of our actions in maintaining our life in the best possible sense of morality. A highly recommended read
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 12:59:48 +0000
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