Abstract
The paper looks at the statement that "Meursault is a stranger to the society in which he lives... He drifts in the margin, in the suburbs of private, solitary sensual life... in love with the primacy of being, feeling" and shows how it is a valid summation of the protagonist of "The Outsider". The paper describes how Meursault is a man estranged from society, living in his own self-reliant capacity without the need for external structure in his life. The paper highlights his lack of empathy for those around him and how he responds to the external world more than internal emotions. The paper also discusses his entrenched passion for the present, being and feeling and explains that this is a major aspect of the novel.

From the Paper
"In shedding no tears at his mother's funeral, the protagonist of The Outsider is immediately condemned by the society in which he is so estranged, a society which cannot comprehend a man with no dreams or regrets; a man who lives in his own self-reliant capacity without the need for external structure in his life. This man, Meursault, is left to drift within the fringes of society, posing no threat, except for his chilling indifference to the structures and conventions on which civilisation stands. This private, solitary Meursault, to whom the reader is introduced, leads a sensual life, infatuated with external stimuli more than those from within. This love of the earth and its ambience, the blinding sun, scorching heat and cool ocean reveals Meursault's passion for the present - experiencing, feeling, seeing by the moment; in short being. Therefore, the focus statement that "Meursault is a stranger to the society in which he lives... He drifts in the margin, in the suburbs of private, solitary sensual life... in love with the primacy of being, feeling" is a valid summation of the protagonist of The Outsider, Meursault, revealing the complete truth about his character."

Tags:privacy, emotions, empathy, conventions, estrangement, present

Abstract
This paper looks at the rise of the modern department store as depicted in Emile Zola's novel, "The Ladies Paradise." Zola uses the story to comment on the stereotyping of women. He demonstrates that stereotyping just leads to more of the same. The author comments on women's position in society in 19th century France, in order to illustrate how money cannot buy love and to show how shopping was one of the few ways that women could express their own individuality.

From the Paper
"We should remember that this book with its concluding message that while money can't buy love true love itself does remain a possibility. Zola's analysis of how women (and we must assume to some extent men) are drawn into a consumer culture that will in many ways steal their souls) by the very same marketing and merchandizing techniques that remain popular today, including product placement, loss leaders, incentives for impulse buying. Zola also demonstrates to us how these selling techniques are more and more tightly bound to stereotypical definitions of femininity that the store owner has collected in the previous volume of the series stereotypes that produce stereotypical behavior that produce stronger stereotypes that produce more stereotypical behavior, etc."

Tags:store, women, stereotype, gender, paris, nineteenth, century, europe, culture, femininity, society, individuality

Abstract
The paper provides a critical analysis of Christine De Pisan?s medieval book, "Treasure of the City of Ladies". Originally composed in 1406. The author describes the emphasis of the book on the treatment, roles and lives of women throughout all classes in medieval society.

From the Paper
"By addressing all classes of females in society the text expresses that exploitation and oppression were not just conditions suffered by the peasant class. The author espouses consistent, redundant expressions of women's roles throughout all classes, demonstrating that feminine life was in constant comparison with the image of feminine perfection in medieval society, one of religious virtue and piety. "

Tags:etiquette, medieval, nobility, piety, virtue

From the Paper
"This study will compare and evaluate four characters in Emile Zola's novel Germinal, focusing specifically on the contrasting strategies and philosophies of Etienne, Rasseneur, Pluchart, and Souvarine in their efforts to win the support of the miners. The study will also speculate about which of these potential leaders' philosophy for action Zola most agrees with, and why.

Zola has deliberately created these four characters in order to demonstrate the various alternatives to action available to the workers in their struggle against the oppression of the mineowners, the capitalists. The four characters are meant to stand in stark contrast to one another, so that the reader can clearly see these alternatives in their various imperfect personifications."

Abstract
This paper is an exploration of the philosophical position of existentialism, giving backgrounds on the early existentialists in post-war France. The writer looks at the literary works that influenced existentialism such as Camus' "The Outsider" and "The Myth Of Sisyphus".

From the Paper
"Albert Camus, a political activist and intellectual often expressed his philosophical attitudes through fiction and short essays. Camus is primarily known for philosophical position; a form of existentialism, that he portrays in his essays The Absurd and The Myth of Sisyphus. The absurd is a set of beliefs to be adopted towards life in a universe that is devoid of a true or higher meaning when the only outcome will be death. In the two previously mentioned essays, Camus explores how absurdity appears in a life and the consequences of making this discovery. Camus identifies the Absurd not as a source for despair but describes a way to defy meaninglessness and live life through experience."

Tags:existentialism, nothingness, sartre, experience, philosophy

Abstract
The paper examines the meaning of the following essays; 'On The Lame', 'On the Cannibals', 'On Experience', and 'We Reach The Same End By Discrepant Means'. Additionally, this essay explores the context derived interpretations of the essays.

From the Paper
"The intelligent technique of the essay serves as a tool for the dissemination of Montaigne's primarily conservative ideals. Montaigne embodies many conservative ideals, encouraging many established values, and describing the reformation as unnecessary, resulting in disagreement from a modern responder, Montaigne does however disparage the dogmatism of many churches, rather Montaigne encourages the use of logic, and despite the movement towards logic Montaigne still encourages savagism, and the reversion to some of the customs of the savages, an idea which is abhorrent to modern science. Montaigne disseminates postmodern ideals towards others. Much of the essay is based upon the arbitrary nature of truth and Montaigne's search for personal enlightenment. The modern interpretation of Montaigne's values is undermined by the historical context of the English language, and its utilitarian past. Montaigne disseminates primarily conservative values encouraged by logic, however the values are subverted by the context of the modern responder."

Tags:16th, century, france, french, personal

Abstract
This paper discusses the poem "Crowds" by Charles Baudelaire about an idle man who roams through the Parisian crowd and while moving through the crowd, notices and ponders over everyone and everything. It analyzes the three main themes of the prose namely, individuality, egoism and conformity. It examines how the basic notion is that each human being like the character in the prose sees himself as a unique individual of society and how the qualities, which truly make a person an individual in its right meaning, are his sorrows, happiness, obstacles, triumphs and experiences.

From the Paper
"It is this very concept of individualism, which enables the audience to discard Baudelaire's argument as a result of egoism. No matter how one sees himself above others or how distinguished, he eventually is the same as anyone else as far as his origination or orientation is concerned. All men possess some similar attributes and as a result are not completely unique from others. Even though they might think they are but in reality they are not and will eventually be described as humans, having the same human nature, which in some ways possesses the same qualities as others. Since each person recognizes himself as incomparable to others, to accept this notion may prove to be somewhat a matter of self-pride and egoism."

Tags:individuality, egoism, conformity, paris

Abstract
This paper examines Albert Camus's "The Plague", a tale about a small town's struggle with the infection of bubonic plague and the way in which they deal with this affliction. As well as being a well-written tale of natural calamity, the author, Albert Camus, also wrote "The Plague" as an allegory for Germany's occupation of France during the Second World War. It shows how, in this allegory, Camus uses many symbols to represent occurrences involving this invasion. It also analyzes how Camus had several purposes for writing this novel; firstly, he wished to document his perspective of Germany's attack on France, and secondly, he wished to provide some warnings to humanity regarding the good and evil and correct and incorrect reactions in disastrous situations.

From the Paper
"If Albert Camus had documented his opinions on the French government's management of the German invasion, he surely would have been persecuted. Instead, he created an allegory where he used symbols which paralleled with realistic events. The first of these important symbols were the rats which suddenly appeared on the streets of Oran symbolizing Germany's unexpected invasion of France. The next symbol was the serum used to combat the plague which, when eventually arriving in Oran, was too little, too late. This symbolizes France's own need to call for reinforcements, but upon arrival, they were too little, too late. The final, important symbol can be seen in Camus' portrayal of the Prefect. During the outset of the Plague, Dr. Rieux called for strict measures to be taken. However, the Prefect and his advisors did not want to believe that their town was infected by the plague and delayed any action which would ensure against mass infection."

Tags:second, war, world, germany, france, attack

Abstract
This paper pertains to the techniques within Montaigne's essays and the manner in which they function. The paper discusses several essays including 'On the Cannibals', 'We Reach the Same End by Discrepant Means', 'On the Lame', and 'On Experience'.

From the Paper
"Through the careful and intelligent use of language Montaigne is able to successfully disseminate his didactic. Montaigne utilizes many subtle yet effective techniques to convince to responder, exploiting polemic, displaying bias towards one opinion, yet such a bias is undermined by the continual contradictions within We reach the same end by discrepant means, in addition to the seeming lack of bias within some sections. Montaigne uses the collective within his essays, creating a nexus between himself and the responder, while quoting historical examples and anecdotes, creating a personal tone within the essay, supplemented through the use of Stream of Consciousness in the Narrative form, through the clever use of language Montaigne is able to establish a rapport with the responder, creating the impression of assumed knowledge, while forcing guilt upon the responder should they disagree. In order to create a successful essay one must perceptively utilize language techniques, such that the responder may be manipulated to concur with the disseminated didactic."

Tags:Polemic, Guyenne

Abstract
This paper specifically examines the story's plot, point of view, theme, protagonist, irony and major symbols, as well as the influence of existentialism in this work. It explains how Camus' "The Guest" is a story about a man, but more importantly, it is the story about the struggle of colonialism, and what it meant to the people who lived in Algeria during its struggle to free itself from the French way of life.

From the Paper
""The Guest" is an intriguing story of right and wrong, and what a man believes in. Daru, the schoolteacher in a remote area of Algeria, is torn between duty and what he believes is the right thing to do when he is suddenly thrust in the middle of a situation he does not anticipate. He must escort an Arabic prisoner to the nearest town. It is not that Daru has much sympathy for the man; in fact, he does not, and actually finds himself disliking the Arab for disrupting so many lives. "Daru felt a sudden wrath against the man, against all men with their rotten spite, their tireless hates, their blood lust." Unfortunately, Daru loves his homeland, and cannot bear to think of leaving, despite the turmoil that is raging around him between France and the Algerian natives."

Tags:arab, colonialism, algeria, french