Camus had nothing to do with Existentialism. He publicly said so. In Existentialism, existence precedes essence. You are not born with a particular nature, you are free to do whatever you want. Many other ideas have been glommed on to this basic concept (we are born into a void, the only thing that matters is this life, our actions), just remember Kierkegaard, the Father of Existentialism, believed in God. Kierkegaard is Danish for 'churchyard,' and it is proper to say that Kierkegaard is buried in the Kierkegaard, his church yard.
The Stranger is a condemnation of Modern Society. Camus was an absurdist. Meursault is a young man who lives only for simple, physical pleasures. The warmth of the sun on his skin, smoking cigarettes, sex. He has no deep emotional attachments and no compassion. His elderly neighbor is just an ugly reminder/ stain to him. When he commits a murder based on nothing but his reaction to basic physical sensations, he doesn't see what everyone is getting so upset about. He doesn't reject God... he hasn't even given deep thought - to anything really. This is an extraordinary film. See it, and see it again.
The Stranger is a condemnation of Modern Society. Camus was an absurdist. Meursault is a young man who lives only for simple, physical pleasures. The warmth of the sun on his skin, smoking cigarettes, sex. He has no deep emotional attachments and no compassion. His elderly neighbor is just an ugly reminder/ stain to him. When he commits a murder based on nothing but his reaction to basic physical sensations, he doesn't see what everyone is getting so upset about. He doesn't reject God... he hasn't even given deep thought - to anything really. This is an extraordinary film. See it, and see it again.