The Stranger: How do significant events negatively impact a character to alter their lives permanently

The most significant event in Meursault's life in The Stranger by Albert Camus is when his mother died. This event was so significant because it set up the later events in the novel. The reader had never known Meursault before his mother's death; therefore, the reader is unable to establish his character before her death. From the beginning of the novel Meursault seems very amoral and emotionless. It is never clear why Meursault is like this.

Connections can be drawn from his mother's death, and the shooting of the Arab. It can be speculated that Meursault had shot the Arab in that situation because he had never dealt with his true emotions from his mothers death. The sun was beating hot on his face and he had been blinded by the sun (possibly a symbol for truth).

Meursault had been sent to prison where at first he had thought he could get used to anything. And he could, he got used to prison but in the same breath he had realized that he was not happy in prison. He was happy in his old mundane life and now he had realized his life was ruined. Prison altered Meursault's life negatively. However, Meursault's life was not permanently negatively altered like many of the other characters in the past novels. Once sentenced to death, he had realized the meaning of his life and it was a sort of freedom for Meursault. The moment he was facing death he had realized that he was content: "As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself-so like a brother, really- I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again,"(123 Camus).

Invisible Man: How do significant events negatively impact a character to alter their lives permanently

In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the narrator experiences a negative event that permanently altered his life.

The nameless, faceless man known as the narrator of Invisible Man walked the reader through many of the issues African-Americans faced in the early twentieth century. The story began in a very southern, very racist town. From the very beginning of the novel, the narrator made his invisibility clear. He kept himself invisible to the reader and he established the invisibility he felt from society. While in college, the college president, Dr. Bledsoe, expels the narrator and sends him to New York City. He is sent to the hustle and bustle of New York City where people play the game. And only a few win. Throughout the narrators journey in New York he is always being pushed to break and lose the game. He is always pushed to be a fool and not see the truth in his reality. In Invisible Man, the narrator seems to be winning at the New York game until a white man asks him to join the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood, at first comes across with good intentions. Even the reader's perception is foggy on their true intentions. Once the narrator realizes the Brotherhood's true intentions he becomes furious. In a way, the brotherhood stole his innocence and turned the narrator into a fool and greatly deceived him. the narrator lost the game and demanded revenge on the brotherhood. His life basically then crumbled around him. He set fire to a tenement building and fled. He ended up living underground for a while.


Unlike King Lear, Wuthering Heights, and Oedipus Rex, the character in Invisible Man had a great realization and his story didn't end up in complete tragedy. While moving to New York permanently made an impact on the narrator. The events that occurred didn't negatively impact his life forever. He was able to understand the consequences of his actions (supporting a corrupt equality group). And he realized he must stay true to being an individual.  Isolating himself from society allowed him to self-reflect and understand individuality trumps conformity.