Albert Camus The Stranger and Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot :: comparison compare contrast essays

Albert Camus' The Stranger and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many differences and similarities are found between Albert Camus' novel, The Stranger, and Samuel Beckett's play, Waiting for Godot. The characters in each story is very different from their society and at the same time, thy are very similar to each other.   To understand in what ways they are similar, there must be and understanding of how they are different from the society in which they live in.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, the major difference from the novel and the play is their desire for God's salvation.   Recall when Meursault was in jail, he did not want the magistrate to pray for God to save his soul unlike Vladimir and Estagon, who waits many years for their god.   They both live their life for one reason:   to wait for Godot.   However, to wait for someone who is not going to come is just as pointless as not doing anything at all, just like Meursault who lives his life at the spur of the moment. Neither of them makes important goals in their lives.   Meursault can care less about his promotion and Vladimir and Estragon could have done something worth while with the last fifty years of their lives.   Because of this, they found ways of passing time.   Vladimir and Estragon tries hanging themselves and call each other names while Meursault goes smoking, drinking with Raymond, listen to Salamando and have casual sex all because they do not have anything else to do.   They all feel their very existence is insignificant.   Whether they live or died would not change anything.   One life is as good as another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vladimir and Estragon's expression of their emotions contrast to Meursault's lack of emotions.   After Vladimir and Estragon fight,   they resolve their disputes by embracing each other.   Meursault's honesty prevents him from showing any emotions that he does not have.   These ways of expressing their emotions reveals their views of life.   Meursault knows who he is in life but is just indifferent to it.   He did not care if everybody thought he was strange or his associates is a pimp.   However, Vladimir and Estragon does not know who they are in life.  Ã‚   To wait for someone who is not coming is pointless.