The Concept Of Authority In Albert Camus’ The Outsider And The Film Garden State
From a young age, people are taught to respect and abide by the rules that govern society. It is a fundamental concept that is instilled in all humans through various means such as school and through proper discipline, as authority is used to protect the rights of all individuals while providing security and safety. This concept can best be described as someone being in a position of power or having control over a particular sphere. In the novel The Outsider written by Albert Camus which was released in 1942, the life of a French man is chronicled as his strange yet interesting life unfolds. In the film Garden State Directed by Zach Braff, audiences are introduced to a man named Andrew Largeman, who is heavily medicated and suffers from depression. Largeman also deals with the unexpected curveballs that life throws at him, as he returns to his home state of New Jersey after years of living in Los Angeles. The two characters from both works are very similar and both struggle with the concept of authority. Throughout their own respective journeys, Mr. Meursault and Andrew Largeman both illustrate their inability to respect the role of authority and struggle to conform to the rules of society. Andrew and Meursault both share the same views when it comes to the role of authority and both disregard any form of a higher being. The two characters essentially believe that they can live their lives on their own terms and not have to follow the rules. In Meursault's case, it is clear that the role of authority affects him as the story continues, resulting in his arrest after committing manslaughter. Similar to Meursault, Andrew also experiences issues with authority, as he is unable to keep a stable job as he dislikes his boss and cannot work with people. It is clear that the role of authority has a major impact on both characters and they navigate through their strange lives.
Although both works are different, one being a film the other being a novel, the role of authority plays a vital role in the development of the two main characters as they progress through their respective stories. As the novel “The Outsider” progresses, readers get a better understanding of who Mr. Meursault is as a person. His utter disregard for social norms is clearly illustrated as his mindset and opinions on authority figures such as cops, prove that he will not be influenced by anyone and does not believe in any higher being. A prime example of Merurault’s disregard for authority comes early on in the novel when he is speaking to his love interest Marie during Raymond’s altercation with his girlfriend. Marie suggests that they should call the police as the screaming and yelling coming from the apartment above escalates. Meursault explains that he does not want to call the cops and says “I didn't like policemen”. The fact that Meursault refuses to call the police in this situation is quite disturbing, as he is willing to let the abuse go on simply because of the reason that he dislikes authority more specifically officers of the law. Clearly, the idea of someone being in charge or having power does not sit right with Meursault, as he hesitates to bring the cops into this matter. This is due to the fact that Mr. Meursault would rather remain free and govern his own life, rather than having someone else intervene such as the law. When comparing Meursault to Largeman the similarities are clear, as Largeman also demonstrates the same disregard for authority or anyone who is in charge.
Early on in the film, Andrew is shown arriving to work to wait tables at a fancy restaurant. He arrives and is immediately questioned, yelled at, and sworn at by his boss for constantly arriving late. His boss also states that “If this happens once more you'll be gone!”. Andrew responds in an incredibly calm manner almost ignoring everything that his boss is saying at the moment and walks away to begin his shift. It is clear that Largeman doesn't care about the authority figure in his life which is his boss and he does not mind losing his job over being late as he believes that no one is in charge of him. Similar to Meursault, Largeman tries to avoid contact with authoritative figures at all costs and simply ignores the person who is in charge, acting almost as if they are not there. This similarity that both characters share shows their inability to take orders from others or respect institutions that are instilled to keep people in line, in Largmans’ case it is his boss, and in Meursault's case it is the police. Another example that demonstrates the role that authority plays throughout both stories is found in “The Outsider” during a key moment in the novel. Meursault is being briefed by his lawyer after being arrested for murder and is acting like the entire situation is a joke, he even goes as far as saying “I had read descriptions of such scenes in books, and at first it all seemed like a game”. The situation that Meursault is in is obviously not a joke by any means, but he continues to disregard it and acts as if nothing is wrong. Mr. Meursault is in a very serious predicament involving the authorities, and yet his first instinct is to treat the situation as if it is a game. When looking at how the role of authority is prominent throughout Garden State it is clear that Andrew likes being in charge and dislikes authority as well. In a scene where Andrew is speaking to his father about the medication that he is being prescribed Andrew says “I'm not gonna take those drugs anymore. Because they've left me completely numb. I have felt so numb to everything I have experienced in my life. And for
that, I'm here to forgive you”. In this scene, Andrew is standing up to his father who has been prescribing him meds for years and he has finally had enough. He is standing up to the authoritative figure in his life and realizes it is time for him to govern his own life without interference from his father.
When discussing how the role of authority in both “The Outsider” and “Garden State” effects both main characters it is important to mention that religion can also be considered a figure of authority. For example, when Meursault is sitting with his lawyer he reflects on the fact that he could tell that the lawyer was uncomfortable, “Mostly, I could tell, I made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't understand me, and he was sort of holding it against me. I felt the urge to reassure him that I was like everybody else, just like everybody else. But really there wasn't much point, and I gave up the idea out of laziness'. The fact that religion plays such a big role in society obviously made the lawyer feel uncomfortable as Meursault does not believe in any higher being or God and doesn't believe in authority. This is what sets him apart from the rest and those with authority over him do not like that. One can argue that Meursault doesn't believe in a higher being because he feels like no one should have the right to influence or govern his life other than himself. Similar to Meursault's view of religion Andrew also shares the same belief. Although Andrew is Jewish he states “I mean I'm Jewish, but I'm not really Jewish. I don't do anything Jewish. I don't go to temple or anything”. Largman obviously doesn't practise his faith and only mentions the fact that he is Jewish because he was forced to take part in Jewish rituals as a child. Both Mersaultt and Largeman share the fact that they do not believe in God and don’t look up to anyone above them. Another example that showcases Mr. Mersualts’ disregard for authority is when he speaking to his lawyer before court. The lawyer says “All men believe in God, even those who reject Him!”. Meursault’s disbelief of God had clearly struck a nerve with the lawyer who decides to abandon him due to the fact that almost everyone around him believes in God or some form of a higher being. His inability to follow social norms such as believing in a God has resulted in him being cast as an outsider.
In conclusion, it is clear that Mr. Meursault and Andrew Largeman both have the same perspective on authority. The role of authority is prominent throughout both works and the two main characters demonstrate their inability to conform to the rules of society which sets them apart from one another. Largeman and Meursault believe that they should be the ones who should govern their own lives without any outside interference from anyone, like the government, the law, or family and friends.
