The Guest is a short story written by Albert Camus and first published as a part of the collection Exile and the Kingdom in 1957. The main character of the story is a teacher in a remote school Daru. The man was alone because of the snowfall, until gendarme Balducci with the apprehended Arabic person appeared. Daru was asked to take prisoner to a nearby town Tinguit where he would be tried for relative’s murder. The teacher did not want to take part in these events, but Balducci still left Arab in the school. Daru did not treat the man like a prisoner. In the morning he took Arab outside, gave him money with food, explained how to reach Tinguit or nomads and gave him an opportunity to choose his own fate. The teacher was upset because his guest chose the prison. The story ends up with the scene of the classroom, where Daru mentions words on the blackboard: “You handed over our brother. You will pay for this” (Camus 11). It meant men who sympathized the Arab looked for him and became a potential threat to the teacher. However, Daru did not worry about it. Readers can see that last teacher’s thoughts were about the surrounding landscapes and his loneliness.
The story showed Camus’s view of the human condition. The writer “agreed with Kierkegaard that despair is not an act, but a human state. He saw this state of despair resulting from isolation from the rest of the world” (Tornaritis and Miller). The short story also has several autobiographical moments and reflects Camus’s attitude to the Algerian situation. Daru went to the remote school and the writer made similar decision at the end of his life. Camus moved to “the small village of Lourmarin , in the region of Provence he bought a home in which he could escape from people to work alone in monastic style” (Lea 22). It looked like both the author and his character wanted to cloister themselves. However, the writer found out that it is difficult to be alone, while his character did not show signs he had problems with loneliness. Camus did not explain Daru’s reasons in details, but experts believe the man chose the remote area to escape from the pressure of urban life, like the writer did. The teacher also could fulfill his need to feel that people need him. Daru’s school became the main food source for the community because of the last drought, and he gave children and their families grain that was sent by the French administration. Like Camus, Daru was born in Algeria and did not want to leave his native land in spite of its inhospitality. These conditions were shown from the beginning of the story: “and suddenly this snow, without warning This is the way the region was, cruel to live in, even without men - who didn't help matters either. But Daru had been born here Everywhere else, he felt exiled” (Camus 2). The same attitude was described in the writer’s biography. Camus tried to call people for “Civilian Truce” during his visit to Algeria in 1956, but these attempts ended up with death threats in his address. In spite of worries about his family (or because of them) the writer decided not to take sides in the Algerian conflict and reflected this attitude in the character’s behavior.
Daru did not want to be related to any political issues in the existed situation. He was ready to break relations with French public authority and cause problems for his calm life because of these beliefs. Balducci mentioned that Daru insulted him when he did not obey orders. The dialogue and gendarme’s description of the situation did not show any sensible reasons for such behavior. The officer could not go to Tinguit with the prisoner by himself, because there were too few policemen in Balducci’s village and all people were needed at the forefront of the possible revolt. It was Daru’s duty to take orders in this situation. The deeper analysis showed that the character got reasons to wish not to be involved. Daru understood this case could be used as a political example in French colonial courts. Other participants also saw the truth, but could not change the situation because of status or beliefs. The teacher did not want to cooperate, “because he [would] not assume the awesome responsibility of casting dies for other people's lives” (Bernardo). He showed Balducci that he would not treat the Arab like a prisoner. However, Daru did not take the man’s side too. He did not accept Arab’s proposal when he said: “come with us” (Camus 8). It was obvious the teacher wanted to cut off from this conflict and stay in his own small world. The gendarme showed a similar wish for the neutrality in spite of his post. “If you want to drop us, go ahead. I'll not denounce you” (Camus 5) – while the gendarme criticized the teacher, he did the same thing as Daru did. Balducci described him the situation and left the character to make a decision by himself. However, gendarme did it because of the necessity, not because of his philosophical views – fleeing felon would have fewer consequences than the lack of power during the possible revolt. Dialogues between these characters showed the political backdrop of the story and highlighted “the Daru's sense of belonging within this remote region” (Tornaritis and Miller).
The teacher did not want to judge his prisoner or influence on his decisions. Daru informed the Arab about existed choices and did not try to show him that one of them would be more honorable than the other .However, the teacher wished the man to stay away from French officials. “Daru with heavy heart made out the Arab walking slowly on the road to prison” (Camus 11). Words “with heavy heart” highlighted the man wanted Arab to choose the road to nomads. The sentence could show that Daru was more on Algerian than the French side in the conflict in spite of his pursuance of neutrality. Teacher’s attitude was highlighted by the Arab’s behavior. Daru treated apprehended man as a guest, not a prisoner, but the man could deny his hospitality or even kill the teacher as a roadblock on the way to freedom. However, the Arab did not hurt Daru, accepted his food and beverages. This behavior can be treated as “a sign of political solidarity, the food symbolizing the exchange of life between them” (Bernardo). Arab’s decision to go to the police headquarters in Tinguit, and the fact he did not try to hurt Daru, showed the man was not really a bad person; and the murder he committed could be a result of emotions or misunderstanding. These suggestions make readers to support Daru’s decision to give the Arab an opportunity to choose his fate by himself, and not make a man a subject of “a travesty of a trial” (Bernardo). While the teacher did not want to have an impact on people’s fate, his behavior could lead to an opposite result in the case of the Arab. Man’s proposition to come with them showed he was a part of the group of rebellions. However, the Arab went to the prison not to his comrades, and this decision could be an attempt to prove something to Daru who treated him as an equal person regardless of circumstances.
The final scene of The Guest showed that Daru’s attempts to keep neutrality failed. “You insulted me” (Camus 5) – said Balducci. These words could be an expression of feelings that the gendarme had right now, or a sign of along-term reaction. In other words, Daru could prejudice nearby town’s French police against himself with his actions. The result could have dangerous consequences in case of the revolt, as townspeople also were against the teacher. They believed Daru helped to send the Arab to the prison and showed they are ready to act back with the message on the blackboard. Balducci’s reaction also could have an impact on the teacher’s access to future food supply for people, as he got it from the administration.
The French name of the story can be translated both like “the guest” or “the host”. The first variant gives the Arab a more important role. He became the factor that affects Daru’s behavior and relations with both French and Algerian sides. “The host” translation gives all “power” to the main character. The teacher acts as a host for visitors and then only for the Arab. Daru’s behavior showed authors of the message on the blackboard were wrong. It said the man handed over their brother, but “Camus would argue, however, that because Daru refused to intrude on the Arab's free will, it was Daru - and not the townspeople - who really acted as a brother” (Bernardo).
Camus wrote The Guest when his moral, political and philosophical beliefs were still developing. Algerian conflict was a hard issue for the author. He could not express his opinion because it was dangerous for his family. However, Camus did not always keep silence and share his views on the violence. “I have always denounced terrorism. I must also denounce a terrorism which is exercised blindly, in the streets of Algiers for example, and which one day could strike my mother or my family. I believe in justice, but I shall defend my mother above justice” (Lea 20) – said the writer during the ceremony for the Noble Prize. Camus believed the violence was ineffective and gave Daru the same views. That is why the teacher did not try to use his gun or Balduci’s revolver. The main topic of the short story is freedom. It was also an important part of author’s “absurdist” philosophy. “Through freedom of action an individual can find meaning in an otherwise meaningless and indifferent world” (Tornaritis and Miller). Daru wanted to protect both his rights to make own decision and Arab’s rights for freedom. However, Camus showed that people can use this ability to choose in different ways. Daru thought it was better to free the Arab, while the man decided to surrender to the authorities. The writer also demonstrated how the wish to stay away from conflicts puts person in their center. Daru’s participation in events sets both police and rebellions against him. It is easy to imagine possible consequences in the light of the Algerian revolution, even if the author did not describe them.
Works Cited
Bernardo, Karen. “An Analysis of Albert Camus' “The Guest”. Storybites.com. n. d. Web. 9 May 2016.
Camus, Albert. “The Guest”. Ncsu.edu. 1957. Published. 9 May 2016.
Lea, Simon. “Albert Camus Biography”. Camus-society.com. 2013. Web. 9 May 2016.
Tornaritis, Nicholas. Miller, W.C. ed. "The Guest Part I - Daru, Balducci, and the Arab Summary and Analysis". GradeSaver, 17 May 2007 Web. 9 May 2016.
