The Guest by Albert Camus - Essay Example

At this point, Daru faces the threat of a consequence he does not deserve, bearing the responsibility of the prisoner’s escape. However, this consequence is justified.
According to the law, a criminal deserves punishment for their mistakes. Daru acts against the law by letting the Arab prisoner choose his fate. Most people, given a chance would choose freedom over imprisonment for their crimes. If the prisoner had chosen to escape, Daru would be responsible for it since he had agreed to take him to the police station although he had initially declined the task.

In this story, Daru could have created a good outcome by acting according to the instructions he received. By taking the Arab prisoner to the police headquarters, Daru could have created a good outcome. The authorities would exercise the rule of law upon the Arab prisoner.

From this story, Camus concludes that the world is absurd. This is the blend of a Godless, uncaring world, and individuals struggling to survive and therefore some situations may force one to make absurd decisions. I do not think there are other better ways of understanding this outcome. Since it is impossible to avoid making decisions in life, when faced with a dilemma, the absurd world requires one to choose one side confidently. Faced with a moral dilemma, Daru fails to respond as expected of human beings.