Albert Camus's L'etranger and Ernesto Sabato's El Tunel (Critical Essay)

CRITICS have done little more than briefly note Ernesto Sabato's indebtedness to Albert Camus's Meursault for the figure of the crazed artist Juan Castel in The Tunnel, first published in English in 1950 with the title The Outsider, the same title as Camus's Stranger when it was first translated into English in 1948. (1) Yet a careful examination of the two works leads to the conclusion that, in numerous ways, Castel and Meursault are mirror opposites in personality. Both men are "absurd" figures, living an isolated existence and unconnected with women in a meaningful way apart from their physical desire. This strange inverted likeness suggests that the character of Meursault may have influenced Sabato, though in a reverse direction, when he wrote El tunel. For instance, unlike Castel, Meursault is not insanely jealous in matters involving his paramour Marie. She is seriously attracted to him, wants to marry him, and is insulted when he appears unconcerned about where she goes after she leaves his apartment. Actually, he is curious about her destination, but he is timid about violating her privacy. Meursault is not angry either at her or his ephemeral friend, Raymond, when the latter displays his attraction to her and flirts with her. Many scholars, among them the philosopher Robert C. Solomon in a famous article in Philosophy and Literature, view Meursault's passivity in such cases as proof that he lacks human feeling. (2) This judgment seems incorrect. On the contrary, those of humanist or feminist inclinations might instead praise Meursault's conduct, which respects women's autonomy and refuses to encroach on their emotional freedom.