Finding a rational God through nature in L'Étranger (L'Étranger) by CamusTurning to nature for fulfillment, Meursault from The Stranger rejects the ideology of God as a savior and is therefore juxtaposed with the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, Christianity, and the infamous crucifixion. To the inexperienced reader, Meursault appears to be an extreme atheist. Later in Albert Camus' novel, he reveals himself as a humanist soul in contact with the universality of the earth and the soil on which he walks. Through the use of brutal and indefinite images of nature, Meursault's revelations and the confidence found in an environment outside of society are gently whispered by Camus. In essence, Meursault imposes his need for meaning on nature as well as on a God who rejects him. Through this imposition, he hopes to acquire an immortality akin to a Christian afterlife. The arguments that nature is a religion and an entity distinct from God are jointly addressed in the modern critiques and interpretations of The Stranger that I will discuss. Pantheism, a quasi-religious worship of nature, comes to mind when considering Meursault's final communion with the world. Is pantheism just a simple excuse for Meursault's actions or rather one of his secret realities that the public is not ready to face or understand? Icons and stereotypes accompany this enigmatic and suggestive natural imagery and are used by Camus to show the irrationality of society's and Meursault's assumptions about religion and Christianity. There remains the question of Meursault's acceptance of death; Is Meursault's acceptance of his destiny representative of his fall into the abyss of traditional Christian faith or a turning point towards a middle ground in nature?...... middle of paper ... ...a life without God. In the Abodes of the Spirit. Ed. George A. Panichas. New York: Hawthorn Books, Inc. Publishers, 1967. 313-324. Hanna, Thomas L. “Albert Camus and the Christian Faith”. In Camus: A Collection of Critical Essays. edited by Germaine Brée. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962. 48-64. Harrison, Paul. “Scientific pantheism: basic principles”. Elements of pantheism. [cited April 20, 1999]. Available at http://members.aol.com/heraklit1/basicpri.htmPeyre, Henri. “Camus the Pagan.” In Camus: A Collection of Critical Essays. edited by Germaine Brée. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962. 65-70. Piper, HW The Active Universe. London: The Athlone Press 1962. Sprintzen, David. Camus: A critical examination. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1988. Woelfel, James W. Camus: A Theological Perspective. New York: Abingdon Press, 1975.