The absurd hero of the guest

Overview of the Story

When Balducci invades Daru's cloistered solitude and tells him that he must deliver the Arab to prison, Daru is outraged to be involved and, indeed, to have responsibility for another's fate. Cursing both the system that tries to force him into complicity and the Arab who has not had enough sense to get away, Daru tries in every way possible to avoid taking a stand. In the morning, however, when the Arab has not in fact run away, the schoolteacher makes up a package of food and money and then the Arab had his own freedom of choice. Nobody can underestimate the quiet heroism of this act, by which Daru alienates himself from his own people, and, unexpectedly, from the Arab's compatriots too. He believes to convey to a fellow human being the freedom of action, which all people require. After considering this quote, the story, and the major tenets of existentialism articulated by Camus and Sartre, explained how in “The Guest” Daru embodies the spirit of what Camus calls the absurd “existential” hero.

Main idea of the story

There were strong enough reasons because of which Daru was declared the absurd hero of the guest. Daru should have taken the responsibility of his local people because people expected a lot from him. Balducci tried to hurt Arabs and other local people living in the city. He threatened them and had serious objectives of invading the whole city. Daru had the responsibility of controlling the city and looking after the local people. He was in charge of the whole administration. When the city came under trouble because of Balducci's murderous intention, local people hoped that Daru will provide an enthusiastic response in retaliation. Daru always had a lot of power and authority to maintain law ...