Indecision in The Stranger

In The Stranger, by Albert Camus, the main character Meursault does not fight a great deal of indecision as does Rodya in Crime and Punishment. Meursault is outside societal bounds, and acts as the feeling comes to him, with complete truth. However, because he is a member of society, societal rules apply to him and govern him, and when he kills an Arab on the beach he is convicted of pre-meditated murder. His lack of conformity, which can be construed as a lack of adressing the consequences of his actions, leads to his isolation in prison. This takes away the ability to live life which he realizes was the most important part of his life. Unlike previous characters I've examined, Meursault's downfall is his lack of indecision, his mistake of not thinking about the societal boundaries that, in the end, he realizes bind everyone, even those who are not a part of it.

Indecision in Crime and Punishment

In Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, indecision plays a major role in the life of Rodya Raskolnikov. Throughout the novel he changes his mind, should he murder the evil pawnbroker, should he turn himself in, is he evil, etc., are all questions he asks himself to determine his course. His indecision eventually causes a subtle breakdown in his mind, that manifests itself in his schizophrenic behavior. However, his indecision leads him to abandon his assertion that logic is always the best course, and that he doesn't have all of the answers, which drives him to latch on to Sonya and the idea of God and redemption in the end, as to Dostoevsky's purpose in writin gthe novel. In the sense of the author's intentions, Rodya's indecision was moral, even though it caused great harm to his family and friends, because he eventually went to divine sources for help. Therefore, his acceptance of God equalls his atonement for his sins and the nullification of his immorality and the indecision that harmed his family.