A Brief Philosophical Look at Fiction and Camus' The Stranger Isaac Mijares 12th Grade

Inasmuch as the human psyche has a prospect for advancement and evolution, the human mind must contrive a plane of imagination upon which certain concepts and taboos can be explored and grappled with, for most of life comes from fiction, not fact. The collective ensemble of morals where from we derive our sense of righteousness and essential goodness is often seen as a behavioral byproduct of biology and social conditioning, but deep within the narrative of human life lies an inextricable literary beauty that tells not a story, but the story; the true paradigm of meaning. Evolution tells the tale of the human who overcomes the challenges and conflicts within and outside him/herself, who thrives or perishes against the weak or strong, who propagates and renders him/herself eternal across time; the original, true epic of a hero. This essential parallel that exists between our evolution and literature is the locus of morality and the force behind our pursuit of virtue. Just like a person must be exposed to the toils of the environment to become physically stronger and more resilient, their psyche must be exposed to the emotional and psychological dynamics and distress that fiction offers, so that it may evolve and grow. When we...