“The only serious philosophical question is suicide.” The Myth of Sisyphus (1942) Introduces the absurd: life’s inherent lack of meaning and the choice to confront or escape it.
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Return to Tipasa (1952) Embodies resilience and finding inner light amid despair, central to Camus’ humanism.
“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.” The Rebel (1951) Critiques humanity’s denial of its mortal, absurd condition and craving for false transcendence.
“Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.” The Fall (1956) Links liberty to moral responsibility rather than mere license.
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” Notebooks (1935–1959) Urges embracing life’s immediacy over futile abstraction.
“The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.” The Plague (1947) Warns against moral certainty untempered by humility and empathy.
“Live to the point of tears.” Notebooks (1935–1959) Encourages passionate engagement with life, even in its rawest, most painful forms.
“The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart.” The Myth of Sisyphus Defines the absurd hero: finding purpose not in victory, but in relentless defiance.
“Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken.” Notebooks Celebrates adaptability as strength in navigating life’s contradictions.
“Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” The Rebel Rejects utopian delusions; calls for ethical action rooted in the here and now.