The Fall — Albert Camus | Coleman’s Notes® Reader’s Companion

Enter the disturbing and psychologically complex world of Albert Camus’s The Fall with this detailed Coleman’s Notes® Reader’s Companion.

Set largely in the bars and streets of Amsterdam, The Fall (La Chute) takes the form of an extraordinary extended confession by Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a former successful Parisian lawyer who now describes himself as a “judge-penitent”.

As Clamence recounts his past to an unnamed listener, his apparently confident account gradually becomes an examination of guilt, hypocrisy, judgement, responsibility and the uncomfortable gap between the person we present to the world and the person we may actually be.

This companion guides readers through the novel’s unusual narrative structure, Clamence’s character and unreliability, its major themes and symbols, and its philosophical and literary context. Particular attention is given to guilt and judgement, the Amsterdam setting, the significance of the title and Camus’s exploration of moral responsibility.

Ideal for readers of Camus, students of French and European literature, book groups, and anyone interested in philosophical fiction and the complexities of the human conscience.

Digital edition — PDF download.

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