The Guest Group at eNotes

Why is it significant that Balducci repeatedly refers to Daru as...

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:47:57 PST

Why is it significant that Balducci repeatedly refers to Daru as "son"?

Inferences about each of these characters include the fact that the Arab...

Thu, 29 May 2008 13:29:08 PST

Inferences about each of these characters include the fact that the Arab is never given a name and is condemned for murder. The schoolmaster is disgusted by him and his crime and automatically assumes that the man is guilty without inquiring about his side of the story. He is considered dangerous, and moreover, the villagers where he lives seek to return him home. They hid him in their village for over a month after the crime which...

There are only 3 characters in the story: Daru, Balducci, and the Arab....

Thu, 29 May 2008 08:49:10 PST

There are only 3 characters in the story: Daru, Balducci, and the Arab. You can read descriptions and analyses of each one in the eNotes study guide. You may be thinking that there are more characters because sometimes the author refers to them by their profession. For instance, Daru is the sometimes called "schoolmaster" and Balducci "gendarme," which is the French word for "policeman."I've placed a link to the...

Who are the five characters in "The Guest," and what are the...

Thu, 29 May 2008 07:43:51 PST

Who are the five characters in "The Guest," and what are the inferences about them?

I think the situation depicted in the story has more to do with...

Mon, 19 May 2008 21:27:32 PST

I think the situation depicted in the story has more to do with circumstance than to convention. Daru is given the responsibility of escorting the Arab to town, where he will be "tried" and most likely convicted. Because his schoolhouse is isolated and not part of any village, there is no one else to take on that duty instead of him. His initial response is to refuse, but Balducci doesn't give him much of a choice. Even though he...

Is it external or internal? Can it be defined in terms of a deliemma?

Sun, 4 May 2008 12:42:27 PST

Is it external or internal? Can it be defined in terms of a deliemma?

the guest by albert camus

Sun, 4 May 2008 12:40:40 PST

what is the central conflict of the story?

How does "The Guest" relate to one's response to the...

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:53:11 PST

How does "The Guest" relate to one's response to the constraints of convention or circumstances?

The setting is very symbolic to the ideas of free will and...

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:07:23 PST

The setting is very symbolic to the ideas of free will and consequences. First of all, the action takes place inside a school house, a place of learning. Daru, in particular, is facing a learning experience in his life - can he assimilate his beliefs with the demands that are being made of him at the moment? He has sympathy for the Arabs, but he must ally with the Algerians in a state of war. However, a state of war has happened,...

How does the setting in "The Guest" relate to the central idea...

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:18:59 PST

How does the setting in "The Guest" relate to the central idea of the story?

One contradiction might be the character of the Arab. Balducci describes...

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:06:01 PST

One contradiction might be the character of the Arab. Balducci describes him as a cold-hearted killer, but he never behaves as if he has killed anyone. During the night, when Daru has left him unbound, the Arab could easily kill Daru and escape, but he doesn't. The next day, when Daru gives him another opportunity to save his life, the Arab chooses the path that will lead to prison and execution. It is difficult to understand these actions,...

One point of tension develops when Balducci brings the Arab to Daru's...

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:03:37 PST

One point of tension develops when Balducci brings the Arab to Daru's schoolhouse. Daru is not prepared and is not willing to take charge of a prisoner, much less escort him to the nearest town. Balducci almost has to force Daru to take the Arab.Another tense moment comes later that night, when Daru and the Arab have gone to bed. Daru hears the Arab moving around and wonders if he might need his gun to protect himself. Then he thinks the Arab...

Daru is a schoolmaster in a one-room school in Algeria. The school is...

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:41:55 PST

Daru is a schoolmaster in a one-room school in Algeria. The school is located on a hillside somewhere in the mountains. We learn from Balducci that it is 3 kilometers from El Ameur. The school is not in a city or even a village; students come from surrounding villages to attend school. Daru's supplies have to be brought in by trucks. There is one outbuilding: a shed in which he keeps chickens and stores his coal.As the story begins, an...

In "The Guest" describe Daru's place of work and living, and...

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:12:54 PST

In "The Guest" describe Daru's place of work and living, and describe the location and the surrounding of the school.

What is an example of a contradiction in "The Guest"?

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 19:34:42 PST

What is an example of a contradiction in "The Guest"?

I'll define these terms for you and then let you decide which category...

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 06:09:27 PST

I'll define these terms for you and then let you decide which category each of the characters you've named fits into.A round character is usually the main character or one of the main characters in a story. These characters are fully developed in all aspects: physical, mental, emotional. So they seem to be real people who look, think, and behave the way a real person might (even if the situation might seem unreal, as in science fiction or...

In "The Guest," are the characters of (Daru, the Arab,...

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 23:59:07 PST

In "The Guest," are the characters of (Daru, the Arab, Balducci) flat, round, dynamic, or static?

Irony is that space between what is expected and what actually happens...

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 07:02:45 PST

Irony is that space between what is expected and what actually happens or exists.Begin with the landscape: it is desolate yet beautiful. Daru is isolated in the desert, yet it is here that he feels comfortable. It is ironic that Balducci expects Daru to comply, even though it is clear that Daru (living in exile) is sympathetic to the natives. He has learned Arabic, teaches them and feeds them. But Baladucci believes Daru will be treated...

What are the ironies of "The Guest" by Albert Camus?

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 23:38:03 PST

What are the ironies of "The Guest" by Albert Camus?

What are some points of tension in "The Guest"?

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 11:40:23 PST

What are some points of tension in "The Guest"?