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Major themes

The major theme of "The Guest" is that decisions and choices have consequences and the ultimate consequence of death is not a result only by chance, but by the fact that everyone will eventually die and that life does not matter after you die. This piece is characteristic of Existentialism, the prevalent school of thought among the era's literati. It also presents Camus' concept of Absurdism, as well as many examples of human choices. The dilemmas faced by Daru are often seen as representing the dilemmas faced by Camus regarding the Algerian crisis and there are many similarities between the character of Daru and his creator Camus. Both are French Algerians exiled by the choices they have made. The main themes of "The Guest" are of choice and accountability. Camus emphasizes, characteristically of existentialist philosophy, that there is always a choice, that the only choice unavailable is not to choose. Daru chooses how he will handle Balducci and whether he will turn in the prisoner; the prisoner chooses whether to go to jail or to freedom. More important, however, is the theme of accountability. The essence of Camus's philosophy is that everyone is "condemned" to an eventual, inevitable death, and accepting this allows for a certain freedom; the prisoner, having achieved self-awareness when Daru gave him the choice to flee or go to jail, realizes the futility of fleeing from the inevitable punishment and goes willingly to jail, thus revolting against the inevitable by making the decision of his own accord and holding himself accountable for the murder.

"He who despairs of the human condition is a coward, but he who has hope for it is a fool" (Wyatt). As this quote by Albert Camus suggests, he was not a very optimistic writer. His gloomy look on life itself can be seen all too clearly in "The Guest". The story itself deals with Camus's idea of the futility of human existence: the only rational thing anyone can expect is death.

Camus's underlying philosophy is revealed from the very beginning of the story. The French title, "L'hôte," means both "guest" and "host" simultaneously, which implies that the mutually respectful relationship between the main characters in the story should be applied to mankind everywhere. The story begins on an auspicious note with the introduction of Daru, a teacher who chooses to work in an isolated school in the Algerian desert to embrace an ascetic life. Daru is content with a simplistic, rural lifestyle. Daru is an idealistic teacher who believes in just causes and free will. Undoubtedly, Camus wrote this story out of affection for his teacher, Jean Grenier. Without Grenier, Camus would never have developed his political and philosophical ideas.

In contrast, a French Police officer stationed in Algeria, Balducci first appears trailing an Arab prisoner behind him. When Balducci orders Daru to lead the prisoner to the Tinguit jail, a clear distinction between their attitudes is revealed. Balducci is one to follow his orders, neither questioning nor disapproving of any decision by the authorities. Daru, on the other hand, is torn by his own conscience; he will be sentencing a man to his death if he follows orders.

The Arab prisoner appears to be reserved; it seems that either he does not understand the questions posed by Daru, or he feels insulted by the comments. When Daru asks the prisoner whether he was afraid, he replies by turning his eyes away. When Daru asks whether he is sorry for the crime he has committed, the Arab stares at him as if he does not comprehend the words. However, he fully understands the situation that he is in, thus showing that it is Daru who cannot comprehend why the Arab has murdered his cousin.

The history of this racial conflict dates back to when the French first colonized Algeria. Algeria has undergone many years of ethnic strife; the French, though they are the minority, dominate the large Arab population. This clash is further exacerbated by the lack of cultural understanding between the two groups. Daru cannot fathom a plausible reason for murdering a cousin over a debt of grain. Upon hearing of the crime, he feels "a sudden wrath against the man, against all men with their rotten spite, their tireless hates, their blood lusts." What he has not taken into account is that it may be perfectly acceptable to the Arab to kill a relative rather than lose his honor (Thody). Islamic law leaves private [family] matters alone, but the French view their system as innately superior.

Growing up in post-colonized Algeria, Camus was heavily influenced by the conflict between the Europeans and the Arabs. He was torn within himself: he sympathized with the Muslim population, yet was unable to forgo his ties to the French. Though he supported pacifism as an end to racially-driven conflicts, he could not imagine an Algeria without France. His love for Algeria as a greater part of France can be seen in "The Guest" in moments such as when Daru is teaching French geography even in a country that seems too distant to have a connection with the Europeans. This is one of the major reasons conflicts occurred in colonized Algeria: the lack of cross-cultural understanding.

The Arab's cultural identity is evident not only in his crime, but in his actions later that night. Daru believes that the prisoner has run away from the school, and silently hopes that this will free his conscience: "He was amazed at the unmixed joy that he derived from the mere thought that the Arab might have fled and that he would be alone with no decision to make." The Arab, however, has only gone out to use the outhouse, and returns immediately. The critic Eberhard Griem said, "It would be highly dishonorable, and very likely to provoke drastic responses, for a person to run away from a conflict of the kind in question, instead of facing his responsibility." Arabic society has taught the prisoner that running away would not only be a cowardly act, but also a disgraceful one.

Honor is thus one of the most important themes in the story. As a soldier, Balducci follows the code prescribed to him by the authorities: he is indifferent about whether a prisoner lives or dies. Daru, on the other hand, cannot betray his own upbringing, and feels that it is unthinkable to sentence a man to his death. In the end, although each character ultimately tries to make the best choice in the harsh situation he finds himself in, the results are not what they expect. Balducci becomes a slave to the colonial state, performing deeds that are not morally upright. Even when given a choice to run away or face a trial that will likely result in his death, the Arab decides to face the police. The ultimate irony, however, happens to Daru, who is only trying to free himself of his guilt. He believes that he has made the right choice in giving the prisoner control over his own fate. It was the righteous thing to do, even though the Arab was intent on accepting his punishment. As he enters the classroom, he notices the words hastily written on the chalkboard: "You handed over our brother. You will pay for this." To understand Camus's philosophy, it is essential to first comprehend his political beliefs. Though he fervently denied this claim, many critics have nonetheless labeled him an existentialist. This philosophy, first coined by Jean-Paul Sartre in his early works, is a difficult concept to comprehend. Sartre argues that "there is no reality except in action...humans are nothing more than the ensemble of their acts." In essence, existentialism states that though humans have free will and are ultimately responsible for their actions, their innate nature will always lead to futility.