--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young I read 'L'Etranger' by…" description: "\"When I was young I read 'L'Etranger' by Camus, and it made me aware of the strangeness of life.\" — Ciaran Hinds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ciaran-hinds-12748_aware_when-i-was-young-i-read-l-etranger-by-ca_485546.png" --- # When I was young I read 'L'Etranger' by Camus, and it made… ![“When I was young I read 'L'Etranger' by Camus, and it made me aware of the strangeness of life.” quote by Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ciaran-hinds-12748_aware_when-i-was-young-i-read-l-etranger-by-ca_485546.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ciaran-hinds-12748_aware_when-i-was-young-i-read-l-etranger-by-ca_485546.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/596/ciaran-hinds-12748_aware_when-i-was-young-i-read-l-etranger-by-ca_485546.png) > “When I was young I read 'L'Etranger' by Camus, and it made me aware of the strangeness of life.” [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading the novel highlighted life's inherent absurdity and unpredictability, prompting existential reflection. **In simple terms:** The book shows life is strange and unpredictable. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and seek meaning. Themes existentialism absurdity self‑awareness Mood thoughtful reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - philosophical reflection - literary study Key Concepts Camus absurdist literature Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing life's strangeness affect your daily choices? - Can absurdity coexist with purpose? A Different Perspective The novel may overemphasize nihilism, ignoring hopeful perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Strangeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangeness/) ## Related quotes > [I'm relaxing into the strangeness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/i-m-relaxing-into-the-strangeness-of-life/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [“There is this strangeness of a life story having no shape—or more accurately, nothing but its present—until it has its ending; and then suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wood/there-is-this-strangeness-of-a-life-story-having-no-shape-or-more/) [James Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wood/) > [As a student in England, I studied French and English literature. I read L'Etranger and the rhythm of the novel felt familiar to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/as-a-student-in-england-i-studied-french-and-english-literature-i/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [“It is when we are confronted with...poignant reminders of mortality that we become most aware of the strangeness and wonder of our brief life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-basford/it-is-when-we-are-confronted-with-poignant-reminders-of-mortality/) Kathleen Basford > [“A novelist must wrestle with all mysteries and strangeness of life itself, and anyone who dies not wish to accept that grand, bone-chilling commission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/a-novelist-must-wrestle-with-all-mysteries-and-strangeness-of-life/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“He was pale as only one state on Bhast dictated—not lacking color necessarily or vitality, certainly. 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Stop looking for links and meaning and explanations. What did De Chirico say? The world is a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/oh-stop-it-i-tell-myself-stop-looking-for-links-and-meaning-and/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [“much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/much-of-the-bible-is-not-systematically-evil-but-just-plain-weird-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Ciaran Hinds > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I quite enjoy more teamwork and offering something up into the mix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-quite-enjoy-more-teamwork-and-offering-something-up-into-the-mix/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I don't use the word 'artists' lightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-don-t-use-the-word-artists-lightly/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I've got a fairly low profile - I go and do me shopping when I need to!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-ve-got-a-fairly-low-profile-i-go-and-do-me-shopping-when-i-need-to/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [Sometimes, there's not an honest engagement of Ireland in Hollywood movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/sometimes-there-s-not-an-honest-engagement-of-ireland-in-hollywood/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I'll tell you, being on set on 'Harry Potter' was nerve-wracking. It was surreal to be in a room with those three kids, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-ll-tell-you-being-on-set-on-harry-potter-was-nerve-wracking-it-was/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [My soul is still Irish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-soul-is-still-irish/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [You try to work with the director and your fellow actors to get somewhere, but other people are the judge of whether you hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/you-try-to-work-with-the-director-and-your-fellow-actors-to-get/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [To be quite honest. I have seen a few things in 3D, and it didn't involve me anymore than when I saw something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/to-be-quite-honest-i-have-seen-a-few-things-in-3d-and-it-didn-t/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [We've seen a lot of dirty politics in Ireland. We know from the French, their wonderfully neurotic presidents, that our hands are sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/we-ve-seen-a-lot-of-dirty-politics-in-ireland-we-know-from-the-french/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [Conflict sometimes produces results, but more often than not it produces confusion at the level of everybody on the same track.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/conflict-sometimes-produces-results-but-more-often-than-not-it/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I've worked a lot with Noah Baumbach, and he doesn't make it easy to like his characters, but the stories are funny and witty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-ve-worked-a-lot-with-noah-baumbach-and-he-doesn-t-make-it-easy-to/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [Then you realize that the preparation and the planning of this small army of people trying to head to the single aim of creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/then-you-realize-that-the-preparation-and-the-planning-of-this-small/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [The joy of just being involved in something, of being part of a big process, just as a human being, it's nice to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/the-joy-of-just-being-involved-in-something-of-being-part-of-a-big/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I don't have a motorcar, so I've got to know and be fairly fond of the buses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/i-don-t-have-a-motorcar-so-i-ve-got-to-know-and-be-fairly-fond-of-the/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) [Explore all 53 Ciaran Hinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) ## More Aware quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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She's more aware. It's like you carry a frequency she can tune into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-laurens/whenever-you-re-around-her-she-s-calm-she-s-more-aware-it-s-like-you/) [Jennifer Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-laurens/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... 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