"The Guest"

When I first read Albert Camus’s short story “The Guest,” I had trouble determining its purpose. It was only after our discussion in class that I realized that it was more than simply a narrative about a teacher in the desert. In this story, the choices of the narrator Daru and the prisoner he watches are juxtaposed, expressing that indecision cannot save you from suffering consequences.

This short story describes the turmoils of Daru, a schoolmaster who is caught between two sides of a violent dispute. Set in Algeria during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the background of this story is the conflict between French rulers and the Algerian rebellion. Daru, who is a native of Algeria, attempts to remain neutral in this conflict, however feels the great tension as he is asked to help the French, and betray his people. 

Balducci, a military policeman and friend of Daru’s brings a prisoner referred to as “the Arab” to the schoolhouse, and asks the favor of Daru. He is instructed to watch the Arab overnight, and take him to prison the next day. Aware that the man had killed his own cousin in a family dispute, Daru still feels strongly that he cannot turn in this man because of their bond by nationality.

In the end, Daru walks the Arab halfway to the jail and leaves him with the option of turning himself in or escaping likely death. The Arab chooses to continue on towards the jail; accepting his fate with little hesitation. Daru hopes that by giving the Arab his choice, he will have escaped the wrath of both the French government and his fellow Algerians. He led the prisoner towards the jail, but was not ultimately responsible for handing him in. However, despite his attempts to take no side, Daru returns to his schoolhouse to see a haunting message on the chalkboard: “You handed over our brother. You will pay for this.”

Despite his great attempts at remaining impartial, Daru is faced with the consequences he feared. His fellow Algerians plan to punish him for what they perceive as a betrayal, and he cannot change that by insisting that he had no part in the Arab’s decision.

Throughout the story, Daru’s main concern is acting so that he won’t offend either of the allegiances he maintains. He defers his decisions, and tries to avoid making them altogether. The indecision about what to do with his prisoner is juxtaposed with the Arab’s quick choice to accept his fate as a criminal, and ultimately they both end up facing negative consequences. Daru’s story is a reminder that indecision cannot save a person from pain, and that consequences of a decision will catch up to them, even if they try to avoid making the decision at all.