The Fall is a lesser-known novel by
Albert Camus, who also wrote
The Stranger and
The Rebel. This is my favorite among his various works that I have read, though I have only absored it in
English because ...well... I know neither
common nor
philosophical French (though I really should try to learn it sometime). It is written in the
2nd person, detailing a
conversation between oneself and the
character Camus assumes, namely Jean-Baptiste Clamence, which follows the events in the life of this former
Parisian lawyer. He confesses the
secrets of his
existence and his past life. The tension builds throughout the novel as one becomes more and more curious about the solution to the
dilemma he has encountered in his life, his fall from the state of
immunity to the
judgement of his fellow men.
This book is basically an existentialist allegory on judgement of all forms. Camus packs the book to the bursting point with odd personal anecdotes and little sophisticated revelations to help further his point: every triumph reveals a failure, every motive a hidden treachery. One gets the feeling that he is battling against one's preconceptions like some sort of swordsman, jabbing at one concept after another, parrying all retaliations, going in for the kill.
It's an exhausting book to read, and it takes a little effort since it is written in both an uncommon form and has been translated from French. But, it is certainly worth the effort, and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone with an interest in existentialism.