Daru’s Transformation in “The Guest”





Throughout the story “The Guest” by Albert Camus, Daru’s challenges and responsibilities, put on him by society, allow him to change from a man of great respect to his society, to a man who relies on his own choices to bring out his true character. Daru’s transformation was influenced by the choices he made throughout the story and his moral decisions on how to take on the responsibility of the Arab.

In the beginning of the story, Balducci comes and gives Daru the responsibility to take the Arab in and bring him to jail. Daru took on this responsibility with great respect to his society and the French Government. It was his duty to bring the Arab into justice. Daru’s relationship with Balducci was one major transformation that occurred in the story. Balducci said that if he brought the prisoner to justice that “all will be over; you’ll come back to your pupils and your comfortable life.” Daru respected Balducci a lot, but he was not going to let Balducci influence his descisions. Balducci began to feel that Daru was being disloyal to him, and this made him angry. All the decisions that Daru decided to take on later in the story, was his own decisions and not those influenced by those made prior, such as Balduccis.

Daru’s attachment to the place he lived, and the people that surrounded him was another thing that changed during the story. The Arabs that surrounded him in his society were counting on him to bring the prisoner to justice. However, Daru went against his respect and duties to his society, and was very kind to the Arab. He treated him civil and provided him with a place to sleep, food to eat, and a home where he could be comfortable. Daru knew it was wrong. The Arab had commited a very serious crime. Daru knew that result this could have on him. He could have died for not handing the prisoner over; however, he took the risk anyways.

Daru has always been an independent person. He felt uncomfortable at first sharing a room with the Arab, however, he never let it show. Daru was very kind to the Arab, even though the Arab never seemed to give him the time of day. When Daru would ask the Arab questions, he would respond by looking away. Daru never asked once about what he did or the murder of his cousin. This is a transformation because Daru went from an independent man, with a duty to bring this Arab to justice, to a respectable man to the Arab who brought him in and treated him like a “brother”.

Daru would have been doing the society he lived in a favor by handing in the Arab because with a responsibility to the French government, this was his duty. The decisions he made between what is right and what is wrong influenced his change of character. Daru has always lived his life with utmost respect for the society he lives in, and his fellow Frenchman. He was looked upon by the Arabs around him as a school teacher, and a man with power to bring justice. However, we see Daru change, and his true character come out, when he makes the decision to treat the Arab with respect, as others have usually done to him.

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