“But a man's beauty represents inner, functional truths: his face shows what he can do. And what is that compared to the magnificent uselessness of a woman's face? Mersault was aware of this now, delighting in his vanity and smiling at his secret demons.”

Albert Camus was a French-Algerian philosopher and novelist of the mid-20th century. He is best known for his existentialist writings, including *The Stranger* and *The Myth of Sisyphus*, which explore absurdity, freedom, and moral responsibility. His essays and novels continue to influence discussions on ethics and human existence.