Both Non-Commitment and Commitment Lead to Conditional Hospitality: Investigating the Impossibility of Absolute Hospitality in Albert Camus's “The Guest” and Its Cinematic Adaptation <i>Far From Men</i>

Albert Camus's “The Guest” (“L'Hôte” in French) was published in 1957.1 Since its publication, the story has been discussed for its unique representation of colonialism, absurdity, the relationship between self and the Other, ethics and its rapport with responsibility and justice, and—most importantly—the concept of hospitality. It is to the last concept the present study devotes its focus. The original French title “L'Hôte” means both “the host” and “the guest” in English. Etymologically speaking, “in Latin, as well as in French, a single, ambiguous term—hospes in Latin, hôte in French—serves to identify both host and guest” (Boisvert 31). Building on this ambivalence, Jacques Derrida exposes the multiple meanings, tensions, and aporia that exist within the vocabulary of hospitality.2In 2014, “The Guest” was adopted cinematically by French director and screenwriter David Oelhoffen. His adaptation, entitled Far From Men (original title: Loin des homes) has quite a unique take from the short story.3 Considering this unique take and the tensions, and the aporetic paradoxes in the host/guest dialectics and the concept of hospitality, the present study compares and contrasts the ethics of hospitality in “The Guest” and Far From Men. The study argues that neither the short story nor the adaptation succeeds in representing what Derrida calls absolute/unconditional/lawless/infinite hospitality and manages to have a limited/conditional/out-of-duty/finite understanding of hospitality.4 Despite this fundamental ethical similarity, the ways each work establishes its conditional take on hospitality are different. While the short story's conditional hospitality emerges due to the non-committed and detached attitudes of both Daru and the Arab—resulting in the reaffirmation of the status quo and the limiting dominant order5—the movie's conditional take from hospitality is not due to the ambivalence and non-commitment of Daru and Mohamed (the Arab has a name in the adaptation) and does not result in the reaffirmation of the status quo, giving both Daru and Mohamed a considerable level of agency. By doing this, the adaptation reinforces its ethical assessment of the ethical potentials of the short story in a philosophical manner without turning into a crudely rendered subjective moral commentary on it. Having said that, in both works, it should be emphasized that justice and unconditional hospitality as ethical issues would always remain in becoming states and could not be established categorically.Considering the aforementioned argument, this study divides its argumentative pursuit into five sections. In the first section, Derrida's conceptualization on hospitality will be introduced so that readers could be familiarized with his categorization of unconditional and conditional hospitality: the categories that, as he emphasizes, should not be considered exclusive from each other. In the second section, the ambivalent and aporetic rapport between the guest/host dialectics and the status of the ambivalent non-commitment will be in the short In this section, the of the ambivalence in the status quo and the of relationship between the host and the will be discussed as In the section, the of conditional hospitality will be in “The In the the issues in the second and will be and discussed for the a of his from to and of to and his ethical understanding of hospitality. for unconditional hospitality is ethical in is ethics without and without and the of ethics is not to its to its hospitality is of the and the of and In this unconditional hospitality is not with with with with hospitality, as is on a and to it is to that hospitality neither the of nor the of It is in this that hospitality is unconditional without hospitality on “the between the and the In this the host should into the (the so that the could and its host and In this Derrida the host be to the without the without of to and the what what to and that in the of the hôte as is of in this of the of unconditional hospitality would be of the this the would not and would be a by the of unconditional hospitality “the of within it the of the self to It that the ethical should be to its the of ethical the host in the unconditional hospitality. In this Derrida and the in the Other, is the of in In the of the is not of is of and could have of this unconditional hospitality is to its Derrida on this of hospitality: “The of hospitality, the that the concept of hospitality, as a and It to that hospitality should with the of hospitality as to unconditional hospitality, Derrida of conditional hospitality. hospitality with In this and will always this of hospitality, and and will be on the In this of hospitality, both the host and the in the should not to it would be the for the in hospitality to each this section, should be take on hospitality. The first to the of hospitality. Derrida that unconditional hospitality not as a on the unconditional hospitality is the for conditional hospitality and its In Derrida It is the and hospitality in name should always the the the so as to it as as that it is in the name of unconditional hospitality that should to the and of the this rapport between unconditional and conditional hospitality, the relationship between of hospitality. that unconditional hospitality, on the and conditional hospitality of and on the always exist in a of of with the that hospitality in not be each as it the of the second that should be to the of between non-commitment and hospitality. In to be hospitality that a be and as a has to with a non-committed and in hospitality, in the to unconditional hospitality. Derrida that a and a in the name of unconditional hospitality could not the that is always becoming Derrida means by this always of hospitality is that non-committed in the name of and unconditional hospitality, is should with the of with Derrida would the quo established by the dominant hospitality is in The of would the is Derrida's of hospitality is that the of of in the of and the of not of is the of the the concept of the that could not be ambivalent and non-committed attitudes would take the and could be for of hospitality in of conditional is what unconditional hospitality would in the of conditional it has to with in the name of ethical and the of the between Daru and ambivalence and the of host is he his for the Arab to the on the of the “The Daru not to the not to this the of In of in this is his and is to his as of the for the to by By the of the Arab to the French Daru his of the host in this of conditional hospitality that he as a French for the in his The is in the host/guest dialectics is ambivalence in his with the to the ambivalent and aporetic of the the is in the of ambivalence in the that as the not to the to the will the to the the the by the are to the to to take the that will to the In Daru has the as the to the of a a has his the for the to be to the the of a he will take the of in to the to and the to a his ambivalent in of his the of that, as will result in the of understanding and between is the of the short the in a Daru be by to his and ambivalent the by be of is in understanding of the as first Daru his his was his and of The a and that Daru the turning his in the on a that to the Arab as does not does not the Arab his from the Arab and in his ambivalence, between the and the Other, the from not to and in a with the Arab is his exclusive of as for the Arab The Arab for and in a Daru the Arab the for his to be he is to to his In this he the does not the his of of his and his ethical a manner that a that he to be in should the of he in a Arab his to Daru and of a of what will to turning his in hospitality to the Arab as the Other, his of ethics on the the relationship between and and in this the Arab the in he is in between the of justice in and the of justice in is the of on his with and his that has to with the and between and host in unconditional the short has to with unconditional hospitality. the of unconditional hospitality does not to it is the aporetic of hospitality, its it In this hospitality and ethical the the host the of unconditional hospitality and the limiting by a conditional of hospitality and ethical to to this the this hospitality to its and its to a hospitality. for hospitality to it is for hospitality to hospitality. that the host in a of the understanding between and the with of his is of that is the the as he was the understanding between and the guest” in “The Guest” non-commitment and ambivalence is Daru has to to the to on the of between Daru and the Arab by of and his ambivalence in a with the Daru to be in a he for his of and Daru is not to the to a to he the for the the to and giving moral he is for the and for to his the his and moral in this of hospitality is a of the Other, has to with of the to a of to that the to as the for to the and In the short Daru to in giving to the and and in could not be the His non-commitment has to with that between a the of to In this could not be in Daru the Arab his ambivalence to a with he with Daru to he Daru his ambivalence as to with unconditional hospitality, could the Daru is Daru the Arab in to his it is to the with he the and of hospitality: of it with he to the Arab he is to the French and his to the dominant in his he with and to of the he the French on ethical is not between a of In this aporetic Daru is that he his of justice to the Arab of the the of responsibility to the to his to the and be in the of of the for a is the in the that Daru a in to be neither of the to will a a is to the of and from ambivalence and non-commitment in the of The aporia of of of is not by ambivalent could be by of by a giving is a and does not it is It does not to to doing aporia and the for with ethical the that Daru does not to from the to the of the Daru with the Arab and with his aporetic the Arab to the he the from the the Arab is Daru the of the Arab his without in the of is he the Arab is and with the of the Arab as a Daru to his for the Arab to has to with Derrida's take on unconditional within his the concept of hospitality. is not it and nor the other. would be it be what it and to is not to not to of a due to the he is in and his of his in his he his it and to the Arab are the non-committed he is for unconditional of that that Daru to unconditional by giving the Arab the to to the hospitality into a that could be by “the of that ambivalent in the name of hospitality the to the of the of a a a is the not to the the of the the of a to and doing that in the of the status The the status quo in the of the as has been the his and the The of the hospitality he has the that well to his is a that his to in ways he the in the of the other. The of the is and exist as within the of its as its the of its as not the of the of of of and of to the that for the in as the and ambivalence in a for the the he assessment of should always and the he to and as a result the the of and the of hospitality on that the dominant and the understanding of this and Daru the Arab in from his he the of responsibility and the and the Arab by both the French and the on the story's this in the Daru will have to the of the that of his that he the Arab as his the on the will for Daru that his of responsibility for the of he not to be in the he is to a the of the from ambivalence in level of and in could be in the as the Arab is not In a with his quite Daru said this and first and for not The in of and he said it. a on a to it and with Daru it to Daru and as are his is the dominant with is the and that and as and the of the dominant French a a the to not to of hospitality so as to a by and the of the so as to to the and it into for not to the and of unconditional hospitality, is to be a of it into to “the of the be as to his of the of of French as he his Daru and the Arab to a is in “The of the unconditional of hospitality is not It is the of to conditional of The in is that he does not to conditional of the of the to remain aporetic and the of hospitality of the dominant would to a that the of His of hospitality into becoming in a conditional will remain in the of the dominant and the it on in the name of and ambivalence and aporetic the Other, it is to the ambivalence and of in this short the that the Arab the by Daru as a of level of in this could not the this in the is not the to has been to of the to of his of the of his for Daru this to the his is with the that the is it a first Daru his his was his and of The a and that Daru the turning his in the of and are for the that would and the Arab ambivalence, and of the of for this aporia and ambivalence to the he is within the and that the dominant on in the of Daru the Since aporia and ambivalence from a the the Arab Daru as the of the as a host and a so a by the in he the hospitality. what been and that to the of the this Having the of hospitality, the Arab is by its in this he is for Daru is a is of the a he a it that could not result in the of unconditional hospitality in the Arab as the could his agency. it in is and without and without and of of and the Arab as the and of that a would not have in unconditional hospitality. on the of rapport between and this of hospitality so that this be for the not as aporetic the of hospitality and of with each each and each other. this of hospitality would remain to “the of that in the of the with the is the result of to be the Arab is a of hospitality that in the of host and by unconditional hospitality, “the not for to take within the the of and that the Arab to aporia and ambivalence and and the of does that aporia and of a of unconditional hospitality in the as the the dominant assessment of hospitality that the Arab to be the and of the the ambivalence, and aporia each that, on the have to Derrida and on his conceptualization of hospitality, have to with unconditional hospitality and the status quo and between the In the section, will result in the of conditional hospitality in the short the short Daru hospitality in both and the the of hospitality. of are are from to are to Daru the in and so without are of the that Daru the the to the and to the are for in the are to the in the that into his to the he be host his with the has been he into the and this to the Arab as The host is the of his Daru the to the he does not to the in the does not Daru the be the to and to Daru to this he his to on the host as is Daru the Arab and in the the of the In to a he does not the to and to it does that on a should not a and a as on in is a by on this and in each to be from his unconditional hospitality Derrida does not in a in to the to the of the and in the that does not of his of ambivalence could not his in the and of the Other, and could not unconditional hospitality. Daru to into his is that is that is his to of hospitality and of “The is to and It is the in the to his is a of a of the Arab is in with Daru of hospitality in the host the a The is in of hospitality, the and of his hospitality. Derrida's conceptualization on the of and could not identify unconditional hospitality in hospitality would have to in without the of In to hospitality, unconditional hospitality of to be to be to not be is to be to not to be to be in a and is not to not not not in a that is not that of the not and are not the with would hospitality the does not both and the Arab as and his is and on a of the have to with the and becoming status of hospitality from hospitality and should that the hospitality is and of the Arab to the to the has to with the Arab that of unconditional hospitality. the of the Daru the the the In a from and the first take in and to to is the and hospitality that the Arab will has to with the of unconditional hospitality. the will and will not to and the that to and of hospitality. The of hospitality is for the and of the Arab will not of ambivalence, and the is the of and of and that a of conditional hospitality could not for the does not hospitality as on this be is is in in are and in this and of each and to the of and in his commentary on unconditional its and the to of so that the of could be the that be in a of for the Arab is by due to ambivalent to the of that for the Arab as as he ambivalence the dominant and conditional of hospitality for the the will the of the short story the ambivalence, of the status quo, and the of conditional hospitality quite In the adaptation, it is to his of hospitality and his of ambivalence in the name of and in of unconditional for both and Mohamed and the dominant to considerable in Far From Men is ambivalent and non-committed In the he has with the (the Arab has a name in the adaptation, and this Mohamed to to the Arab in the adaptation) in to and he has the of with his French for are in the short does not have and Daru and is as a of the French dominant the French are not with Daru a for on the the status of with and the short story's it could be that Daru in the adaptation that to this the this the and to the ethical in to unconditional hospitality. his the from the Daru into of a conditional hospitality in of his in the adaptation, are that the for the be to his Daru Mohamed that he was in to a The was from and in by the means the that on and should be as Daru that due to status in the French to and in the with he on his and aporetic status that the French, and for are the From Men this aporetic status as the his could Daru this aporia becoming status of the host in of his in the name of unconditional hospitality. Derrida with a as is what the a in a of in a that a that to to the to it is the and the as for the in to as in this of as a to Mohamed by his French, and for is on his and his in giving Mohamed level of It is that in a of the adaptation, Daru the of a From Men in the of and Arab in the of the is not exclusive to Mohamed his in of in the status In a of the adaptation, he that to the of the of for the French so that could Daru is to be a in this and to be with the of the of he has of the of for the French Daru and of his it that the French the in the of this as the of a that has to with its unconditional of for and to its of hospitality that to be Derrida to is to that is that what it means to be and that hospitality, for a to the the in to for a and the of hospitality. he the of this hospitality on of is in to the of the short story's Daru and in the and with Mohamed for the of giving By the of both the French and Daru his conditional assessment of hospitality, is and compares it to the status of unconditional hospitality. this is the for the of a of hospitality in the is Mohamed in by is always becoming The of the unconditional of hospitality is not It is the of to conditional of the short story's the Daru is a in hospitality and not the status quo the of In this the of the of unconditional hospitality and a are the that the Daru is not to for the of to and Mohamed the of a assessment of hospitality. In this from the of the adaptation, Daru that and is for Mohamed in he to the French In this a with the French for Mohamed to his and does not to to his From Men of with Mohamed in the adaptation should be the of the short story's Daru in with the the Daru has a and rapport with from to his both the French and in to take Mohamed and to his identify Mohamed to Daru as Since Daru is in the short story's Daru is not in the in and Mohamed not have to the of a and in a with Mohamed of the he to be by the French of his Arab he are for that in the take the the to have to take are the will by the French is the it is to to to From Men to Daru Daru by that he is a and has of that he should to to by Daru is quite from the of the short story's does not have the to his of the and by he does not into a with hospitality to the of with the of hospitality, is as not a of the and the the is as as the host in that is in with the host the host the of the on the of hospitality is the first first of the host is a in this of and the of ethics and of It is a and for the Daru and Mohamed with each the Daru his and by doing this in the of in with both of the of each and the of the short story's and the adaptation, in what calls each and on this does not In would it. the to exist as within it. with is is as a and from in ways of is a of and will for and pursuit of is with the on the is to a relationship with the as a not that are the Mohamed to his not for the his are not the and that the Daru could due to his his of hospitality, he could unconditional hospitality and in and in giving is from the he not to on his and as a in his in the adaptation From Men he Mohamed a and that Mohamed is not and has not been with a From Men to Mohamed to the by to a in From Men His in giving Mohamed and to take the to the in the of that could be as the of a of his It is to that in to the of his Daru his in and by a of what the to be the and of from the will that to and the French have the the be and will in the will be for to will to will From Men the section, will take a the of conditional hospitality in the adaptation that, the short is not the Arab in the discussed in the last section, the Daru Mohamed he is host would take of that he Mohamed are in with the and conditional ways the short story's Daru the Arab as as the short the Daru Mohamed to take the the so that he be Mohamed would the as discussed would conditional on Mohamed this his his of hospitality and justice for for is that Daru his French, and for as a in the of unconditional the he has for and in representing his of hospitality. on Derrida's conceptualization of hospitality, be without of is hospitality without be by and doing and are in to the as of the the of the and of with what the Daru does to unconditional hospitality. his would have in the name of unconditional hospitality Daru could not be the of a host is to be that assessment of hospitality in the adaptation could not to could that of Mohamed the would result in a for of the French the could be for the and in the short the short “the to his is in the of this is a that is the aporetic of the without it is justice and a of is not should for both in the short story and the what adaptation a of justice is his in the of unconditional hospitality and justice in By doing on Derrida's conceptualization of the of and Derrida's responsibility so that he the and of this responsibility the short story's Daru in the adaptation the of hospitality and justice with a has a and to the to to to is in the adaptation, the of conditional hospitality is Mohamed and his to with the of the French the short story's the Daru a of hospitality that, as he is the for In his Mohamed the of his not in the his with Daru and in a of speaking, he this in the short Daru is that in to hospitality, to unconditional hospitality and present his conditional and so that unconditional in in the of becoming and conditional In the adaptation, of conditional hospitality is as the the of his could that he what is to be and could the of conditional hospitality for a “The ambivalence and non-commitment are the with the aporia it to the in Far From with and to are the ways that to a is that both the short story and the adaptation present conditional on hospitality and could not unconditional of hospitality and justice In both the short story and the adaptation, will remain and as In the the to a Daru and and the of the of the French In the Daru of his by his and as a in the of the dominant and by doing this, to to his he to be as for the of his and in doing that, does not justice for from the could be as a is of conditional hospitality and justice for the of the rapport between the host and the does not from the dominant of that is due to ambivalence and ethical the name of unconditional and his in with the Arab and his in the short The Daru is not with the ethical of with on his understanding of not on a of ethical and for and Mohamed the of the status Derrida in his of justice within the conceptualization of hospitality: to be the of the not a of by a of as of the as the the in The is not in as the a the is in the and as it and in each “The Daru in Far From Men this of in justice and unconditional hospitality. Derrida it is in the of unconditional and non-commitment and hospitality be In the adaptation, Daru manages to be in a host in for Daru his for the of the and in doing that, his take on hospitality the take on hospitality by the dominant dominant take that is in “The Guest” due to