L'Hôte

I think L'Hôte resonates strongly with Derrida's ideas of "Absolute Hospitality" which I'm not pretending I properly understood but which definitely struck a chord whilst I was reading. Daru treats the Arab as common courtesy dictates with no regard for the fact that he is a criminal, save the consideration he gives to the gun. The moments where we see him untying the Arab's bound hands and, later, refusing to retie him are poignant in that they demonstrate the gift of freedom he will ultimately offer. In the end Daru seems to lose out in every possible way; his attempts to save the Arab are for some unknown reason, denied. He has slighted his friend, Balducci. He has the solitude he wished for but it is tainted by the knowledge that those who threaten him are capable of breaking into his schoolroom with apparent ease. Having bestowed every kindness upon the Arab, even when they went in direct conflict with his feelings towards him, Daru has gained nothing. If this is a comment on the idea of "absolute hospitality", it is a very bleak one.