What can the Renegade Teach us About Religion and Mental Health? A Philosophical Examination of Albert Camus’ “The Renegade, or a Confused Spirit”

This study philosophically examines Albert Camus’ “The Renegade, or a Confused Spirit,” one of the short stories in Exile and the Kingdom. Despite previous scholarly interpretations of the story, the direct correlation between religion and mental health has not been explored sufficiently. In utilizing the theoretical framework of fiction as analogous to philosophical thought experiments, this article infers the pedagogical dimension of the short story, leading to the claim that “The Renegade” creates an aesthetic experience with the potential and risk to counter or reinforce the reader’s ideologies, including religious ones. In turn, the understanding concerning the interplay between religious identity-making and mental health is deepened.