back at the blackboard in his classroom, there is a message written on it that says, "Tu as livré notre frère. Tu paieras." (You have turned in our brother, you will pay). Historical context Because of Camus' indelible connection to his homeland, which serves as the foundations of "The Guest," the short story is often thought to reflect Camus' own revolutionary experiences during the period in which it was written. In 1956, during a time in which the Algerians were increasing their struggle against French colonialism, Camus, for the first time in fourteen years, returned to Algeria in an attempt to broker peace between the two places that he called home. There, fragments of right-wing French settlers called for his assassination, while unseen Algerian revolutionaries spied on his daily movements. Through these experiences, one can examine how the escalating violence between these two forces, with civilian casualties becoming the most common occurrence, displayed Camus' sense of individual freedom that is ultimately reflected in his work. French colonialism Although Camus considered himself to be French, he did not settle in France until he was already an established author. Instead, he grew up in French Algeria as a Pied-Noir, or a black foot—a Frenchman born in the colony to a lower-class family. This put him in the unique position of being below the les colons, or the ruling class, but also above the native population of Arabs and Berbers. As a journalist in Kabylie, Camus saw the Berbers suffer from a prolonged drought and the lack of interest exhibited by the metropolitan French toward their plight. In "The Guest," Daru is also witness to the effects of a lengthy drought and seems to understand the consequences of the indifference shown by the French. Algerian war Among the last of Camus' finished works, "The Guest" was written during the Algerian War of Independence, which lasted between 1954 and 1962, a full two years after his death, and, much like Daru, encapsulates Camus' own conflicted feelings toward the conflict itself, which left him feeling isolated and detached. Although Camus sympathized with the indigenous Algerians, he also believed that the conflict was increasing the divide between the Arabs and working-class Europeans. While many were focused on choosing a side in the conflict, Camus saw both the Arabs and the colonials as victims, united in their suffering as well as in their love for their homeland.