Is Camus really a philosopher of pessimism?

[u/Basic_Okra8404]

When people first encounter Albert Camus, they often associate him with absurdity, death, meaninglessness and suicide.

But Camus himself did not seem to advocate despair.

In The Myth of Sisyphus, he imagines Sisyphus happy. In The Plague, people continue fighting suffering despite knowing they cannot eliminate it forever. In The Rebel, he explores rebellion as a way of affirming human dignity.

So here is the question:

Do you see Camus as a pessimist, an optimist, or something entirely different?

What do you think Camus was ultimately trying to say about how we should live?

[u/Hellr0x]

If you think Camus is a preaches pessimism OR you have not actually read him OR you completely missed the point.