His mother's dying did little to change that or anything. He helps Raymond, even though he isn't sure they are friends. Meursault realizes that, “viewed from one angle, [an execution] is the only thing that can genuinely interest a man” (138). How does the setting affect Meursault, in The Stranger by Albert Camus? The director of the home where Meursault's mother lived notices that he doesn't 'pay his last respects at her grave.' imaginable degree, area of To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Also, Meursault really does not care about what others think of him. He doesn't really have any person he would call a friend. Character is difficult to judge. Through irony, Camus reveals how the outcast, Meursault, is condemned because of his nonconformist beliefs.Meursault’s nonconformist character is one that does not concern itself with expressing emotion. He shakes and screams at the chaplain and says, “It was the first time in my life I wanted to kiss a man,” when Celeste speaks up for him at the trial. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page. Joe has taught college English courses for several years, has a Bachelor's degree in Russian Studies and a Master's degree in English literature. After the guards separate them, Meursault realizes why his mother started her little romance with Thomas Perez. Is a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice Worth It? Already a member? Select a subject to preview related courses: Meursault's interactions with others do not reveal a sense of passion or emotion that would lead him to commit murder. Meursault decides his biggest obstacle in prison is going to be the thoughts of his free life. At the end of The Stranger, Meursault realizes that death is inevitable and the universe is indifferent to humanity. (ch.5) he wants an absurd ending to an absurd life he doesn't want the end of it to make sense. Meursault is a messed up guy without any religion or morals. According to Meursault, 'it's obvious that when and where doesn't matter.' | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you. 14. For him, this means that he and the universe are not so different from one another, and this makes Meursault feel less alone in the face of a society which views him as monstrous for not sharing its perception of reality. Meursault knows that if he walked away, 'that would be the end of it.' Meursault borrows a black tie and arm band from his friend Emmanuel, and hurries to take the bus to the funeral in rural Marengo. In regard to her death, no. Is a Master's Degree in Biology Worth It? Sciences, Culinary Arts and Personal It struck me that all I had to do was to turn, walk away, and think no more about it. The evidence presented during the hearing gives impre… 281 lessons Meursault was attached to the physical world, and he was different from a normal individual. Get the unbiased info you need to find the right school. At first "the hardest thing was that my thoughts were still those of a free man." Log in here. Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Character is difficult to judge. Meursault. He does not reveal his feelings during emotional times (Corbert 1). After his fight with the priest, who has come to Meursault in a last-ditch attempt to bring him to a belief in a loving, just God—and by extension a rational, ordered universe—Meursault finally accepts what he has deep down believed all along: the universe is absurd and unconcerned with the actions of human beings. He wants to go to the beach, to have sex. Inside Albert Camus’s The Stranger, Camus portrays Meursault as an absurd hero. The director of the home knows that Meursault places her here because 'he wasn't able to provide for her properly.' In The Stranger, Meursault is portrayed as detached and unemotional character. Their relationship is just like all of the others. Meursault does not disappoint. Of course, one of the complaints against Meursault is that he doesn't show any emotion over his mother's passing. In The Stranger, what attitude does Meursault realize the people at the trial have toward him? That is why, until the very end, "Meursault is the man who answers but never asks a question, and all his answers so alarm a society which cannot bear to look at the truth." The answer is simple: it does not relate to the murder of the Arab. You can test out of the In prison, one can see the shifts in Meursault’s character and the acceptance of this new lifestyle. His only care is to satisfy his own needs. What conclusion does he come to about life? Meursault describes acclimating to prison. For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to hope was that on the day of my execution there should be a huge crowd of spectators and that they should greet me with howls of execration. Sign up now, Latest answer posted December 11, 2010 at 9:30:00 PM, Latest answer posted December 11, 2019 at 8:45:36 PM, Latest answer posted February 18, 2011 at 2:10:45 PM, Latest answer posted November 29, 2015 at 7:35:05 PM, Latest answer posted March 18, 2019 at 1:21:51 PM. Meursault befriends the head guard who explains the whole point of prison is to take away men's freedom, that that is the punishment. None of these people know Meursault. After firing the gun four times into the prone body, Meursault notes that it 'was like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness.' Marie cares deeply for Meursault, and Meursault agrees to marry her. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. When seeing Marie for the first, and only, time in prison, Meursault doesn’t seem to get much from his meeting with her, other than seeing her and being able to converse with her. The Stranger The last chapter of the stranger? There’s the death of his mother, but he also experiences violence, what should’ve been, or could’ve been, love, happiness, and grief, all alongside freedom and imprisonment. In the last sentence of The Stranger, Meursault wishes for a crowd of angry spectators to appear at his execution because it will confirm him in his outsider status. Events that would be very significant for most people, such as a marriage proposal or a parent’s death, do not matter to him, at least not on a sentimental level.