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the stranger The Stranger, by Albert Camus, begins with Meursault receiving a telegram informing him of his mother's death. He attends the funeral and shows no remorse
Submitted by ben4489 on January 15, 2007
Category: English
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In The Stranger, Albert Camus explores the absurdity of life through the actions and reactions of Meursault, the narrator of the story.
One of Meursault's thoughts is being expressed following the death of his mother. "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram from the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.' That doesn't mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday." (Camus 3).
Meursault's main concern appears to be on the precise day of his mother's death. He shows little concern over the loss of his mother. Camus' use of the phrase, "That doesn't mean anything," can be interpreted in two ways; Meursault could be simply stating that the telegram does not tell the date of his mother's death, or he could be saying that it does not matter that his mother died at all.
Later at Maman's funeral, Meursault shows greater indifference toward his mother's death. He arrives at the mortuary to find out that his mother's body has already been sealed in the coffin. The caretaker kindly offers to open the casket for him, upon which Meursault decidedly declines. At the funeral the next day, he pays little attention to the funeral, taking particular interest in the nature surrounding him. He feels no grief or sadness, though he finds the heat unbearable. (Camus 5-18).
Meursault's action of him turning down his boss's offer of a position in Paris acknowledges his definite beliefs about his life. "I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasn't dissatisfied with mine here at all." (Camus 41).
Meursault illustrates his beliefs in certain firmness to the existence of human beings, maintaining that one's life remains constant though some of the details may change. He also implies that each person's life is equal to everyone else's, and that he would not be living a "better" life in Paris.
Camus demonstrates more of...
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