The Stranger (L'Etranger)

Why does Meursault act the way he does?
a) He refuses to lie
       -He wouldn't say he regretted shooting the man because, honestly, he didn't.
       -He didn't confess his sins and turned to Christ because it wasn't what he believed.
b) He does what he needs to, and what is easy.
       -He chooses to stay in one room, because it is easier.
       -He goes to work because it is necessary.
c) It didn't matter to him one way or another
       -He didn't care if he was married or not, because it didn't matter to him. He would still be with Marie either way, even if he didn't really love her.
       -He was going to die anyway, so did it matter when?
d) Something outside of his control affected him
        -He shot because the sun was in his eyes
e) It was natural
        -He slept because he was tired

Why do the people convict Meursault?
a) They are afraid
b) They don't understand him
c) They dislike the idea that he was relatively unaffected by his mother's death, and 'buried her with murder in his heart.'

Another big idea is that people (like Meursult's Maman) just get used to something.
--Maman didn't like living in Meursault's apartment because it was not what she was used to. She also didn't want to move because she had gotten used to living with Meursault.


Something to take note of: The author (Camus) is Algerian/French, so many customs (like the courthouse) are different than in America. This has an affect on how the people act and how life is conducted.