Introduction

Most people have goals they desire to accomplish in their lives.  Meursault is an exception.  Throughout the The Stranger, Meursault shows little emotion, and he does not show any care for anything.   He does not have any love for anyone, and he has no goals in his life.  Meursault merely moves through life without thinking and does what is natural.  Life is meaningless for him.  Meursault seems to accept the emptiness of his life, and he does have any purpose.

Outline

Meursault seems to accept the emptiness of his life, and he does have any purpose.

Paragraph 1:  meursault does not care about anyone.  He is more bothered by the heat than his mother's death.

Paragraph 2:  meursault does not care about what happens to him.  He is just as happy to be in prison.  Because he has no goals he wants to accomplish, the fact that he is in prison does not bother him.

The Stranger Essay

Is Meursault happy with his detachment? Does he live without a purpose?

Meursault is detached from everyone else in the world.  He does not show emotions even when his mother died.  Although his life seems to be empty on the surface, there is a deeper meaning in his life.  He is content with living his life without a goal or purpose.  He changes throughout the novel, but the overall emptiness in his life remains the same.  He does not show any feelings toward anyone in the novel.

Translator's Note

Meursault appears simple though the short and concise sentences, but he is actually a complex man.  He may be hiding his emotions or pretending he does not have any.  When Marie asked him of he loved her he responded "it didn't mean anything but (he) didn't thnk so" (44).  He claims that he has no love for her, but he also says that his lack of love does not even matter.  Meursault believes Marie should not care that he does not love her.  He describes her reactions with the simple statement "she looked sad" (44).

The Stranger Style and Narration

Camus uses detailed descriptions in his writing.  When the narrator introduces character, he describes them before revealing their name.  This emphasizes the detachment that Meursault feels toward everyone in the novel.  He believes "nothing had changed" since his mother died (33).  The long descriptions and style reflect the detachment between him and everyone else including his mother.  Meursalt also rarely shows any emotion to anyone.