L'étranger- Key quotes

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Meursault's indifference

"Cela m'était égal d'être son copain"

Meursault repeatedly professes that he does not mind about many things. He proves to be amoral in contrast to Sintes who we would consider to be immoral. Sintes' violence against his mistress perhaps render amorality in a good light by contrast.

"J'ai dit que cela m'était égal et que nous pourrions le faire si elle le voulait."

Again Meursault is indifferent when Marie says she wants to marry him, highlighting his lack of feeling and amorality.

"il n'y avait rien de changé"

Nothing has changed, though his mother is dead, he will go back to work and everything will resume.

"oui comme tout le monde"

When asked if he liked his mother Meursault agrees he did. However he does not accept the natural human behaviour of grieving for her and therefore the court are outraged

Meursault and Religion

"il me restait peu de temps. Je ne voulais pas le perdre avec Dieu."

It is evident that Meursault believes God will waste his time.

"Voulez-vous, s’est-il exclamé, que ma vie n’ait

pas de sens?"

The chaplain cannot accept Meursault's rejection of the Christian meaning of life.

Meursault as L'Homme Absurd

Loss of ambition = "Quand j'étais étudiant, j'avais beaucoup d'ambitions de ce genre. Mais quand j'ai du abandonner mes études, j'ai tres vite compris que tout cela était sans importance réelle."

Failure to see connections

Shooting: the four extra shots = what do they represent? Heightened conviction or emphasis meaningless of action??

Reflections in prison = acceptance of limitations and or death

Realisation of proximity of death

Verbal attack of prison chaplain

emphasis on the physical

"j'avais une nature telle que mes besoins physiques dérangeaient souvent mes sentiments"

Example of Meursault's complete honesty. Idea that Meursault is victimised by the court because of his honesty??

"A cause de

cette brûlure que je ne pouvais plus supporter, j'ai fait un mouvement en

avant."

Meursault is intensely affected by physical factors, particularly heat and light. The death of the Arab is attributed to be the consequence of a random movement.

“C’était à cause du soleil”

Meursault again attributes the Arab's death to his environment.

Meursault's isolation

“Tout cela me parut un jeu.”

He does not take the legal system seriously

"Mais

je crois que j'étais déjà très loin de cette salle d'audience."

Criticism of the judicial system. Meursault was already alienated from the courtroom before the trial. He is alienated from society.

"la bizarre impression que j'avais d'être de trop, un peu comme un

intrus "

Meursault feels like an outsider at his own trial. His fate has already been established.

"Dans notre société tout homme qui ne pleure pas à

l’enterrement de sa mère risque d’être condamné à mort"

The court is preoccupied by Meursault's reaction to his mother's death