Book 1 Chapter 6

BEACH D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R FROM THE START

"I shook off the sweat and sun. I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I'd been happy."(pg.59)

Camus has painted a lucid picture of what Meursault's beach excursion will end up being. From the beginning of the chapter we learn that Meursault, Raymond and Marie spot a group of Arabs and among them is the angry brother of Raymond's ex-girlfriend, before they even commence their journey. When they arrive at the beach they cannot see the Arabs and proceed in meeting Raymond's friend Masson, and his wife. Masson automatically likes Meursault because of his simplicity. When the three men go for a walk on the beach they encounter the group of Arabs from earlier that day and become victims of an attack. During this time Meursault has gotten hold of a gun. After the attack Masson and Raymond must repair the wounds. When Meursault goes out onto the beach by himself again - with the gun- he ends up killing one of the Arabs. Camus adds this absurdity into his novel because this climax was unexpected. Although the events which occurred after the telegram Meursault received, telling of his mother's death, led up to him being on the beach, the shooting still came as a shock. Was Meursault trying to find some sort of order in this incoherent world? Camus has laid out this plot so strategically, yet there is no strategic reasoning for Meursault killing. We question it, as a reader, over and over again, however Camus knows that Meursault has no motive and this hooks the reader. The world is irrational and we all must realize that we will never make sense of it, not matter how hard we try. This is a chapter which let's Camus bring forth his own values later on in the novel, dealing with death and religion. This chapter provides as the climax of the story; to shoot, or not to shoot, that is the question. Or maybe it's 'To care, or not to care'

Book 1 Chapter 5

ROBOTIC STATEMENTS FOLLOW ONE ANOTHER

" I eventually lost sight of her and turned back. I thought about how peculiar she was but forgot about her a few minutes later" (pg.44)

I chose this quote to represent the action in this chapter because here, Meursault is referring to a robotic lady he met at the local cafe he goes to. In this passage the reader begins to wonder if Meursault himself is in fact a robot. Early in the chapter it goes on to say how he is a hard worker who follows routine, and we know he is not capable of love when Marie asks if he would marry her. Meursault disregards her, stating that marriage makes no difference. To any mainstream person this would bring together the qualities of a robot. To further back up this robotic like character we see the contrast between him and Salamano. Salamano is so saddened to have lost his dog, yet Meursault does not even care when he loses his own mother. Camus has used irony in order for us to understand the depths of these characters. The handshake at the end of the chapter, between Salamano and Meursault reveals their intertwined lives for they both learn the true meaning behind life even though their characters are very different. Camus has made me think about how monstrous Meursault seems, his emotions are so contrasted to that of a normal being that again he brings us into this world of absurdity when we see that Salamano feels pain towards the death of Maman but yet her son does not feel the yearning to respond. Camus has brought up memories to explain the characters existence, and this occurs again later on in the novel. Robotic statements shows the lack of emotion in Meursault but yet draws us more than ever into his world.

Book 1 Chapter 4

CAN LOVE HAPPEN IS ONLY QUESTION IN WOMAN'S MIND

"A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that it didn't matter. She looked sad." (pg.35)

I chose this quote to be the main theme of action in this chapter. Although it is not the theme which contains the most physical action in it, it does contain the most lack of emotional action. Here we learn that Marie is very attached to Mersault, however this "vague" emotion of love - according to Mersault, is not something he wishes to think of. From what we know of his character in the beginning of the novel his response to her was not, in my opinion, the least bit surprising. To me it seems Mersault is not truly elated with his life. Can you be unable to love and ever be happy? We know Mersault loves Marie in an affectionate, physical way, but emotionally he is incapable. I wondered if he was a narcissist at many points in the novel because of his inability to show many appropiate emotions. Is Camus just bringing out the narcissist in all of us and inflating it? Is there truth in this world of absurdity in Mersault's head? After Raymond beats his Arab girlfriend, Mersault would not contact the police because he does not like policemen. But surprisingly he decides to testify as a witness. Although the fact Mersault acts as a witness seems unusual, do we judge Mersault based on our expectations? Are our expectations present in everything we do? Camus has plotted this question out ever so carefully in The Stranger. And it is up to us to change our way of thinking...if we ever can.

Book 1 Chapter 3

DETACHED OBSERVER PASSES NO JUDGMENT

"I didn't say anything, and he asked me again if i wanted to be pals." (pg.29)

This quote represents the main theme of this chapter which deals with Meursault and his inability to become personal with those around him. He does not judge when he explains how Salamano beats his dog, he even agrees to help Raymond with mistreating his mistress. This makes Camus look like a genius. To write so distantly from the prespective of his character is a gift. Most writers feel the need to become personal and transcribe their thoughts throught their characters. Camus has achieved a distance in a way which most readers cannot relate to, and this borders on a theme of absurdity. Salamano and his dog's relationship relates to the relationships of Meursault and how he cannot love because, to him, it does not matter. Is this because we are all going to die anyways? This makes me wonder are emotions rational? Camus is saying that Meursault does not conduct his life "wrongly" he is saying that he does not know how to best make the most of his existence. Meursault has learned that life is meaningless however has refused to deal with the absurdity of his journey (life). We also learn that physical stimuli overcomes Meursault's emotional persona. While speaking to Raymond he even agrees and justifies him mistreating his girlfriend, because Raymond's problem simply does not matter however Camus makes note of how the wine has affected Meursault and how he has less control over his actions and in a way becomes numb. Does society create this 'numbness' in us? If these physical affects come into our spirits so easily, why is it we must be emotional when appropiate? Camus makes the reader think about us versus society. Camus does a brilliant job at letting us critically think about the way Meursault conducts his life.

Book 1 Chapter 2

DEAD PLACED ON BACK BURNER

"It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed." (pg.24)

In chapter two Meursault learns that his life has returned to normal. He notices the joy in the world while sitting at the cafe, and as he looks at the bread laying in his room he conscientiously states that he realizes his life hasn't changed and his routine has gone back to normal. During the day after his mothers burial he meets a woman and watches a comedic movie. Most readers would find this as strange behaviour. But perhaps he has the real truth; maybe he sees the eternal truth. What Camus is saying when you read between the lines, is that when a being dies, their story is over, they have reached "the end" Death is an ending in this novel, not a transformation. Meursault 's mothers story has ended, not for better or for worse and she has not departed in the sense of going elsewhere. This theory ties into the ending of the novel as well, which will be discussed later. Overall, this chapter is telling the reader to not dwell and get hung up on death as a religious person would, in fear of the opposite party being saved or not (particularly in Christianity), and hanging over the Christian point of view is that of Hell. A religious being would never know where their loved one has gone therefore never being able to create this sense of acceptance which Meursault has been able to achieve so cleanly.

Book 1 Chapter 1

TELEGRAM BRINGS OUT LITTLE REMORSE IN MOTHERS DEATH

" ...Then there was the church and the villagers on the sidewalks, the red geraniums on the graves in the cemetery, Perez fainting (he crumpled like a rag doll), the blood-red earth spilling over Maman's casket, the white flesh of the roots mixed in with it, waiting in front of a cafe, the incessant drone of the motor, and my joy when the bus entered the nest of lights that was Algiers and I knew I was going to go to bed and sleep for twelve hours." (pg. 18)

How would an atheist deal with a death? This was the question which came to my mind after reading the novel and after going back and re reading the first chapter. One thing, I realized I clung to was that Atheism is portrayed as a sort of culture. Atheism is not a culture; it is nothing other than the disbelief in God. The first chapter is very stereotypical of how the world perceives the secular; detached, void of emotions, bottled up feelings. When analyzing this chapter I decided to read it once and look at Meursault as an Atheist and read it another time regarding him as an individual. My conclusions were varied after I read the same chapter from two different perspectives. While reading it the first time, I was focused on the motions rather than the emotions and as I read the second time I began focusing on Meursault as a distinguished person. I was able to see and feel what he was going through. I chose the quote I did because, it made me realize that this is really what the death of a relative (or parent) is like. It is surreal, it becomes a haze. The events overlap each other and you do not know where to direct your focus although you know where you are suppose to direct it. There is no grief and although bizarre, is nothing Meursault was ashamed of. At one point he ignores his deceased mothers presence and lights a cigarette in front of her. Is one way of grieving not grieving? Perhaps a distant thought, but events in times of despair stagger together whether you show remorse or not.