The protagonist and narrator of, "The Stranger", is ____________.
Mersault
Which character begins an affair with Meursault the day after Madame Meursault's funeral?
Marie Cardona
Name the character who is a pimp and Meursault's neighbor.
Raymond Sintes
Whose death begins the novel?
Madame Meursault
Which character visits Meursault in prision, even though Meursault does not want them to visit?
The Chaplin
Which characters brandishes a crucifix at Meursault and demands to know whether or not Meursault believes in God?
The Examining Magistrate
Which character drinks coffee with Meursault, and smokes cigarettes with him, next to Madame Meursault's coffin?
The Caretaker
Who is the owner of the cafe that Meursault frequents?
Celeste
Which character invites Raymond, Meursault, and Marie to spend a Sunday afternoon at his beach house?
Masson
Which character uses Meursault's lack of emotional attachement to characterize Meursault as a, "cool, calculating monster," during closing arguments.
The prosecuter
Name Meursault's neighbor who has a dog that suffers from mange.
Salamano
Who is the brother of Raymond's mistress?
The Arab
Who manages the old persons home?
The Director
Who assures Meursault that he should not feel guilty for sending his mother to the old persons home, but then testifies against Meursault's decision at trial?
The Director
Meaursault kills this person with Raymond's gun.
The Arab
Name the character whose strong grief over losing his dog contrasts with Meursault's indifference over his mother's death.
Salamano
Which character concludes that Meursault's moral indifference threatens all of society, and therefore demands that Meursault be beheaded?
The prosecutor
Which person testifies that Meursault is an honest, decent man, and that bad luck led Meursault to kill the arab?
Celeste
Which character testifies to Meursault's indifference to his mother's death?
The Caretaker
Which character represents the society at large that is threatened by Meursault's amoral beliefs
The Examining Magistrate
Which friend was such a close friend to Madame Meursault that residents at The Old Persons Home joked that he was engaged to her?
Thomas Perez
Which character is threatened by Meursault's athiesm, and demands that Meursault take comfort in God?
The Chaplain
Meursault believed that this person shared his belief in a meaningless universe, and the importance of living for the moment.
Madame Meursault
Meursault helps this character write a threatening letter to punish his cheating mistress.
Raymond Sintes
Which character wants to marry Meursault, even though he is indifferent about marriage?
Marie Cardona
Which character is emotionally detached and indifferent to others?
Meursault
What two issues take up more of the trial's focus than the murder of the arab?
Meursault's athiesm, and his indifference at his mother's funeral.
What is Meursault's reason for killing the arab?
In court, Meursault claims that the hot sun caused him to kill the arab.
Who wrote, "The Stranger"?
Albert Camus
Name and explain the philosophy that Albert Camus believed in.
Albert Camus believed in the philosophy of absurdism. This Philosophy states that individual human lives and human existence have no rational meaning or order. However, because people have difficulty accepting this notion, they try to create or identify a rational structure to apply to their lives.
How does, "The Stranger", embrace absurdism?
Meursault's internal world of thoughts and feelings, and his external world, contain no rational order. Meursault can never give a rational reason for his actions. He can't give a reason for marrying Marie.
In fact, when Marie asks if he wants to marry her, he says that it doesn't make any difference to him, but that he will if she wants him to. When Marie asks if he loves her, he says that it doesn't mean anything.
Meursault's killing of the Arab doesn't have any rational explanation either. When Meursault volunteers to give an answer for why he killed the Arab, he answers that he did it because of the sun.
Even though Meursault's actions have no rational purpose, society attempts to make sense out of Meursault's irrational actions. The prosecutor and Meursault's lawyer both offer logical reasons for Meursault's crime, but none of these explanations are the truth.
According to Camus's absurdist philosophy, why does human life have no redeeming purpose?
Camus believed that the only certain thing in life was death, and because all humans will eventually die, their lives are equally meaningless
At what point in, "The Stranger", does Meursault realize that the universe is meaningless?
Meursault realizes this fact after his argument with the chaplain in the final chapter. He realizes that just as he is indifferent to the universe, the universe is indifferent to him. Meursault realizes he was born, he will die, and he will not have any more importance than that.
How does Meursault's realization that his life and the universe are meaningless bring him comfort and happiness?
It allows him to come to terms with the inevitability of death. He realizes that it doesn't matter if he dies by execution or old age. This eases his anxiety towards his upcoming execution. It also helps him to give up his thoughts of escaping execution, because he realizes that escape would be a false hope, since he would eventually die anyway. Meursault realizes that he is free to make the most of his last remaining days.
How does Meursault's belief in absurdism influence his excessive interest in the physical world?
Because there is no higher meaning or spiritual order, Meursault is able to center his focus on his own body and its physical stimulation. His body's physical stimulation becomes more important that emotions. For example, he enjoys the physical sensation of sleeping with Marie, but he tells her that love doesn't mean anything to him, and is indifferent about marrying her. In addition, when he is at his mother's funeral, he cares more about the physical sensation of the excessive heat, then sadness at the loss of his mother. At trial, Meursault even confesses that the sun and the heat are what caused him to shoot the Arab.
How does Meursault's view of decay and death differ from Salamano, the chaplin, and the rest of society?
Salamano loves his decaying scab ocvered dog, and values its comapny, eventhough most of society finds it repulsive.
Meursault does not respond emotionally to his mother's death. This disturbs society, because they believe that Meursault should be upset by his mother's passing, and that he should show some emotion. Meursault's view of death also clashes with society, because he believes that death is the final end of life, and that there is no after life. This upsets the chaplin, and the rest of society that beleives in a God and an after life.
At the end of the novel Meursault realizes death is inevitable, which helps him to face his execution without becoming depressed.
How does the fact that characters are constantly watching/observing Meursault, and that Meursault is also frequently observing characters, fit into the novel's absurdist philosophy?
The constant observation communicates humanity's constant search for meaning in tangible details even though the universe has no meaning. In the courtroom, witnesses testify to the smallest details of Meursault's actions. They give meaning to these actions by using them to accuse Meursault of being indifferent to his mother's death, and a danger to society.
In contrast, when Meursault observes people's actions, he makes no judgements. His observations are passive, because he believes that there is no higher meaning to the universe with which to judge.
Describe what the courtroom symbolizes.
The court symbolizes the whole of society. The law represents the will of the people, and the jury is present to make a judgement that reflects the desire of the community. Camus strengthens this symbolism by having almost all of the minor characters from the first half of the novel re-appear as witnesses in the court.
The court's attempt to create a logical explanation for Meursault's crime symbolizes humanity's attempts to find rational explanations in an irrational universe.
What does the Crucifix, that the examining magistrate waves at Meursault, symbolize.
It represents the Christianity that opposes Camus's absurdist worldview. Absurdism is based on the idea that human life has no meaning, and Christianity is based on the belief that there is a rational order to the universe that is based on God's direction. Because Christianity believes that the order of the universe is rational, it also believes that mankind has a purpose.
It also symbolizes rational belief structures in a general sense. When the chaplain insists that Meursault accept God, it does not mean that he wants Meursault to accept Christianity. The chaplain simply wants him to accept a rational order.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Do you want my life to be meaningless?...I am a Christian. I ask him to forgive you your sins. How can you not believe that He suffered for you".
The Examining Magistrate says this to Meursault. This is the scene where the Examining Magistrate begins questioning Meursault's motives for killing The Arab, and then tries to get Meursault to accept God. The Magistrate even brandishes a crucifix in Meursault's face. Ultimately, Meursault rejects God.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"I know I was wrong to do it. But I couldn't refuse the cigarette when monsieur offered it to me".
The Caretaker is answering Meursault's defense lawyer at the trial. The defense lawyer asked The Caretaker whether he smoked a cigarette at Madame Meursault's funeral? This fact is used as evidence towards proving Meursault's indifference.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"The way I see it, it's bad luck. Everybody knows what bad luck is. It leaves you defenseless. And there it is! The way I see it, it's bad luck".
Celeste is answering the prosecutor's questions. This is Celeste's answer when the prosecutor asks Celeste what he thinks about Meursault's crime.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Gentlemen of the jury, the day after his mother's death, this man was out swimming, starting up a dubious liaison, and going to the movies, a comedy, for laughs. I have nothing further to say.
The prosecutor is speaking to the jury. He is using the examples in this quote as evidence that Meursault is indifferent and did not even mourn his own mother's death.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Come now, is my client on trial for burying his mother, or for killing a man?
Meursault's defense lawyer is objecting to the absurdity of the prosecutor's focus on the death of Madame Meursault.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"I accuse this man of burying his mother with crime in his heart!
The prosecutor is speaking to the jury, and is also answering the defense's objection to the questions about Meursault's mother. The prosecutor feels that Meursault's indifference towards his mother's death makes him a cold monster who should be found guilty.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"All I care about right now is escaping the machinery of justice, seeing if there's any way out of the inevitable. They've put me in a different cell. From this one, when I', stretched out on m
This quote is Meursault's narration of his thoughts after he has been sentenced to beheading, and led back to his cell. At this point, Meursault has not had the revelation of the meaningless universe, and the inevitability of death, that will give him the strength to face his execution.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Have you no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?
The Chaplain is asking Meursault this question. Meursault has constantly refused to see the Chaplain, but after Meursault is sentenced to death, the Chaplain comes to visit him anyway. The Chaplain tries to convince Meursault to accept God, but Meursault refuses.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Nothing, nothing mattered, and I knew why. So did he. Throughout the whole absurd life i'd lived, a dark wind had been rising toward me from somewhere deep in my future, across years that were
Meursault has flipped out in anger, and is yelling this at the Chaplain. This is when Meursault realizes that nothing matters, because everyone is fated to die. This meaninglessness makes his mother's love, other people's deaths, and his own impending execution meaningless. This also shows Meursault's rejection of the Chaplain's God as giving meaning to the universe.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Madame Meursault came to us three years ago. You were her sole support. You don't have to justify yourself, my dear boy. I've read your mother's file. You weren't able to provide for her prope
The Director of the Marengo home is saying this to Meursault, after his mother has passed away. It is ironic that the Director says that Meursault does not have to justify himself for putting his mother in the old person's home, because the director testifies against Meursault in court, and uses this very fact to judge Meursault.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Soon one of the women started crying. She was in the second row, hidden behind one of her companions, and I couldn't see her very well. She was crying softly, steadily, in little sobs. I thoug
Meursault is narrating his thoughts to the audience reading the novel. This passage shows how Meursault is emotionally detached, but very sensitive to the physical world. His emotional detachment is evidenced by the fact that he does not cry for his mother; in fact, when another person weeps for his mother, he is more concerned about how annoyed he is by the physical sensations of this woman's crying, his fatigue, and his hurting back than by feeling any emotion over his mother's death.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"I knew this lady...as a matter of fact, well, she was my mistress...To get back to what I was saying, I realized that she was cheating on me. He'd been giving her just enough to live on. He pa
Raymond Sintes is speaking to Meursault. He is telling Meursault that his mistress is cheating on him, and he talks about how he wants to punish her. He tells Meursault about the idea of writing her a letter to make her feel sorry for what she did, and causing her to come back to him. Then he says he would sleep with her, and at the last minute, spit at her and throw her out. Meursault agrees that this would be an effective punishment, and he writes the letter for Raymond
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"Lousy, stinking bastard!
Meursault hears Salamano yelling this at his mangy dog. This is a sharp contrast to the desperate sadness that Salamano feels when his dog goes missing.
Identify who said the quote to whom, and explain the context.
"She asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that I didn't think so.
Meursault is telling the reader that Marie asked if he loved her, and he is sharing his response. His response shows that he views human emotions as something that is meaningless. Meursault values physical sensations, and not human emotions.