The Stranger #5

              When Mersault discovers his fate with the guillotine, he finally begins to truly experience human emotion. It is only when he realizes his time will be cut short that he begins to care about the way he lives it. He develops priorities: "All I care about right now is escaping the machinery of justice" (108). He imagines freedom, and as he does so, "a wave of poisoned joy rose in my throat" (110). The word 'joy' has never been used in Mersault's life's narrative before this pivotal moment. He is learning to feel and to care, just in time for his execution. For once, he is suffering a consequence for an action that he did not take the time to consider. Had he realized that killing the Arab could most indefinitely end with the death penalty, he might not have followed through. Never before had he truly paid for his indifference towards making decisions. Showing Marie his indifference towards their relationship never caused her to leave him, so therefore he continued with that indifference. He always gets the best of each situation, even without putting any emotional effort into it. Now, he can fully appreciate his mistakes, now that he can never see Marie again or enjoy the freedom of long life.