The Stranger Outline

Thesis: The indifference demonstrated by Mersault's narrative, as well as the tendency for others to try to construct meaning of his actions, illustrate Camus' ultimate absurdist message.

1. Physical needs vs emotional needs
   
   • "I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings" (65)
     Mersault tries to tell his lawyer the reasons why he was quite withdrawn and insincere in the most honest fashion. He shows his complete emotional indifference, stating that he felt more tired than sad at the funeral of his mother. The lawyer is not satisfied with his answer, as he knows how ruthless the trial will be. Most of the characters of the book presume his lack of emotion was due to his heartlessness, filling in information that makes sense in the shadow of a murder trial. However, Camus tries to hint at the idea that sometimes everyday life can cause repetitive exhaustion that then leads to questioning the meaning of life. Mersault lives a life where he does not assess his emotions, losing sight of priorities and feeling.
   • "The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes. That's when everything began to reel...My being tenses and I squeezed my hand around the revolver. The trigger gave" (59)
     Mersault is faced with severe physical discomfort as he approaches the Arab on the scorching beach. Mersault cannot ignore the amount of strain the sun's glare is putting on his eyes, and the only way to stop the pain is to kill the one producing it: the Arab. Once in trial, Mersault declares that the reason for committing his convicted murder was because of the sun. He does not put meaning to his actions and emotionally detaches himself from the decision he has made. His physical needs in the case of the beach were to stop the glare from reaching his eyes, and they overpowered his ability to bring emotion and reason into his fateful mistake. Mersault does not try to formulate a meaning or motive to his murder in his absurdist ways. The four extra shots fired also lead the reader and the court to construct meaning when really none is explained.
     
2. Relationships with others
   • "Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn't make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to" (41)
     The way Mersault meets Marie's interest with such indifference shows his lack of priorities and knowledge of the meaning of life. To Mersault, a future of neutrality is satisfying, and that is enough for him. There is no meaning ti assess or brightness to look forward to for him. Meanwhile, Marie constructs meaning from his actions. She perceives them in different perspectives to try to make sense of him but finds it very frustrating to. Mersault is indifferent to her and her feelings that result from his actions.
   • Mersault interacts with two parallel relationships of abuse and reacts to them the same way as he does the rest of life. When he sees Salomano treating his dog roughly, he does not intervene and treats it as a normality. The reader can assess his lack of values for the well-being of domesticated animals, but it can be said that such lack can be common. When Mersault befriends Raymond, he discovers that the man beats his girlfriend due to suspicions of cheating. Mersault treats the severe situation with the same indifference, tellings Raymond on the subject that he "didn't think anything but that it was interesting" (32). The calm detachment leads one to believe that Mersault thinks of the woman and the dog as equally insignificant. With the absurdist belief that life has no meaning, he finds himself staying neutral throughout. He does not adhere to objective values, especially since the dog and the woman do not impact him in any way.