The Stranger - Blogpost 2

After reading more than half of the book, Mersault has finally reached his climax of grief. He finally admits his emotions and lets his feelings be known by others. Nobody really knows why he killed the Arab, but when he is testifying in front of the judge in chapter 2 part 2 he states: “…that for the first time in years I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all these people hated me” (89-90). Since the beginning of the book Mersault did not show one bit of emotion. He was very neutral and did not enjoy much of what he was doing at any time. He did what his life leads him to do; he had no control over what happened in his life. He did everything because he had to do it, not because he wanted to do it. For example when Maman died, he went to her funeral just because he had to go and offer his kindness. He did not like being there one bit; he only went to the ceremony because he had to go and if he did not do so then what would his society think of him?

After killing the Arab at the end of chapter 6 part 1, Mersault has gained his character and is beginning to realize many things he hadn’t before. When he is locked up in the prison he realizes that his freedom is very limited compared to the way it was before. He cannot do anything that he wanted to do; before ending up in prison he never realized his freedom. He really misses his girlfriend Marie, and he is realizing this after he ends up in jail. Before this incident Mersault acted as if Marie was some item in his life. He would use her when he desired her love, but after a while he would treat her as if she had no feelings. Now when he is locked up in jail and Marie visits him he wants to touch her, he notices many things about her that he did not before: “All I could see was the sparkle of her teeth and the little folds of her eyes.” (75) When Mersault spent his time with Marie he only noticed the things that were sexual about her, now he actually realizes what love is really about. Mersault has changed a lot when digging deeper into his emotions and love for Marie. When he is taken away from the real world and locked up in a jail cell he realizes what he had and how everything has changed compared to the way everything was before in his life.