Why Does Meursault Kill The Man?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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In The Stranger, Meursault kills the Arab for no apparent reason, which supports the novel's overall message that life has no order or meaning. The only reason that Meursault can give for why he murdered the man is that

the sun was shining in his eyes and making him uncomfortable just before he pulled the

trigger.

Does Meursault die in the stranger?


Meursault is found guilty and sentenced to by guillotine

. When asked whether he has anything to add, Meursault says no and is promptly taken away. Back in prison, Meursault refuses three times to see the chaplain.

Who does Meursault kill in the stranger?

In Albert Camus' book *The Stranger*, Meursault kills

a character known as “the Arab” for no real

reason at all. Meursault even acknowledges that he doesn't have to kill “the Arab” > It struck me that all I had to do was to turn, walk away, and think no> more about it.

Why did Meursault shoot 4 times?

When he shot the Arab four more times, it was

his attempt at feeling misery, or unhappiness

. Meursault thought that these attempts at emotion were good enough for the world to consider him a normal person.

Who dies in the stranger Camus?

In the stranger the death, appears on three occasions. First, there is death in the beginning when Mersaults mother dies, then in the middle of the book when Mersault kills

the Arab

and finally at the end of the book – Mersaults own death.

Is Meursault a good guy?

Meursault is

neither moral nor immoral

. Rather, he is amoral—he simply does not make the distinction between good and bad in his own mind.

Did Meursault get stabbed?

Raymond kills the Arab who stabbed him.

Meursault kills

the Arab who stabbed him.

Is Meursault innocent?

According to Camus, not only is Meursault innocent,

he is the only authentic person in his world

. His authenticity takes the form of immediate contact with existence, the only real certainty for Camus, in contrast with the false moral, religious and customary beliefs of ordinary people.

Did Meursault wanna die?


Meursault may be completely indifferent to his imminent death

, but somewhat paradoxically, he does appear to be concerned with maintaining his outsider status. That would help to explain why he expresses the wish that a large mob of unruly spectators turn up to his execution and greet him with cries of hate.

Is Meursault an existentialist?

Meursault is

the absurdist

, explaining the philosophy of existentialism: Man's isolation among an indifferent universe. There is no inherent meaning in life – its entire value lies in living itself. Meursault feels he has been happy, and longs to live.

What crime did Meursault commit?

Meursault is found guilty of

premeditated

and sentenced to death by guillotine.

Who gave Meursault the gun?

Analysis: Chapter 6

Reflecting on the moment when

Raymond

gave him the gun, Meursault says, “It was then that I realized you could either shoot or not shoot.” His comment implies that no difference exists between the two alternatives.

Why does Marie like Meursault?

She is attracted to Meursault

because he enjoys many things that she does and also because he is a little “different

.” When Meursault agrees to marry her, Marie is happy. … Marie is on the fringe of this novel, even though Meursault has agreed to marry her.

Is Meursault black?

Can the story work with Meursault as black?

Yes and no

. On one hand, it's difficult to reproduce the social dynamic Meursault inhabits in Camus's story with a black protagonist. Meursault belongs to the privileged class of French-occupied Algeria: the colonizer class.

Is Meursault autistic?

It was then found that Camus had based Meursault on his close friend Galindo, and a search was therefore made for evidence of Galindo's character; this revealed him to be an intelligent but odd person, who exhibited the characteristic impairment of social and personal behavior of

Asperger's syndrome

.

What does death mean in the stranger?

An essential part of Meursault's character development in the novel is his coming to terms with his own attitudes about death. At the end of the novel, he has finally embraced the idea that

death is the one inevitable fact of human life

, and is able to accept the reality of his impending execution without despair.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.