The Stranger: Meursault’s Virtues? Sam Bennett 10th Grade

Meursault, the main character in Albert Camus’s The Stranger, is an intriguing individual with a complicated relationship to the world around him. He is curious by nature, and often wonders about the reality and purpose of the situations he finds himself in. He frequently ponders whether or not an interaction is “natural.” What he means by this remains unclear as the story progresses, but we can infer that he is trying to examine the normalcy of daily situations, and whether or not they are valuable—whether or not the interactions actually matter. As a non-religious skeptic, Meursault is rather critical of our existence. Meursault is unique—he follows a unique routine, and has a unique outlook on life. Instead of merely judging him for being different than most people and condemning his violent mentality, we should learn from him instead.

Throughout most of the beginning of the story, Meursault leads a rather normal life. He is, however, more reserved than most people. He is unfazed by the death of his mother, who had already been in a retirement home for a long period of time before her passing. But he is noticeably uncaring; Meursault seems to perceive his mother’s funeral as an obligation more than a celebration to honor her...