compare chapter 2( meeting Marie) to chapter 1 ( the funeral). How do these two chapters contrast?

THere really isn't much contrast here. Meursault remains rather indifferent to his mother's death. Meursault sees his mother's death as a natural progression of life having no significant impact on the world. His heavy use of irony suggests that everything that humans are so emotionally invested in are pointless. Instead Meursault is more interested in the particulars of the day. In chapter one Meursault is interested in the caretaker's theory on dead bodies decomposing in the heat. In chapter two he contemplates why his boss did not want to let him take a long weekend off. Both chapters are very matter of fact which sets the tone of our protagonist.

There really isn't much contrast here. Meursault remains rather indifferent to his mother's death. Meursault sees his mother's death as a natural progression of life having no significant impact on the world. His heavy use of irony suggests that everything that humans are so emotionally invested in are pointless. Instead Meursault is more interested in the particulars of the day. In chapter one Meursault is interested in the caretaker's theory on dead bodies decomposing in the heat. In chapter two he contemplates why his boss did not want to let him take a long weekend off. Both chapters are very matter of fact which sets the tone of our protagonist.

If you didn't know what protagonist means, here's the def:

A protagonist is the main character who faces many conflicts that eventually add up to the resolution and all that.

There really isn't much contrast here. Meursault remains rather indifferent to his mother's death. Meursault sees his mother's death as a natural progression of life having no significant impact on the world. His heavy use of irony suggests that everything that humans are so emotionally invested in are pointless. Instead Meursault is more interested in the particulars of the day. In chapter one Meursault is interested in the caretaker's theory on dead bodies decomposing in the heat. In chapter two he contemplates why his boss did not want to let him take a long weekend off. Both chapters are very matter of fact which sets the tone of our protagonist.

If you didn't know what protagonist means, here's the def:

A protagonist is the main character who faces many conflicts that eventually add up to the resolution and all that.

Besides, it's such a word really.