Meursault's indifference

"Cela m'était égal d'être son copain"
Meursault repeatedly professes that he does not mind about many things. He proves to be amoral in contrast to Sintes who we would consider to be immoral. Sintes' violence against his mistress perhaps render amorality in a good light by contrast.
"J'ai dit que cela m'était égal et que nous pourrions le faire si elle le voulait."
Again Meursault is indifferent when Marie says she wants to marry him, highlighting his lack of feeling and amorality.
"il n'y avait rien de changé"
Nothing has changed, though his mother is dead, he will go back to work and everything will resume.
"oui comme tout le monde"
When asked if he liked his mother Meursault agrees he did. However he does not accept the natural human behaviour of grieving for her and therefore the court are outraged

Meursault and Religion

"il me restait peu de temps. Je ne voulais pas le perdre avec Dieu."
It is evident that Meursault believes God will waste his time.
"Voulez-vous, s’est-il exclamé, que ma vie n’ait pas de sens?"
The chaplain cannot accept Meursault's rejection of the Christian meaning of life.

Meursault as L'Homme Absurd

Loss of ambition = "Quand j'étais étudiant, j'avais beaucoup d'ambitions de ce genre. Mais quand j'ai du abandonner mes études, j'ai tres vite compris que tout cela était sans importance réelle."
Failure to see connections
Shooting: the four extra shots = what do they represent? Heightened conviction or emphasis meaningless of action??
Reflections in prison = acceptance of limitations and or death
Realisation of proximity of death
Verbal attack of prison chaplain

	Created by Faith Summon over 9 years ago

Undergraduate French (L'etranger) Note on L'étranger- Key quotes, created by Faith Summon on 15/05/2015.