The novel is set primarily in Algiers, after it has been invaded and colonized by the French. The narrative proclaims the dark humor and the pessimism of the younger generation that resents the French presence in Algeria. Since the novel was written after World War I and before the outbreak of World War II, a sense of absurdity and hopelessness is visible throughout the book. The book is also set in a small beach town outside of Algiers. It is on the beach that Mersault kills the Arab.
The Stranger is told in the first person point of view and traces the development of the narrator's attitude toward himself and the rest of the world. In Part I, Meursault decides to mention only concrete facts, he describes objects and people, but makes no attempt to analyze them. In part II, when he is forced to confront his past and reflect on his experiences, he attempts to understand the reasons for existence. At first, Meursault makes references to his inability to understand what's happening around him, but often what he tells us seems the result of his own indifference or detachment. He is frequently inattentive to his surroundings. His mind wanders in the middle of conversations.
The Stranger is written in two parts: the first part begins with the death of Meursault’s mother and ends with his murder of the Arab. The second part deals with Mersault’s imprisonment, trial, and sentence. The exposition of the story is when his mom dies and he goes to the funeral. The rising action begins on Saturday after the funeral, when Mersault goes swimming, meets Marie, takes her to a movie, and makes love to her, and ends the day he kills the Arab. The preliminary climax occurs when Mersault fires a shot at the Arab and kills him. He then fires four more shots for no real reason. The falling action of the plot centers on Mersault’s waiting to be executed. He learns a new appreciation for the little thins in life and is delighted when he is spared another day. The denouement of The Stranger takes place when Meursault is imprisoned and realizes that the world is meaningless, therefore he is content that he is going to die and end his meaningless life.
The images of sunlight and heat are prevalent throughout the book as symbols. For example, during his mother’s burial, Meursault is unable to concentrate on the funeral rituals because he is so miserable in the glaring sun and intense heat. Meursault confesses that he killed the Arab because of the sun. Lastly, he is greatly affected by the heat of the courtroom that he cannot concentrate on the proceedings or formulate appropriate responses to the questions being asked. His mother’s funeral can be taken as a symbol since it is repeated throughout the novel foreshadowing both the death of Meursault and that of the meaningless world. The courtroom symbolizes society as a whole who tries to find rational explanations for the irrational events of the world.
The absurdity of life can be seen as a major theme in The Stranger. Meursault works as a shipping clerk performing monotonous and mundane tasks, which he does not like. He tries to fill his weekends with activity, but often finds himself walking around his apartment, smoking, and staring out into his neighborhood. When he does form a relationship with Marie, it has no meaning to him. He tells her that he can never love her, for love is too vague of an emotion; he will, however, marry her if she insists. His relationship with Raymond is equally absurd. Even though he knows his neighbor is a violent pimp, he allows himself to become involved in his problems, for he feels it makes no difference. In the end, he winds up killing the brother of Raymond’s Arab girlfriend, even though he did not really intend to murder him. Since he shows no remorse or emotion over the murder of the Arab, the death of his mother, or anything else in life, the jury decides that Mersault is unfit to live and convicts him to death by the guillotine. His absurd existence comes to an absurd end.
Meursault in Camus’ The Stranger demonstrates being an insensitive and careless man. He shows his lack of sensitivity when at his mother’s funeral he does not show any emotion towards her death; instead, he describes his surroundings and the people attending the vigil. Also, his relationship with Marie has no meaning to him. He tells her that he can never love her, for love is too vague of an emotion; he will, however, marry her if she insists. He demonstrates a careless behavior when he accepts to help Raymond “punish” his mistress. He displays a hasty behavior he decides to kill the Arab for no reason and when he is imprisoned he shows no remorse for the murder. Meursault is so involved in what he hears and sees that he is indifferent to what is essential.