To: Mrs. Hesse
From: Audrey Attardo
Date: 11 February 2002
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Word Count: 557
- Synopsis: Meursault, Marie, Raymond got ready to do down to the beach. Raymond tells Meursault that a group of Arabs is stalking him, one of which is his mistress’s brother. They got on the bus and headed for the beach. When they get there, Raymond takes them to meet his friend Masson and shows them his beach house. Marie, Meursault, and Masson decide to go for a swim. They got hungry and went in for lunch. After lunch, Meursault, Raymond, and Masson went for a walk on the beach. While walking they see the same group of Arabs. Being provoked by one of the men, Raymond began fighting. The Arabs eventually run off and Raymond is badly cut. Later that day, they go for another walk, see the Arabs, but don’t start anything with them. Then while going back to the bungalow, Meursault sees “Raymond’s man” and, with Raymond’s gun, shoots and kills him. Meursault is arrested then questioned by an attorney. Afterwards, he is taken before the examining magistrate where he is investigated on how and why he did what he did along with his religious beliefs.
- Figurative Language: There is an instance in chapter six, in which Camus uses a series of metaphors to depict the situation. It begins with a simile. Meursault states, “The light shot off the steel and it was like a long flashing blade cutting at my forehead.” Meursault goes on to say that, “[his] eyes were blinded behind the curtain of tears,” that “all he could feel were cymbals of sunlight crashing on his forehead” and the “dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of him.“ This long string of comparisons helps portray Meursault’s confusion and adds to the complexity of the scene, and his thoughts.
- Setting: Camus uses the weather to portray Meursault’s feelings and
