Meursault’s relationship with mother must have been distant, as there was no show of any kind of emotion during the funeral or the time surrounding. This would be hard to accept in our society as it would be deemed normal to be upset or show signs of emotion after hearing of any death let alone a family member. ‘I’m very fond of white coffee, so I accepted and he came back a few minutes later with a tray. I drank. I then wanted a cigarette.’ The fact that Meursault then drank coffee and smoked, whilst with his dead mother emphasizes even more how different he is behaving compared to what is considered normal.
Meursaults responses to his mother’s death after the funeral do not have anymore emotion than when he fist found out about her death, “I realized that…mother was buried…and that, after all, nothing had changed.” Céleste feels sorry for Meursault before he goes to the funeral and says, “There’s no one like a mother,” This is the kind of response expected after someone mother has died. Salamano naturally expected Meursault to be upset but Meursault finds it almost strange to presume such a thing “He seemed to assume that I’d been very unhappy ever since mother had died and I didn’t say anything.”
The different responses to the death of Mrs Meursault from Meursault himself and the other smaller characters would have been far greater in the forties than now and Meursaults views would have been seen as utterly shocking..
Meursault believes that all he said and did was logical and this is the only way the reader is able to in some way understand his actions, and then realize that there is nothing wrong in presuming that his life has not changed as a result of his mother’s death.
The next mention of death occurs in a different context, murder. The murder is carried out by the protagonist, Meursault. The victim is an Arab with an unknown name, who Meursault knows from his friend. Meursault realizes that he has done wrong,, “I realized I’d destroyed the balance of the day.”Other than that comment Meursault responds with a lack of concern and sympathy. Even when he is being tried for murder Meursault is in no way repentant, or sad about what he has done, “Rather than true regret, I felt a kind of annoyance.” Everyone involved in the murder case is unable to understand the motives, as the murder seemed unprovoked
Meursault is asked about his mother, “if I’d [Meursault] felt any grief on that day,” ignoring the murder talking about Meursault’s mother’s funeral. They are unable to identify with Meursault and the fact he felt no emotions about the death of a family member, “a man whose heart is so empty that it forms a chasm which threatens to engulf society.” Society in general seeks answers to everything
The third death is Meursault’s execution. Meursault eventually realizes the full meaning of death but shows existentialist views that, “life wasn’t worth living,” and, “t doesn’t matter very much whether you die at thirty or at seventy…it was still me who was dying.” Following the announcement that he is going to be beheaded, Meursault thinks about death and if Marie is dead, during his thoughts on death he shows no sadness about the though of Marie dead and feels the same way about his forthcoming execution.
Meursault believes that everything he has done in his life was wise and logical. Therefore when reading the novel, the statements and actions Meursault carries out become more understandable and reasonable as the novel progresses. By the end the reader can accept his views even if society in the novel could not.