The pace is slow, and no major plot developments are introduced. The narrative is weighted heavily on his reflections and his thought processing of matter, so there is minimal use of dialogue, and references to dialogue are quite formal. Despite his reflections, Meursault is reluctant to reveal his emotions. This accentuates his choppy, indifferent character that doesn’t seem to possess much sympathy. The atmosphere is gloomy, because the plot is revolving around the mother’s funeral. It is interesting to note that despite “the smell of petrol and the glare of the sky,” Meursault is sound asleep. Usually, if the sky is bright, it connotes to a positive atmosphere. However, Meursault interprets it in a pessimistic view, personifying the sky that “glares.” Furthermore, when a soldier kindly smiles and greets him, Meursault is inconsiderate of others’ kind initiative and merely ends the conversation in an abrupt “Yes.” His gesture suggests an anti-social behavior.
When Meursault reaches the village, he “wanted to see mother straight away.” However, he had to meet the warden. In a way, the need of a third-party to get him to see his own mother emphasizes the distant relationship he has had with his mother. The bright-eyed warden gave Meursault a warm encounter, holding his hand for a long time to show his support and condolences. Despite the good intentions of the warden, Meursault feels that every comment is targeted towards him in a condemning and reproaching manner. This is probably due to his guilt that derived from his inconsideration towards his mother in the past. He acknowledges that he had not taken well care of his mother, that when the warden comments that there is no need to make justifications under his circumstances, Meursault wants to and does believe that “[it] was true.”
His following digression describing his mother who only “[spends] all her time just watching me in silence,” conveys the amount of neglect he must have had towards her. He continues to interpret his mother’s crying in his own way, believing that she had merely had difficulties getting used to the new environment. Very soon, the reader realize that Meursault is a very selfish person, having no dedication towards his mother who has raised him! He was too ‘busy’ to see her, and merely makes up excuses that she would only cry when he did visit her.
Furthermore, Meursault is so parsimonious to the extent that he views the ticket fare as a waste of money! This portrays that he does not think his mother is worth much. It is very ironic that “every time one of the inmates dies the others feel uneasy for two to three days,” but the mother’s own son, Meursault is quite indifferent to the fact that his mother is dead! He compares the conversations of these ‘old people’ to a “muted chatter of budgerigars.” Firstly, the fact that he views them as animals suggests that he believes that he is superior to them. It is interesting, because this in turn exactly mirrors how he views his mother—an inferior being. Also, an ironic element is portrayed because the chatter of budgerigars implies an energetic connotation. Unlike a young and monotone gentleman Meursault is, the elders who are much older than him seem to have more energy!
In addition, the funeral arrangements are all made by “the home,” whereas one would usually expect the own family to make reservations and prepare for the funeral. It is unfortunate that Meursault had not even known that his other had become religious, even though she had “often mentioned to her friends.” In general, people are more willing to be open and embrace religion in hardship, and in this case, it suggests that the mother was going through many difficulties. Meursault did not care about his mother’s pains, but It may also imply that his mother didn’t consider him as “her friends.” Even at the end of the passage, Meursault doesn’t seem to regret over his foolishness. It almost seems as if he is mocking his mother who “had never given a thought to religion in her life” wanting a religious funeral.
The readers feel pity for Meursault for two different reasons: he has lost his mother, but more importantly, it is very sad that he still has not realized his terrible attitude towards his mother; Meursault has not developed a maturity level where he grasps this concept. Through this gloomy passage, Albert Camus successfully conveys to the readers of the importance of treating parents well, touching on other morals of selfishness and maturity. The importance of family over work is evidently stressed, accentuating on the theme that people should know what their values are. On the other hand, readers start to question what the role of emotion plays in individuals, and is left to reflect on the theme of remaining humane.
