PART ONE
Chapter 1
Summary
The narrative begins with the death of Mersault’s mother. It is a crucial beginning, for through the reaction to her death, Mersault reveals much about himself.
Because of his employment, Mersault, who serves as the narrator of the novel, is unable to attend to and support his mother at home. As a result, he sends her to the Home for Aged Persons at Marengo. At the time that Mersault receives a telegram stating that his mother has died, she had been in the home for three years. In order to make funeral arrangements; Mersault takes leave from his office for two days. He plans to ride the bus to Marengo, which is fifty miles away from Algiers. Before departing, Mersault has lunch at Celeste's Restaurant. He also goes to borrow a black tie and mourning band from his friend Emmanuel.
As soon as he arrives at the Home for the Aged, Mersault requests to see his mother. He is led to the mortuary, where the body of his mother is already laid in a coffin. Although the lid of the coffin is closed, it has not been permanently shut. When the attendant goes to open the lid, Mersault suddenly stops him, saying that he no longer wants to see his dead mother. The attendant then explains that the burial will take place early the next morning in order to avoid the excessive heat of the day.
Leaving the mortuary, Mersault goes out amongst some of the residents of the Home.
When he observes one woman crying, he learns that she is weeping over the death of his mother, who was her good friend. He also learns about Thomas Perez with whom his mother had developed a close emotional bond.
The next day, the funeral rites are performed according to his mother's wishes. Although Mersault finds the heat unbearable, he manages to sit calmly through the entire ritual; however, he experiences no sense of loss and does not shed a tear. At the end of the day, he is ready to return home, for he is hot and completely exhausted. In contrast to Mersault, Perez is deeply affected by the funeral. His wrinkled face is covered with tears. Chapter 2
Summary
One Saturday Mersault decides to go for a swim and meets Marie Cardona, who used to work as a typist in his office. After they swim together, Mersault asks Marie out for a movie in the evening. They decide to go and see a comedy starring Fernandel. During the evening, Mersault tells Marie about his mother's death.
After the movie, Mersault and Marie return to his place. After making love, Marie stays over for the night, but she leaves on Sunday morning before Mersault wakes. When Mersault finally gets out of bed, he tries to relax, but finds that he is restless and bored. He walks around his apartment, reads an old newspaper, smokes, and gazes out on the neighborhood. He also realizes that nothing has really changed in his life after his mother’s death. His Sunday routine is the same as always, and at the end of the day, he is glad to have gotten through it. He sees his life as meaningless, just as he saw his mother’s death as meaningless.
Notes
Since Mersault is a bachelor with no responsibilities, he is used to spending his weekends in a leisurely manner. In this chapter, set on the Saturday and Sunday after the funeral, he follows the same pattern, with no thought or grief for his mother. On Saturday morning, he decides to go for a swim and meets Marie Cardona, who used to work in his office. In the evening, they go to a movie, which is a comedy. Mersault then asks Marie back to his place, where they have sex. After she spends the night, Marie leaves on Sunday morning, and Mersault tries to relax, but he finds he is restless and bored. When he finally thinks about his mother’s death, he seems unemotional and states that nothing has really changed in his life since she passed away.
Mersault appears to lack emotional ties or sensitivity towards human relationships. He has no feelings of sadness or loss over his mother’s death, which occurred earlier in the week. Even though he should be in a period of mourning, he behaves as if nothing has happened.
After her funeral on Friday, he decides to go for a swim on Saturday. When he meets Marie, he asks her to a movie and then brings her back to his place to spend the night; but his relationship with Marie means nothing to him. Because of Mersault’s lack of emotion, there will be an underlying current of alienation, hopelessness, and uncertainty throughout the novel.
Chapter 3
Summary
On Monday Mersault returns to work. His co-workers express their condolences and ask about the funeral. When someone inquires about the age of his mother, Mersault realizes that he has no idea how old she was. It was never important to him. As a result, he answers the question by stating that she was around sixty.
When he meets Emmanuel in order to go and have lunch, the two of them do something really irrational, for they run and jump onto a fast moving firetruck, just for the fun of it. Almost like children, they are proud of their accomplishment. It is a relief from the boredom of the office. After lunch, Mersault goes back to his office and completes a tiring day. When he returns home after work, he encounters Salamano, his neighbor. He is an old man, who lives alone with his old dog, a spaniel that has developed some kind of skin disease. Both dog and owner are a terrible sight, for they are hairless and scabby. Even though Salamano walks the dog every morning and evening, he treats him in such a disgusting manner that everybody in the neighborhood calls it a "crying shame." Mersault, however, does not condemn Salamano for beating the dog, for he feels the dog would run away if he were dissatisfied in any way.
Before entering his apartment, Mersault also encounters Raymond Sintes, another neighbor, who works as a pimp. No one in the neighborhood likes him because of his occupation and his intense, sometimes violent, personality. Mersault, however, does not care about Raymond’s personal life and has developed a casual friendship with him. When Raymond tells Mersault about just beating up a man until he was "bleeding like a pig," Mersault is unaffected by the story.
When Raymond asks Mersault to come over for dinner, he accepts the invitation. As they eat, Raymond explains that he has learned that his girlfriend is having a relationship with another man. As a result, he plans to throw her out of his apartment, beat her up, and write a letter to her that will make her repent. Raymond asks Mersault to write the letter on his behalf. Finding the whole issue interesting, Mersault agrees to write the letter, which he finishes before returning to his apartment.
Chapter 4
Summary
This chapter deals with the relationship between Mersault and Marie and the consequences of Raymond’s sending the letter to his girl friend. Marie and Mersault spend their next Saturday morning on the beach outside Algiers. Marie asks Mersault whether he loves her. Mersault answers that such questions do not mean anything to him. He believes that love is too abstract and vague an emotion to think about. When they leave the beach, they return to Mersault’s apartment to make love. They soon hear a female screaming in Raymond’s apartment. Mersault realizes that Raymond is beating his girlfriend, as he promised to do. Marie wants to go out and see what is happening. When she sees the Arab woman being repeatedly hit, she feels that they should call the police. Mersault, in characteristic fashion, is unconcerned about the girl’s welfare. He refuses to summon the police, for he does not like policemen and does not want to get involved, even though he is responsible for writing the letter that led to the fight.
A short while later, a policeman arrives and begins to interrogate Raymond. He accuses Raymond of being drunk and warns him to stay indoors until he is summoned to the police station. After things are quiet again, Mersault and Marie sit down to have their lunch. Marie has lost her appetite and cannot eat a bite; however, Mersault, seemingly unbothered by the earlier fight, easily finishes his food. After Marie leaves, Mersault talks to Raymond, who is concerned about Mersault's personal feelings towards him. In a typically non-committal way, Mersault tries to reassure Raymond that he is unconcerned about the fight. Mersault even agrees to be a witness in Raymond’s defense, testifying that the girlfriend provoked Raymond.
Salamano approaches Mersault to say that he has lost his dog and questions Mersault about where the dog could possibly be. Mersault tries to pacify the old man by saying the dog will surely be found. Later, however, Mersault hears Salamano weeping in his apartment. The crying makes Mersault think about his own dead mother. Then realizing that he is tired from the events of the day, Mersault goes directly to bed without eating dinner.
Notes
Much important information is presented in this chapter. Marie is obviously very attached to Mersault, but he seems to have few feelings for her. When she wants to know if he loves her, the non-committal Mersault responds that he does not think about love, for it is too vague of an emotion. His response is not surprising, for he seems unwilling to commit himself to anything. When Raymond’s Arab girlfriend is being beaten, Mersault refuses to call the police, for he says he does not want to get involved and does not like policemen.
Because it is out of character for him, it is surprising that Mersault agrees to be a witness for Raymond and testify that the girlfriend provoked him to his actions. Without realizing it, Mersault is slowly being drawn into Raymond’s drama, which will later prove to be catastrophic in his life. It is also surprising that Mersault thinks about his dead mother when he hears Salamano weeping over his lost dog. When he goes to bed without eating dinner, the reader senses that Mersault has some emotions.
Chapter 5
Summary
On Monday, Mersault feels glad that his Sunday was less monotonous that normal. He does not look forward to another week of boredom at work, where he will perform his routine tasks without interest. Despite the monotony on his work as a shipping clerk, Mersault is a good employee. He is annoyed that Raymond telephones him at work, for he does not think personal phone calls during business hours are appropriate. Raymond informs Mersault that he is concerned about his girlfriend’s brother following him. He also invites Mersault and Marie to spend Sunday with him at his friend's house, just outside Algiers. Mersault eagerly accepts the invitation for he likes the beach and swimming. They are one of the few things that give him pleasure in life.
Mersault’s boss summons him to his office. Mersault is sure that he is going to be criticized for the personal phone call from Raymond about which he feels guilty. Mersault is, therefore, surprised when he is offered a promotion, which will mean a move to Paris. When Mersault says he has no desire to go to Paris, largely because the sun rarely shines, his boss seems angry and accuses Mersault of lacking ambition. Mersault reflects on the fact that he once had ambition, until he was forced to leave his studies behind. Since then, he has been indifferent about his life.
After work, Mersault meets Marie. When she brings up the subject of their getting married, Mersault expresses complete indifference. He states that he does not believe that marriage is a serious issue; therefore, if she insists on getting married, he probably will not object to it. Mersault then tells Marie about his employer offering him a position in Paris. Marie thinks it would be divine to be married and live in Paris. In contrast, Mersault cares about neither.
After Marie departs, Mersault goes to Celeste’s Restaurant to have dinner. A woman comes and sits at his table. As soon as she orders her food, she puts the money for it on the table, including the tip. She then eats her food with gusto. Mersault thinks of her as a "little robot." Since they both finish dinner at about the same time, Mersault follows her for awhile, but he soon loses sight of her and heads home. The next time he sees the woman, she is an observer at his trial.
As Mersault is just about to enter his apartment, Salamano calls him. When Mersault enters Salamano’s apartment, the old man tells him that he has been to the pound to look for his dog, but with no luck. Mersault then listens as Salamano talks about his dog and his past life. The old man reveals that he had worked for the railroad and had married late.
After his wife died eight years ago, he took the spaniel, a gift from a friend, as his companion. Salamano states that the dog was beautiful before it developed the skin disease. The old man then mentions that Mersault's mother liked the dog. He also tells Mersault that people criticized him behind his back for sending his mother to the Home for the Aged and for not being more upset over her death. The news surprises for Mersault, for he feels that sending his mother to the home was an absolutely normal thing. He tells Mersault that he felt his mother was better off in the home since he was at work all day. He believed she would have better care and could make friends at the old folk's home. Salamano assures Mersault that he understands his decision and has his sympathy. Mersault shakes the old man’s hand and departs.
Chapter 6
Summary
On Saturday evening, Mersault goes to the police station and testifies on Raymond’s behalf, as promised. The police believe his testimony that the Arab girl provoked the fight and free Raymond of the charges, only giving him a warning. Afterwards, Mersault spends the night with Marie at his apartment. Both of them are looking forward to the trip to the beach on Sunday morning. The next morning, however, Mersault is in a bad mood and not feeling well. He ironically says "it was one of those mornings when I should have stayed in bed." In sharp contrast to Mersault’s mood, Marie is filled with excitement and gaiety. As she tries to get him out of bed, she accuses him of looking "like a mourner at a funeral," an ironic description for a man who did not mourn at his own mother’s funeral. The day, however, will prove to be the day of Mersault’s symbolic funeral, the end of his life as a free man.
Mersault and Marie accompany Raymond to the station to board the bus to his friend’s beach house. On the way, the heat and glare of the morning sun bother Mersault, who usually enjoys the outdoors; in contrast, Marie calls it "a heavenly day." Before boarding the bus, Raymond and Mersault notice some Arabs watching them. Raymond says that one of them is the brother of his girlfriend that he had beaten. Marie insists that they board the bus immediately. Throughout the journey, Raymond hides his nervousness by making jokes in order to amuse Marie. He also constantly keeps looking back to make sure the Arab men are not following him, revealing that Raymond is tense and afraid. When they finally arrive at their destination, the three of them walk to the beach and find the wooden bungalow of Raymond’s friend.
Raymond introduces Masson and his wife to Mersault and Marie. The visitors then go for a swim, which Marie and Mersault fully enjoy. Feeling much better, Mersault naps for a while on the beach. After Marie wakes him, they swim again before having lunch. After eating, Masson proposes a short walk around the beach. He, Mersault, and Raymond leave the house, and the women stay behind to clean the dishes. Mersault comments on the glare of the noontime sun and notices the heat rising from the rocks.
As the men are strolling in the sand, Mersault suddenly spies two Arabs approaching them. As they get close to the Arabs, a fight breaks out. As Masson and Raymond hit the Arabs, Mersault looks on. When Mersault notices that one of the Arabs has a knife, he warns Raymond, but it is too late. The Arab slashes Raymond’s arms and his mouth. The Arabs then depart, keeping the three men at bay with their knife. Masson takes Raymond to the doctor for treatment, and Mersault is left at the bungalow with the women, who are clearly upset. Mersault says little about what has happened; instead, he stares out at the beach.
Part II
Chapter 1
Summary
Mersault is taken into custody by the police and formally questioned about his identity and various other things. The whole procedure bores him, and he pays more attention to the details of his physical surroundings than he does to his interrogation. A week later Mersault is questioned by an examining magistrate, who possesses a "distinct curiosity" about Mersault; it is obvious to the magistrate that Mersault is not the typical criminal. Mersault pays little attention to the questions and answers them all with honesty; at the same time he notices the curtains, the armchair, and the lamp that make the space seem like a living room. During the proceedings he judges the whole thing to be "like a game." It is clear that Mersault is not the least bit concerned about his charges and does not feel the need to hire a lawyer; he believes his case is straightforward and unproblematic. The magistrate, however, appoints a lawyer for him. As the magistrate prepares to leave, Mersault, for seemingly the first time, realizes that he has killed a man.
Mersault’s court appointed lawyer comes to introduce himself and question his client. It is clear that he has already studied the case and Mersault’s background. He states that he knows about Mersault’s mother’s death at Merango and about Mersault’s outward indifference to it. When the lawyer asks him whether he felt grief about the passing of his mother, Mersault is embarrassed, for he would never ask such a personal question to anyone. Mersault, however, manages to give a reply, stating that although he was fond of his mother, it was natural to expect the death of an aged loved one. The response greatly disturbs the lawyer, who warns Mersault not to say any such thing in the future, especially in the courtroom. Mersault tries to explain his feelings - or lack of them. He states that on the day of his mother’s funeral, the heat was terrible, and he felt exhausted. Then, as an afterthought, he adds that he would rather not have his mother dead. The lawyer seems to be taken aback by Mersault’s indifferent attitude and knows that it will be difficult for him to defend a man who has committed a murder without any motive, especially when that man has no emotions about his mother’s death.
Mersault argues that his mother’s death has no bearing on the murder charges leveled against him. The lawyer responds that the opposition is certain to use the information against Mersault. The head of the Home for the Aged and some of the staff will probably be called as witnesses to testify about Mersault’s attitude and behavior towards his mother and her funeral. The lawyer encourages Mersault to say that he always worked to control his emotions about his mother. Mersault, of course, is unwilling to say such a thing, for he states that he does not lie. When the lawyer finally takes his leave, Mersault feels that he should have been more amiable and tried to convince the lawyer that he was an ordinary person. Of course, everyone who comes into contact with Mersault knows that he is not ordinary. Even Marie has said that she probably fell in love with him because he was odd.
The following afternoon Mersault is taken in for questioning without his lawyer. The Magistrate tells him that he can reserve his answers until his lawyer is present, but Mersault opts to answer for himself. He makes no attempt to negate the Magistrate’s charge that he is a "taciturn and self-centered person." The Magistrate cannot believe that Mersault is so naïve and answers his questions with such honesty and bluntness.
The magistrate asks Mersault to again explain the events surrounding the murder. Although he is annoyed that he is being asked to repeat the story again and again, Mersault tells everything that happened on the beach that day. When the magistrate questions him as to why he fired five consecutive shots at the Arab, Mersault corrects him by saying that there was a pause after the first shot. The Magistrate insists on an answer as to why he fired four more shots at the prostrate body, but Mersault says nothing. Holding out a silver crucifix, the Magistrate asks Mersault whether he believes in God. Mersault does not answer him, but talks about other things. The Magistrate asks his question again
When Mersault indicates that he does not believe in God, the Magistrate is shocked. He then tells Mersault that all criminals weep on seeing the crucifix; however, Mersault refuses to accept himself as criminal, even thought the magistrate considers him to the coldest criminal he has ever seen.
There are so many additional questioning sessions involving the lawyer, the Magistrate, and Mersault during the next eleven months that Mersault begins to think of the group as a family. There are even moments when he finds himself enjoying the proceedings. He especially likes it when the Magistrate calls him "Mr. Antichrist."
Chapter 2
Summary
When Mersault realizes that his cell may be his last home, he begins to detest the confines of the prison and refuses to think or talk about the circumstances. Although he has very few visitors, he does receive a letter from Marie. She explains that she has been denied permission to visit him in the future because she is not his wife.
Mersault gives an account of his life in prison. Initially he is put in a cell with some Arabs, but he is then moved into a single cell. One day while he is straining to see the sea from his cell window, Marie appears for her one and only visit. They must meet in the visitor’s room, a large room divided into three compartments. Some of the Arab prisoners are already in the visitor’s room and talk in loud voices. Marie and Mersault try to converse over the din made by the Arabs, but it is difficult. Marie does manage to express a hope that Mersault will be set free so that they can be married. Mersault has trouble accepting that he is a prisoner and continues to think like a free man. He resents having to sleep on a plank bed, which sometimes gives him splinters. He finds it difficult "to kill time" and usually feels totally bored. To pass the time, he learns to think about his past, including his sexual encounters that gave him pleasure. He also pictures every detail of his apartment in his mind, including the dents and scratches. He longs for a cigarette, but he is not allowed to smoke. He yearns to go to the beach for a swim and is tormented by the fact that he cannot. When he starts feeling hopeless, Mersault remembers his mother’s idea that anyone can become accustomed to anything. He struggles to become accustomed to his loss of liberty.
Mersault narrates a story that he reads in the "bit of newspaper stuck to the underside of the bed." A young man leaves home to earn money. He returns after twenty-five years with a large fortune. He leaves his wife and child in another inn and lodges himself in the hotel run by his mother and sister under an assumed name. His family does not recognize him. After he shows them the large sum of money he possesses, they kill him and throw his body in the river. The next day his wife and child come to the hotel and reveal his identity. His mother is so distressed over what she has done that she hangs herself, and the sister throws herself in the well. Mersault does not have a normal reaction to the story; instead, he comments that the young man was asking for trouble.
When the guard tells Mersault that he has been in prison for six months, Mersault is shocked, for he has lost all sense of time. He has noticed, however, that he has been talking to himself more. He also thinks his face always has a mournful expression on it.
Chapter 3
Summary
Mersault’s trial takes place in the last court session in June, almost a year after the murder occurred. The day is bright and filled with sunshine, symbolizing that Mersault still has some hope. When his lawyer tells him that the trial should not last for more than two to three days, Mersault also takes that as a good sign.
Mersault waits outside the courtroom until he is called inside. When he enters, he is surprised to see that there is a huge crowd, including many journalists, on hand to hear his case; he acknowledges that he has never received much attention before. Once he takes the stand, Mersault looks at the jury and feels that they are looking at him like a criminal; it is hard for him to understand that his group of strangers will be analyzing his life and assessing his guilt. They make him feel like a stranger, even unto himself.
The proceedings begin with the judge promising to be impartial and to handle the trial in "the spirit of justice." The list of witnesses is then called and includes Raymond, Masson, Salamano, the Warden from the Home, Thomas Perez, and Marie. Of course, Mersault is the first person to be called to the witness stand. The judge initially asks him routine questions about his name, occupation, and the charge against him. The first real question that Mersault is asked is about his reason for sending his mother away to the Home for the Aged. His truthful explanation makes him seem like a cold, uncaring person. Mersault is then asked whether he went to the stream with the intention of killing the Arab. Once again his answer seems to point to his guilt. Mersault then suddenly realizes that all the people in the courtroom loathe him; the realization upsets him greatly, and he suppresses his desire to burst into tears.
The Warden of the Home is next called to the witness stand. He states that Mersault refused to see the body of his deceased mother, did not know her age, and did not shed a tear over her death. He also adds that Mersault’s mother often complained about her son’s sending her away to the home. Thomas Perez, the old man from the Home for the Aged who became friends with Mersault’s mother, is called to the witness stand. He is questioned about Mersault’s relationship with his mother and his reaction to her death. Perez’s testimony does not help Mersault’s case, for he says that he was in such a state of shock over the loss of his friend that he did not notice Mersault at all. He further adds that he cannot be sure whether Mersault cried at his mother’s funeral. Mersault’s lawyer asks the prosecutor if his client is being tried for killing a man or for burying his mother. The prosecutor claims that the two things are related, for Mersault’s reaction to his mother’s death shows that he was a criminal at heart. These words clearly influence the jury.
The next witness is Celeste, the owner of the restaurant where Mersault used to dine. He gives a good opinion of Mersault and says that the crime could be just an accident. Mersault is so happy with Celeste’s testimony that he wishes to kiss him. Marie is also called to the witness stand. She is questioned about Mersault’s conduct and their affair. Mersault’s lawyer had hoped that her testimony would help in Mersault’s defense; but the prosecutor turns her answers into a condemnation of Mersault. When Raymond is questioned, he explains the events of the day of the murder and emphasizes the fact that Mersault’s presence at the beach was just a coincidence; but his testimony clearly has no impact. By the end of the day, Mersault realizes that things are not moving in his favor. He dreads spending the night in his cell and returning to the courtroom the next day. As he is being transported back to the prison, he notices the sounds of freedom: the streetcar noises, the sounds of traffic, the calls of birds. As a free man, he had never appreciated such little things. Now that they have been taken away, he realizes their value.
Chapter 4
Summary
Since Mersault’s lawyer entered a plea for his client of "guilty under extenuating circumstances," the Prosecutor attempts to disprove any extenuating circumstances. He tries to show that Mersault’s crime was a premeditated homicide. He stresses the fact that Mersault returned to the beach with a gun in his pocket. He also points out that Mersault is an intelligent and educated person, who was quite conscious of the crime he was committing. Mersault wonders why his intelligence, which would have otherwise been considered a positive trait, is being used as a disqualifying factor against him. The Prosecutor further talks of Mersault’s "soul". He says that Mersault has nothing human about him and lacks every decent instinct or moral compunction, which makes him a menace to the society who deserves to die.
After the Prosecutor’s argument, Mersault is asked to speak. He states that he had no intention of killing the Arab. He then adds that it was because of the sun that everything happened. As he says these words, he realizes how nonsensical they sound. During his entire short speech, nothing seems to come out correctly.
When Mersault’s lawyer speaks, he describes Mersault as a man who is sympathetic towards other people and their problems, pointing out how his client wanted to help Raymond. He also says that Mersault is a steady and conscientious worker, who does his best for his employer and who is popular with his co- workers. He talks about how Mersault was innocently drawn into the situation with the Arabs. He reminds the jury that Mersault is not a man who would plan a murder; instead, he reacted to a tragic situation and lost self-control. Unfortunately, the Prosecutor has successfully painted a different picture of Mersault as a cold-blooded killer, and the Defender fails to convince the jury that Mersault has acted in self-defense.
After the attorneys present their closing arguments, Mersault must wait for the final verdict. He takes a look around the courtroom and spies Marie, who waves to him and smiles. He finds it impossible to return the smile. His lawyer tries to assure him that he will surely receive a light sentence, requiring a short term of imprisonment or perhaps deportation. Mersault is, therefore, totally unprepared for the final judgement. The jury has sentenced him to be decapitated at some public place in the name of the French people. Mersault has trouble believing what he has heard; but when he looks around the courtroom, he sees that everyone is looking at him sympathetically. When he is asked if he wants to say something, Mersault answers in the negative. The police then lead him away, handling him gently.
Chapter 5
Summary
Mersault refuses three times to see the Chaplain. Instead, he spends his time trying to find a loophole in the justice that is being imposed upon him and regrets that he is not more aware of the technical details of the law that could help his story have a happy ending. He also thinks about other ways he could die rather than being decapitated in public. He dreams of escaping from the prison and being shot in the market place, which he would consider a luxury. He accepts, however, that he will not be able to escape his punishment, which he calls a "brutal certitude."
Mersault also reflects on the past. He remembers his mother telling him about his father attending an execution. When he returned home after the execution, he acted bizarre and appeared to be sick, which Mersault believes is a normal reaction. He decides to make it a point to attend some executions in the future if he is set free. The thought of being set free gives Mersault a very nice feeling; but he knows that there is no chance of freedom for a criminal who is to be guillotined. He then thinks about a photograph he has seen in the newspaper of a criminal being executed. The guillotine had a shining surface and appeared to be technically well advanced, allowing a man to be killed with "much efficiency."
Mersault concentrates on two things: living through the next dawn and winning an appeal. Each night before dawn, he wonders if it is to be the day when he will be taken to the guillotine, for prisoners in Algiers are not informed about exactly when they are to be executed. When no one comes for him, he feels relief and remembers a saying of his mother: "however miserable one may be, there’s always something to be thankful for." Mersault is thankful for another day. He also thinks about his appeal and imagines that it is successful. The thought gives him a sense of joy and exultation, but he tries to contain the feelings.
Mersault thinks about Marie and realizes that he has not received a letter from her. He guesses at the reason for her lack of communication. As he is deep in thought, the Chaplain enters his cell and insists upon a conversation. He talks about God and an afterlife and asks whether Mersault believes in them. The Chaplain also tries, in vain, to make Mersault confess his guilt and ask for forgiveness. When the Chaplain begins to pray for him, Mersault yells at him and grabs him by the neck. Several jailers come in to rescue the man.
After the Chaplain leaves, Mersault experiences a feeling of calmness and soon falls asleep. When he wakes, he listens for the sounds of the dawn. He thinks about his mother and understands her urge to live life afresh. Mersault thinks about dying and believes that death will mean that he is finally in harmony with the indifference of the universe. http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmStranger02.asp