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The Stranger


Maman's friends in the home then arrive and most of them are very distraught, crying, howling and being very demonstrative of their grief. The contrast between their reactions and Mersault's further highlights his lack of emotion, these people knew his mother for only a few short years, while he had known her all his life. After the deathwatch Mersault cleans up a little bit in preparation for the funeral. He also shows a tiny bit of emotion: ".I could feel how much I"d enjoy going for a walk if it hadn't been for Maman." This is almost the only time that he indicates that he might actually feel some grief at his mother's passing. At the funeral Mersault doesn't cry or shows signs of great emotion, and the funeral proceedings quickly become a blur to him. He is asked if his mother was very old and he replies that yes she was while secretly knowing that he didn't know her exact age. More lack of feeling and a new facet of his personality is noted, an almost total lack of interest in anyone but himself. After the funeral, Mersault has a Saturday to himself and decides to go for a swim. While swimming he meets a young woman who recently worked in his office, Marie. They start flirting, talking and all of those things that two young people who are attracted to each other like to engage in. He tells her of his mother's death and she asks how long ago. His reply being yesterday takes her by surprise and she gives a little start. I believe her surprise is at his attitude, for he seems to be happy. They go the movies that evening and she goes back to his place that night. Mersault describes the entire course of events very clinically and with very little feeling. He doesn't seem to be concerned one way or the other that he has got together with this girl. He"d be just as happy if he hadn't met her that day. Mersault spends the next day watching the world outside his window go by. He never seems to get bored or feel like doing something else.


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