The lawyer already knows that Meursault's case is not the simple case that Meursault is convinced it is. For example, he does not like the possibility that he will have to explain Meursault's attitude toward his mother's death.
A young French Algerian living in colonial Algiers and working as a shipping clerk, Meursault is passionless, disaffected, and without ambition. His primary priority is his own physical comfort.
Though both sides agree Meursault shot and killed a man, they disagree about the meaning of that action â the prosecution insists it was intentional and evil (and that Meursault is himself evil); the defense insists it was unintentional and simply unlucky.
That would be too much trouble and Meursault is not sure that it is necessary for him even to have a lawyer. He is, in fact, pleased to learn that the court will appoint a lawyer for the defense; all the bothersome details will be taken care of.
Meursault's attorney tells him that it wouldn't last more than two or three days because a more interesting parricide (the murder of a family member) case is coming up after his trial.
CÊleste calls Meursault "'a friend'" and has prepared a long-winded defense, blaming the crime on "'bad luck'" but the judge cuts him off, explaining the court is "to judge just this sort of bad luck." Hearing CÊleste, Meursault feels for "the first time in my life I⌠wanted to kiss a man."
prosecutor derides MeursaultMeursault's lawyer insists the jury take note that the caretaker had likewise smoked during the vigil, accepting Meursault's offer of a cigarette. After the caretaker admits to offering Meursault coffee in the first place, the prosecutor derides Meursault as a disloyal son for not refusing the coffee.
Monsieur AntichristDuring the course of the eleven-month investigation that ensues, the magistrate takes to calling Meursault âMonsieur Antichrist,â with an almost cordial air.
What defense did Meursault's lawyer present? Meursault's lawyer offers an interpretation of the events that led up to the crime, speaking in the first person, as though he were Meursault.
if Meursault felt any sadness the day of the funeral. The attorney asks him because it's very important and it would be a strong argument for the prosecution if he can't come up with some answers.
Truth. Meursault's lawyer makes a good point when he says that in this absurd trial âeverything is true and nothing is true.â The truth of the matter is that Meursault shot the Arab man for no good reason and without planning the murder in advance.
What does Meursault feel about his lawyer's and the prosecutor's summations? Meursault thinks the prosecutor is a better lawyer than his own. They feel that they are almost the same because they both say he is guilty.
What question does Meursault's lawyer ask him about the day of the funeral? If he had felt sadness about his mother's death. What does Meursault's lawyer ask him not say in front of others? That people sometimes wish that their loved one's were dead.
Emmanuel: Emmanuel is a friend of Meursault's from work. They spend some time together, seeing movies and talking. He only enters the novel in the beginning and at the end during the trial.
Meursault's only defense for his act was "because of the sun." That is all: "because of the sun." Meursault adds that he spoke too quickly and ran his words together; actually, what he said is of little importance for we are sure what the verdict will be.
In the mortuary, Meursault surprises the caretaker by declining his offer to open the casket (to show Meursault his... (full context) Still in the mortuary, Meursault accepts the caretaker's offer of coffee and they smoke cigarettes.
The two look... (full context) Another neighbor, Raymond Sint ès, appears and invites Meursault to dinner. Though Raymond is unpopular with others and has a reputation for living "off... (full context)
(full context) At the spring, Meursault is "a little surprised" to see that the Arab man who is Raymond's enemy has... (full context) Book 2, Chapter 1.
Raymond calls Meursault at the office and tells him his friend has invited Meursault to his beach house... (full context) Soon after, Meursault 's boss offers Meursault an opportunity to transfer to a position in Paris. When Meursault is... (full context) That evening, Marie asks Meursault if he wants to marry her.
His primary priority is his own physical comfort. Convinced of the world's indifference to him and to everyone else, Meursault himself is indifferent towards those around him and has only superficial relationships. His relentless honesty and refusal to subscribe to conventional belief systems or to social niceties alienate Meursault from society.
Given a chance to add onto the prosecutor's speech, Meursault, dizzy in the heat, claims he'd "never intended to kill the Arab," then blunders on,... (full context) Meursault 's lawyer gives his summation, speaking in the first person as if he were Meursault.
Basically, one should remember that Meursault is a man who will not lie about himself, a man who cannot accept the formulas by which his society convinces itself it is happy. He will not look forward to a life after death, he will not use religion as a vehicle to avoid facing the fact that he must die, and he refuses to mask his calm acceptance of his mother's death. He defies all judges, except himself: he will not play the hypocritical penitent for his interrogators and prosecutors.
Perhaps one of the most valuable ways to understand Meursault is to quote what Camus has said about him: "Meursault for me," writes Camus, is "a poor and naked man, in love with the sun which leaves no shadows.
The prosecutor is muddling multiple arenas of justice when he should be sticking strictly within the bounds of legal justice. His discussion of Meursault's soul introduces divine justice. His discussion of Meursault being "morally guilty" brings in ethical or moral justice.
Again, Meursault's honest answerâonce again driven by the heat, the symbol of the indifference of the worldâholds no purchase in court, and entity whose entire purpose is to ascribe value and intention to actions, while Meursault can't comprehend that any actions have value or intention.
The jury files out to determine the verdict. Meursault's lawyer is confident that Meursault won't be sentenced to death. After forty-five minutes, the jury returns and Meursault is brought in to hear the sentence passed. He is told "in bizarre language" that he will be decapitated "in the name of the French people.".
The prosecutor claims to rest his case on the "clarity of the facts" â yet not only are his facts themselves unclear (since they're subjective opinions about Meursault's "insensitivity") their relevance to the case is also extremely murky.
Meursault finds his argument "plausible," and privately agrees he has no remorse. Yet he wishes he could explain to the prosecutor "cordially, almost affectionately" that he's never felt true remorse for anything.
The antagonist of the novel, a French settler who murders Musa and evades punishment, eventually returning to France. Eventually, Meriem introduces Harun to a famous novel Meursault has written about his life in Algeria, in⌠read analysis of Meursault
A young student who has sought out Harun and wants to hear his story about Musa. The two frequently meet at Harunâs favorite bar. Little information is given about the interlocutor, and this purposeful⌠read analysis of The Interlocutor
A family of French settlers who employ Mama as their housekeeper in Hadjout. When they flee the country after Independence, Mama claims their house for herself and Harun. Joseph, the French settler whom Harun eventually murders in retribution for Musa âs death, is a friend of the Larquais family.
Harun âs older brother, murdered during Harunâs childhood by Meursault, a French settler. During his lifetime, Musa is the head of the family, providing for Mama and Harun after his father abandons them; thus⌠read analysis of Musa
Meursault ( French pronunciation: â [mĹĘso]) is a commune in the CĂ´te-d'Or department and region of Bourgogne-Franche-ComtĂŠ in eastern France .
Etymology. The oldest attested form of the toponym Meursault dates from 1094, as Murassalt and Mussalt, in a charter by the Cluny Abbey. However, these forms may have been a scribal error, given that in the attested forms of the toponym, the letter a does not appear in the second syllable of the toponym.
It lies along the foot of the CĂ´te-d'Or escarpment, around Beaune and with the broad SaĂ´ne valley plain to its east. Meursault produces mainly white wines from Chardonnay grapes, primarily in a style with a clear oak influence, which have led to descriptions such as "buttery" to be applied to powerful examples of Meursault wines. Within the Meursault AOC there are some Premier Cru vineyards, but no Grand Cru. This has however not stopped the wines of Meursault from competing with the white burgundies from the villages Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, where several Grands Crus are situated. The town of Meursault is home to the international wine event La PaulĂŠe de Meursault .
History. Meursault is situated on a prehistoric settlement. Mont MĂŠlian is a Gallo-Roman camp. The old Roman Fort remains are still visible on the hill (known and signposted as "La Montagne") above the village.
The interrogation is brusque. Meursault, the magistrate says, has the reputation of being taciturn and somewhat self-centered.
Meursault dies because he refuses to lie in a court of law; he dies, says Camus in the same preface, "for the sake of truth.".
At this point, Meursault says only that he was "quite fond" of his mother. This is the most positive statement he can make, which does not carry much legalistic clout, especially when one is considering a charge of callous, cold-blooded murder.
But he does not because, as he says, he is too lazy to do so.
Waving a silver crucifix, he rants that he believes in God Almighty and that even the worst of sinners (presumably, Meursault) can obtain forgiveness.
Later that day, when Meursault is taken to the examining magistrate's office, he notes, first of all, the intense heat in the room and that it seems to be flooded with light. Already we have seen how sensitive Meursault is to heat and light and so this visit begins badly.
Thus he is capable of killing â because of his lack of feeling.