Meursault 's lawyer who tries to defend Meursault's character, to present his crime as an accident, and to disassociate Meursault's behavior at his mother's funeral from the murder. He is exhausted by Meursault's unyielding impassiveness and by his self-sabotaging lack of savvy about public opinion.
Because Meursault does not grieve, society sees him as an outsider, a threat, even a monster. At his trial, the fact that he had no reaction to his mother’s death damages his reputation far more than his taking of another person’s life. Meursault is neither moral nor immoral.
It was not his fault and it is astonishing that the lawyer can place so much importance on the fact that, because of the heat and Meursault's fatigue, he did not weep at the funeral.
Marie leaves, and later sends a letter stating that the authorities will not allow her to visit Meursault anymore because she is not his wife. Meursault’s desires to go swimming, to smoke cigarettes, and to have sex torment him in jail. He becomes accustomed to his confinement, however, so it ceases to be a terrible punishment.
Summary: Chapter 1 The lawyer asks if Meursault was sad at his mother's burial, and Meursault responds that he does not usually analyze himself. He says that though he probably did love his mother, “that didn't mean anything.” The lawyer departs, disgusted by Meursault's indifference to his mother's death.
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.
When the lawyer first meets with Meursault, he tells him that he has a good chance of getting off, if Meursault follows his advice. 5. Meursault tells the lawyer that he had been “quite fond of Mother.” 6.May 5, 2015
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.
Meursault's lawyer who tries to defend Meursault's character, to present his crime as an accident, and to disassociate Meursault's behavior at his mother's funeral from the murder. He is exhausted by Meursault's unyielding impassiveness and by his self-sabotaging lack of savvy about public opinion.
Making Meursault feel further excluded from his own case, 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. Meursault's mind drifts again during his lawyer's interminable argument.
What does Meursault's lawyer ask him not say in front of others? That people sometimes wish that their loved one's were dead.
no he said it felt like a game he isn't giving the answers they want so they are going to keep asking until he does. What question does the attorney feel compelled to ask? Why is this significant? How many times did Meursault fire his revolver?
They are disgusted by Meursault's lack or grief about his mother's death and that he killed the Arab. He tries to talk about Meursault's mother's death.
The witnesses are called and the director, the caretaker, Thomas Pérez, Raymond, Masson, Salamano, and Marie "stand up" from the "shapeless mass of spectators… only to disappear." Meursault notices the strange little woman from the restaurant in the crowd, too.
Meursault's attitude toward his mother's death can be used with blatant reminders in order to convince the jury that, before them, is a man who has no feelings, evidenced by witnesses, for his own mother's death. Thus he is capable of killing — because of his lack of feeling.
What about Meursault upsets and frustrates his lawyer and the magistrate? He reveals that he does not believe in God. What does the magistrate use to try to break through to Meursault's feelings of remorse? He tries to use the death of his mother.
Meursault describes his first few days in prison. The authorities initially put him in a cell with a number of other people, including several Arabs. Eventually, Meursault is taken to a private cell. One day, Marie comes to visit him. The visiting room is noisy and crowded with prisoners and their visitors. Marie wears a forced smile, and tells Meursault that he needs to have hope. She says she believes that he will be acquitted, and that they will get married and go swimming. Meursault, however, seems more interested in the mournful prisoner sitting beside him, whose mother is visiting. Marie leaves, and later sends a letter stating that the authorities will not allow her to visit Meursault anymore because she is not his wife.
The magistrate, when he waves a crucifix at Meursault, introduces the notion that Meursault and his attitudes represent a threat to society. Meursault’s atheism and indifference to his mother’s death implicitly challenge the magistrate’s belief in a rational universe controlled by God—the belief that gives his life meaning. By associating Meursault with the devil and calling him “Monsieur Antichrist,” the magistrate attempts to categorize Meursault in terms of Christianity, the magistrate’s own belief system. The magistrate incorporates Meursault into his ordered world view and then dismisses him as evil, thereby preventing Meursault from undermining his rational structure of belief.