The Stranger, Chapter 1 Analysis

After reading and analyzing the first chapter of The Stranger I found many thoughts and ideas that make this book interesting to any reader that could relate this theme in his society.

This book talks about a guy named Meursault, which is the main character, and that in the begining of the story receives a telegram that says that his mother has died. As drastic as it seems, Mersault feels indifferent about this and does not feel very emotional about it. Mersault arrives to his mother's funeral, and he meets different people that were there for his mother. What is interesting about this is to find how people express their sadness in various forms, and to see how Mersault is the one who can care less about what happened.

"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." This quote is the perfect example to see the reaction of Meursault in regards to what happened. I personally do not see any expression of love or care of any kind towards the person who gave him the opportunity of living. I can't find my self in this situation, even if something worse could happen. I realize that the reason of all of this is Meursault's indifferance to society and his weakness in this open environment.