Is Mersault more of a stranger to himself than to others?

[Shahid]

The stranger exists in a state of existential malaise, a state without a sense of wonder, intrigue, or concern, a state of absolute nonchalance. In this state the mind as if it has fallen flat at the feet of reality. There is too much truthfulness to bear, too much straightforwardness to make life pleasant or even possible. Life that is normally aided by so many concerns, fears and apprehensions, adorned with so many of the conveniences, pretences and guises of discretion to create most expedient and cast the best of the impressions, in this case to the eyes of an outside observer is totally absurd.

The dilemma here is that it is truthfulness that has taken over discretion, taken over the mind completely. The stranger never tells a lie, because, yes, he is more stranger to himself than to his world, a world that to him is like a 'painted ship on a painted sea', a ship that has no where to go, and a sea without wind, waves, and depth, just the unperturbed surface all around on which no impression lasts more than a moment longer.

The stranger is a danger to the world because he is dangerously truthful, because he is the possibility through which the world sees its own reality, reflected in that impression-less mirror the world sees its own face.

[Helen]

I think Mersault care about nothing. He's stranger to everyone. He doesn't have feelings at all, but i really like him. There's something about him that i really like.

[Hannah]

Mersault recognizes that there is little point for the future or for the past or for grieving or discovering or loving. He understands that things will be the same, that the strangeness, the internal strangeness of everything will not change depending on circumstances. I don't think one should compare Mersault to Candide or to Forrest Gump. Both of those "idiots" had hope. Mersault does not believe in hope. He believes in sex and death and that's it.

[Wardah]

Yes, he is. On one instance he's indifferent to everyone and everything, and on the other he feels like crying when it hits him that everyone hates him. This is the most relevant thought that came to me.

[Hannah]

Mersault does not care if anyone hates him. Give me proof that there was a moment when Mersault desired to cry; in a way, that would ruin his character. Its not weakness, but indifference that guides Mersault into ridiculous situations. Even when he is convicted and trapped into execution. He asks for reprieves for his sentence, but, in the end, as the guillotine nears itself, it is through the objective of dying that Mersault enfolds in the most freedom, the rattle of a new beginning, the tombstone rolling down the hill so that he may begin, in some other life again.

[James]

Cinderela wrote: "Why can't I understand Mersault!"

That is essentially what Camus is trying to get us to understand, looking for a meaning in a person's actions is the definition of what he calls absurdism.

[Melissa]

I agree. I believe that Mersault is a sociopath. Not is any harmful way though. He simply just cannot care about anyones feelings, not even his own mother's.

[Laura]

Es un hombre apático, vacío a quien pareciera no importarle nada , siempre piensa lo que le hubiera gustado decir pero no lo dice y lo que dice no mide si le trae consecuencias, lo perjudica o lo beneficia simplemente da su opinión y listo ! Tampoco le importa lo que piensen los demás.

[withdrawn]

Sí Laura, creo que tienes razón. Has descrito Mersault. Lo que Camus nunca nos dice es: ¿por qué Mersault es así? Quizás Camus quiere decir que esta es la condición moderna.

Pero, en el libro, él es la única persona que piensa y se comporta así. Tal vez esto sea solo una debilidad del libro. No sé.