The Stranger
by Albert Camus
this books starts with the death of Meursault's mother. Usually, people grieve and mourn. even those who did not know Meursault's mother closely mourned her. but Meursault, instead of doing the same, his focus was mainly on his physical discomfort and mundane sensations. this emotional detachment becomes the defining features of his character.
rather than portraying him as cruel or malicious, Camus presents Meursault as honest--someone who does not lie about his feelings, someone who does not follow the same emotional template imposed by the society. he is simply who he is. after the funeral, he continues his life as if nothing major has happened. he goes swimming , begins a relationship with Marie and befriends Raymond, a neighbour who abuses his mistress. Meursault even helps Raymond scheme against his mistress by writing a manipulative letter.
the turning point in the novel occurs during a trip to the beach, where Meursault kills an arab man following a confrontation involving Raymond. during the trial, he was condemned not truly because of the murder, but because of his failure to show grief at his mother's funeral, the flatness of his emotions and his lack of remorse.
this is where the novel becomes less about the crime itself and more about society's intolerance towards those who do not conform to its expectations of how one should react emotionally in certain situations. Meursault was not judged for what he did, but for what he failed to feel.
for us, living in the 21st century in 2026, this is the era where someone like Meursault would be labeled as "nonchalant". howeverm this label oversimplifies his condition. some readers, particularly those who identify as autistic have noted that his tratis which are his intense focus on sensory experiences, emotional bluntness and difficulty performing social expectations, strongly resemble neurodivergent experiences. although Camus never truly states that, especially considering that such concepts were not recognized during his time, this interpretation adds an unsettling layer which is that Meursault may not be immoral, but neurologically out of sync with society.
what makes him compelling is not his likability but his authenticity. he is simply being himself and refuse to be fake. unfortunately, society does not like that. in the end, Meursault accepts the absurd and makes peace with the universe's indifference which feels less like defeat and more like freedom. as readers, we do not necessarily have to sympathize with him, but instead, we mirror his neutrality.
this novel does not ask us to feel sorry for him in any way, but more to like a confrontation to us by forcing us to question why we are uncomfortable when someone does not feel what we expect them to feel? was it worth it to be socially accepted by being fake? by not being ourselves? do we actually values morality or was it just a performance to avoid being labeled a freak or a weirdo? but based on this book, Meursault's crime seems to not only be the murder, but because he refuses to adhere to societal expectations. and for that, he is condemned.
