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Stranger Study Guide

Meursault
Marie Cardona
Raymond
Meursault’s Mother
The Arab
The Prosecutor
Salamano
The chaplain
The examining magistrate
What does the opening of The Stranger cover?
Why is Meursault's response to his mother's death so strange?
Why does Meursault travel to Merengo?
How often did Meursault visit his mother at Marengo?
Why did Meursault not go to see his mother more often?
What does Meursault do on the bus ride to Marengo?
When Meursault first meets the Director, he thinks the director is criticizing him. Why?
What was Meursault's response when the caretaker asks Meursault if he wants to see his mother's body?
What does the Director say about the kind of funeral service Meursault's mother wanted that surprises Meursault?
Who is Thomas Perez?
What does Meursault do at his mother's vigil that seems uncaring or disrespectful?
What gets all of Meursault's attention at the funeral?
How does Part 1, Chapter 1 end?
What is wrong with the nurse at the vigil for Meursault's mother?
Where did Meursault go the Saturday morning after he got home from Marengo?
Who did Meursault meet at the beach the day after his mother's funeral?
What surprised Marie about Meursault’s clothes when they got dressed after their swim?
Where did Meursault and Marie go on their first date?
How does Meursault spend the Sunday following his mother's funeral after Marie finally leaves his apartment?
What does Meursault determine that first Sunday after his mother's death after a day of watching people walk by his apartment?
In chapter 3, the reader is finally introduced to Salamano. Who is he?
What is wrong with Salamano's dog?
Who is Raymond Sintes?
When Raymond invites Meursault to his apartment he notices Raymond is injured. How is he injured?
Why had Raymond gotten into a fight?
Why did Raymond say he had beaten his girlfriend up?
What was it that Raymond wanted Meursault to do for him?
Why does Meursault agree to write the letter for Raymond?
In part 1, chapter 4 Marie was at Meursault's apartment when they heard screaming. Who was screaming?
Marie asks Meursault to call the cops to stop Raymond. What does Meursault say?
When the cops do arrive, one of them slaps Raymond. Why?
When the police leave, Raymond comes by Meursault's apartment. What does he want from Meursault?
What similarity exisst between Meursault, Salamano,and Raymond?
What is ironic about Meursault's thought, when he hears Salamano crying over his lost dog?
In part 1, chapter 5, Meursault's boss asks him to consider moving to Paris. Meursault responds that he doesn't want to move. Why?
In part 1, chapter 5 Marie asks Meursault if he wants to marry her?
Marie then asks Meursault if he loves her. How does he answer?
In part 1, chapter 5 Meursault sees what he calls "a little robot-like woman" at Celeste's. He describes and follows her. Why does Camus include her in the story?
In part 1, chapter 6 Meursault, Marie and Raymond take a trip. Where do they go?
How does Meursault feel as the chapter starts?
What do Marie, Raymond, and Meursault notice before they get on the bus to go to Masson's?
What happens at Masson's on the beach after lunch?
After Raymond returns from the hospital, the three men go down to the beach to find the Arabs. Where do they find them?
Why does Raymond want to find them?
Though nothing happens with the Arabs at the spring something important occurs in the story. What is it?
What happens when Meursault returns to the spring alone?
What is similar in the scene at the spring to the scene at the funeral?
In part 2, chapter 1 Meursault is being examined by a magistrate. What is different about the French form of investigation and the American form?
What does Meursault's lawyer question him about first?
In Pt. 2.Ch.1, Meursault explains what his lawyer feels toward him? What does he say? Why?
What does Meursault say to his layer that his lawyer begs him to never say again?
The examining magistrate seems to really only care about 2 things. That is he really only asks Meursault 2 questions. What are they?
Meursault's unbelief affects the magistrate so much that he does something unusual. What is it?
Eventually, the magistrate gives up on Meursault and starts being polite. What does he call Meursault?
Why does Camus not give any of the judicial characters names in Part 2? That is, why does he not name the lawyers and judges?
In part 2, chapter 2 Marie makes her last visit to the jail. Why is it her last?
In part 2, chapter 2 Meursault quotes his mother and talks about living in a dead tree stump. What does he say she said?
Is Meursault sympathetic about the man who was murdered by his mother and sister or about the later deaths of that same mother and sister?
What did the Czech man's mother and sister do to him?
What is ironic about the fact that in Pt. 2 Ch. 2 Meursault complains that his life has come to a standstill in prison?
How long was the period between Meursault's arrest and trial?
In Pt.2, Ch. 3, Meursault does not accept the offer of a cigarette. Why?
How is Meursault treated by the court personnel, a reporter, and his lawyer before the trial begins? How does this behavior compare with how Meursault has been treated by others in the novel?
What are the first two questions the prosecutor asks Meursault? What is the prosecutor trying to get Meursault to admit?
Do you think Meursault's murder of the Arab was premeditated? Why?
Why is Meursault's answer that it just happened that way significant?
What does Meursault realize after the testimony of the director of the retirement home? What is Meursault's reaction?
Who is the one witness in the trial that evokes Meursault's gratitude?
List some non-criminal acts cited by the prosecutor as facts, which show Meursault has a criminal soul.
What explanation does Meursault use for not feeling any remorse about killing the Arab man?
For what other crime does the prosecutor say he holds Meursault responsible?
What is a Parricide?
Cite the words used by Meursault as the motive for his killing the Arab man.
If the sun symbolizes the world and events over which he has no control, does Meursault's explanation make any sense?
What is the Verdict?
What is the climax of the Stranger?
If the shooting of the Arab is the climax of the story, what are the trial and verdict?
What reasons does Meursault give for not wishing to see the chaplain after his sentencing?
What does Meursault mean by “seeing him soon enough”?
Explain the significance of the story about Meursault's father. What conclusion does Meursault reach?
What does Meursault agree with his mother about concerning happiness?
At the end, what two things give Meursault hope?
What kind of literary device is used in the following quite: Every stone here sweats with suffering.
What exactly does Meursault wish for in the last sentence of the novel?
Why does Meursault want the crowd at his execution to hate him?
Define Absurdism
Define Existentialism