The Stranger by Albert Camus

“The Stranger” tells the story of Meursault, an emotionally detached and indifferent French Algerian who lives a seemingly ordinary life. The novel begins with the death of Meursault’s mother, which he approaches with a lack of conventional grief. His life takes a dramatic turn when he kills an Arab man in a senseless act of violence. During his trial, Meursault’s lack of emotion and societal conformity is scrutinized more than the murder itself. Through Meursault’s experiences and inner thoughts, Camus explores themes of existentialism, the absurdity of life, and the inevitable confrontation with the meaninglessness of existence. The novel ultimately questions the nature of truth and the societal expectations of emotional responses and morality.