The Stranger Journal #1

Summary: In chapters 1 and 2 Meursault deals with a difficult time in his life, yet he is unable to express his emotions about this traumatic event that happened to him. In this time in the book Meursault is planning and attending his mothers funeral. We also get a view in on his everyday life in chapter 2. When he is planning and attending his mother's funeral, he seems very relaxed and unemotional during the entire experience. 

Personal Reaction: I am having mixed emotions about Meursault at this point in the story. Part of me likes the character because of his humor and odd personality at times. Another part of me dislikes this character because of his lack of emotion, boredom, and nonchelant response to his mother's death. 

Analysis: By using the character of Meursault, Camus is trying to express the idea that people hide their true emotions at difficult times in their lives. He does this by having this main character of Meursault hide his true emotions of guilt and sadness under his outer appearance of boredom. For example when he Meursault says, "I felt like telling her it wasn't my fault, but I stopped myself..."(Camus 20). By Meursault thinking this, it is obvious that he has these inner feelings of guilt, yet he cannot express it to others. The main character of Meursaault is, overall, used in order to express a theme throughout the book that people hide their true emotions during difficult times in their lives. 

Research: In 1942 Algiers became the headquarters of the allied forces of North Africa. The Italians also raided Algiers on December 11, 1942. Other raids and battles also took place around this time, during WWII.