He Has No Heart

Schofer, Peter. "The Rhetoric of the Text: Casualty, Metaphor, and Irony." Modern Critical Interpretations: Albert Camus's The Stranger. (2001): 127-137. Print.

Peter Schofer argues that there is a series of casual links that show that Meursault is incapable of supplying in his narrative and which leads us to seeing his act as “absurd”, yet Meursault is quite capable of observing, understanding, and inferring causes. Schofer explains that Meursault gives an accumulation of material causes for his actions that almost acts as a sort of overkill to suppress any thinking and any introspection. This relative absence of casual links is intimately tied to the narrative style, where Meursault provides sequences of events but no casual links about his personal feelings. Schofer demonstrates that in most of the text, we are given a series of observations and actions without motivations. Therefore, the scene of the murder is not at all exceptional except that it is a murder, not a narrative of everyday events. Schofer argues that Meursault’s inability to grieve indicates that he has no heart, thus explaining his crime. In other words, a lack of heart leads to the insensitivity toward his mother and towards the murder victim.

Peter Schofer demonstrates Meursault’s use of casual links throughout his narration to tie events together, without showing any kind of emotions towards them. If Meursault does give an excuse for any of his actions, then it is a shallow excuse that blocks him from having to deeply think and to show any emotions or feelings. For example, when Meursault is on the bus on the way to his mother’s funeral, rather than thinking of his dead mother, he falls asleep, and says that “it was probably because of all the rushing around, and on top of that the bumpy ride, the smell of gasoline, and the glare of the sky and the road, that I dozed off.” Schofer’s argument about not providing any personal feelings demonstrates Meursault’s indifference towards the world. Many critics have come up with in-depth reasons why Meursault has this indifferent personality, but Schofer simply says that it “indicates that he has no heart.” This point of view is important to consider, because it is blunt and obvious, and it is also one of the first impressions that may come to a readers head before further researching and analyzing Meursault’s personality and behavior.

Meursault's Passivity: A Warning to Readers

Bree, Germaine. "Meursault's Passivity Leads to His Death." Readings on The Stranger. (2001): 152-155. Print.


Germaine Bree argues that Meursault is displayed as a character who does not question any aspect of his own existence, which is the reason why Meursault murders the Arab and eventually leads to his own death. Bree believes that Meursault “serves as a warning to the reader not to simply exist passively and risk making the same sort of mistake” (Bree 152). The way Meursault “acts in a human situation as though human relationships, and therefore responsibilities, do not exist” leads Meursault to commit the actions his does, which results in the court condemning him to death (Bree 152). At Meursault’s trial, the prosecution and defense present all the unrelated events that occurred between his mother’s death and the murder as a basis of their interpretation of Meursault’s personality. Therefore, Meursault feels as if he is being condemned to death for not crying at his mother’s funeral, instead of being condemned for the actual murder he committed. Meursault is in bewildered surprise and sees no connection between any past events and the murder. Bree states that because of the 1st person narration, we see through Meursault’s eyes, and “we are almost in complete agreement with him” (Bree 153). Camus uses his hero (Meursault) to open the reader’s eyes in order to leave our comfort zone and to deride our smugness. Bree argues that Camus uses Meursault to “suggest that in the face of the absurd no man can afford passively just to exist” (Bree 155).

Bree’s argument explains that Camus displays Meursault to bear a passive attitude in order to convince readers not to follow in his footsteps, and to not live life the way Meursault does. Bree’s point of view suggests that the goal behind this novel is not whether or not to side with Meursault, it is to fully comprehend the extent of the situation Meursault got himself into as a consequence of his passive behavior. Although, in order for the reader to be fully capable of understanding the situation, an understanding of the existing indifference must be made. Bree’s point of view demonstrates that because of the fact that the story is told in 1st person, through Meursault’s eyes, readers instinctively find themselves in agreement with him. This agreement with Meursault is what leads readers to whether or not they find a relation to his indifference. Once the relation is determined, Bree argues that the purpose of Camus’s display of Meursault through 1st person narration will be discovered. Bree’s point of view contributes ideas to consider, because it explains reasons why Camus created the character of Meursault to act indifferent to society, which may help the reader when it comes to identifying or not with the personality of Meursault.

Indifference is the Ataraxy of the Sage

Champigny, Robert. "Ethics and Aesthetics in The Stranger." Modern Critical Interpretations: Albert Camus's The Stranger. (2001): 47-56. Print.

Robert Champigny demonstrates how The Stranger is told in the first person and this first person is not limited to the introduction of the events, because the narrator is also a commentator. Meursault, as a narrator, affirms his presence outside and above the human character caught in the flow of events. Champigny argues that Meursault “neutralizes the sum of events” and eliminates himself of the “’evil’, that is to say, of the temptation of pseudo-values” (55). Meursault associates a closeness between his outlook and the indifference of the universe, which results in a personal indifferent outlook on life. Champigny explains that Meursault’s “indifference is the ataraxy of the sage”, which lacks, but permits, the penetration of tenderness (55). According to Champigny, this tenderness, as well as this indifference, characterizes the tone of the narration. Champigny argues that a person does not have to imagine his or her own life in order to experience it, but when it comes to subject matter, in this case being Meursault, it has to be imagined to gain the full experience.

Champigny’s point of view allows a connection to be seen between the narration and the indifference of Meursault. Champigny explains that throughout Meursault’s narration, even when merely describing events, he consistently neutralizes events, which make the events, and himself, come off as indifferent. Champigny argues that Meursault’s “indifference is the ataraxy of the sage”, meaning his indifference provides a tranquil state of mind for knowledgeable reader. This statement is something important to consider when determining the ability and extent to which one’s mind may be able to form a connection to the narrator. A reader may not actually be “relating” to Meursault’s indifference, but they may be able to identify with his indifference because of the tranquil state of mind it provides. Champigny’s argument also suggests that Meursault’s indifference causes the reader’s mind not to contain or allow the infiltration of compassion. Readers must be able to grasp this indifference in their imagination in order to gain the full experience of the story. All things considered, Champigny’s point of view is something worth considering, because he demonstrates why Meursault’s indifference is necessary.