The Stranger #2

In the second of the novel, Meursault is arrested. He is accused for murder and sentenced to death. During the trial, his lawyer asked him the motive of the murder. Meursault replied so honestly that the lawyer did not seem to understand him; Meursault told the lawyer that he simply shot the gun because the sun was burning too hot. He was sent to jail, and yet, he wasn't bothered living there expect he couldn't spend time with Marie. The magistrate claimed that Meursault is the threat to the society; he was indifferent for his mother's death, did not have rightful reason to attack the Arab. Meursault in fact, did not feel guilty; rather, he said he felt comfortable that the court assigned him a lawyer. Finally, the novel ends with Meursault hoping to see angry crowd on the day of his execution.

I was totally lost in the second part of the book. I did not understand the intention of the author writing such story. Especially the end of the second part, where he talks to himself, and how he could understand his mother getting a lover at such old age, and how he wants to see angry crowd on the day of his death. However, the novel gave me an idea that in order to survive in the society in which we are belonged to, we must follow and act as if we understand the moral standards and general rules of the society. Meursault was sentenced to death ultimately because he did not act according to the rules and moral principles that his society imposed him to have. His society expected him to weep for his mother, and wanted him to have more 'persuasive' reason for killing the Arabian. Meursault, the stranger to the society, did not understand those things, or acted as if understood them. As a result, the consequence was death. Camus showed how 'strangers' of the world are still being punished and killed. Although it is not as strict as once it was, Korean society was very closed to accepting any idea that is related to communism. Anybody who 'seemed' to be a stranger-with communistic minds-was publically criticized and condemned. My father who experienced such atmosphere in 70's and 80's often tells me that it was madness when he thinks of the old days. Overall, Camus tried to tell the readers that a closed society makes a lot of 'strangers' and that we should be more open minded.