Throughout the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the narrator, Meursault, evolves in terms of self-awareness and worldview, a change that Camus uses to help the reader understand both his protagonist and the existentialist themes throughout the novel. By dividing the text into two parts, Camus not only creates a valid distinction between "before" and "after" for Meursault's murder of the Arab, but also forges a distinct indication of the protagonist's change in his understanding of choice and consciousness. In the first part, we get a glimpse of Meursault's daily life: Mom's funeral, his relationship with Marie, Raymond and Salamano, and the trip to the beach that culminates in the murder of the Arab. In the second part, Camus recounts Meursault's incarceration, his trial, and the period leading up to his execution, mirroring his murder of the Arab with its dawning revelation of indifference to acceptance. As a result, the dynamic nature of Meursault's character is evident; through the intermediaries of Maman's funeral, the murder of the Arab, and his attack on the chaplain, Meursault loses the platitude he embodies during the first part and changes character throughout the rest of the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayAt the beginning of the novel, Camus portrays Meursault as someone who is emotionally and spiritually detached from society. He revels in the physical aspects of his existence, thinking about nature, swimming, and his lusty feelings for women like Marie in detailed and passionate ways. When he goes to Marengo to attend Mom's funeral, he is not overcome by grief over the loss of his mother and declines the caretaker's offer to view her body before the funeral, telling her that he cannot don't know why he prefers to close. the coffin. Throughout the funeral, he spends a lot of time describing both the oppressive heat of the sun and the jokes of nature, using lengthy descriptive passages that dictate his behavior, as seen when he keeps vigil for Mom, commenting; “It was nice; the coffee had warmed me and the smell of flowers in the night air drifted in through the open door. I think I dozed off for a while. (Camus, 9 years old). In his passivity, he allows time and his environment to dictate his behavior, demonstrating a lack of individual motivation and active participation in the dynamic nature of his environment, as well as little taste for personal choices, changing his attitude accordingly. of the method of least resistance. This is evident in every aspect of his life, as shown when he tells Marie that love means nothing to him and that he doesn't care if they get married. As his response shows, Meursault focuses on the physical rather than the emotional, and is unconscious or ambivalent about what is happening to him in his life. Although this signifies a lack of choice, its incongruity may also be a nod to the existentialist idea of ​​the universe as irrational and disordered. By ignoring feeling, Meursault is perhaps attempting to focus on the objective and concrete in a subjective and absurd world. A major turning point in the text, Meursault's murder of the Arab on the beach can be seen as the next step in his transformation from indifference. to acceptance, alluding to the first inclination of choice as he decides "you can shoot or not shoot." (Camus, 56), Camus' sly reference to Shakespeare's Hamlet in his soliloquy "To be or not to be." Although Meursault indicates that he had little influence or,. 2014.