The Outsider Essay

Meursault, the main character through out the story encounters many hardships. Such complications are common in all of us but the way they are handled, and thought of could change many aspects of life. Meursault tends to build relationships mostly with those who he likes, not what others like or suggest to him. He always speaks his mind, making others gravitate around him.

The prosecuting attorney is one of the characters with a fiery tongue and a powerful presence in the courtroom. Meursault often thinks of him as a much better lawyer than his own defence attorney. The prosecutor describes Meursault as a cool person and a calculating monster. He attacks Meursault character by persistently bringing up his indifference to mothers death and his relationship with Marie so soon after his mothers funeral. p.122 I accuse the prisoner of behaving at his mothers funeral in a way that showed he was already a criminal in heart. The prosecutor derides Meursault as a disloyal son. Whenever someone confirmed Meursault as a friend the prosecutor struggled to deny the statement in front of magistrate in order to prove him wrong. The prosecutor cites Meursaults intelligence and lack of remorse as evidence of premeditated murder and also alleged him as the man who killed his own father. The prosecutor continuously demands a death sentence for Meursault. The prosecutor also attempts to prove Meursault as a threat to the society and because of this he leaves no choice but for the magistrate to announce Meursault as a convict of premeditated murder of the Arab and is therefore sentenced to a public execution.

The chaplain visits and asks Meursault questions about why he refused to see him. Meursault replies to him by saying that he denied Gods existence. The chaplain explains Meursault that his attitude resulted from extreme despair. p.148 You are mistaken my son, theres more that might be required of you. And perhaps it will be required of you. The chaplain also tries to insist Meursault that all the condemned men he had spoke to, at some point turned to god for reassurance, comfort, and hope. p.145 I explained that I didnt believe in God. Are you really so sure of that? Meursault tells the chaplain that he has better things to worry about than to think about God. The chaplain thinks that Meursault is just one of those people whose hearts are blind. The chaplain tries to converse Meursault, hoping to elicit some sort of emotion and religious sentiment. Meursault starts to get annoyed with the chaplain's persistence and finally grabs him, screaming about all sorts of statements of indifference and relations and past mistakes. The chaplain at some point starts to wonder as to why he cannot feel remorse. The prison guards get orders to restrain Meursault from harming the chaplain. Meursault starts to accept death as an inevitable fact by looking right into it without fear in peace.