Meursault has no recognition of his own happiness. Marie provides satisfaction, but not emotion to Meursault. He claims that she feeds his craving for human contact, but does not unravel the romantic relationship which is intended. “Together again, Marie and I swam out a ways, and we felt a closeness as we moved in the unison and were happy” 50.
This apathetic character contends his sentiments through the use of weather. The blazing sun, color of the sky, movements of the sea and the winds are symbols used to represent Meurault’s thoughts. The atmosphere is a reflection of Meurault’s interior. (Opposites describe this character.) Meursault expresses that his freedom defines his ability of going to the ocean, smoking a cigarette, and being with women. Nevertheless, although these habits seem to be inhumane and animalistic, they are truly the source of his indirect contact with “himself.”
As readers, this man can only be portrayed as ignorantly unaware of his unhappiness, but he unconsciously lives within the purpose of life: happiness. The origin of Meurault’s happiness is a gap. This character is not guilty being psychotic, he portrays his emotions in a different manner. Like different styles of learning, people understand certain things within a distinct perspective. If one person is a visual learner and does not absorb the information through hearing, it does not indicate this person is stupid, but unique. Can we consider Mersault a unique person? There are billions of people in the world and every single one of them is special. How does Meursault differ from these people? Is he truly a rare being? Why has he become such a disturb to his readers? Have we no tolerance over the different? Are we being "square?" This gap between readers and Mersault lead to false assumptions and judgements. In the long run, readers will never truly grasp who is Mersault.
“Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lounged without leaving a trace. And it was like knocking four quick times on the door of unhappiness” 59.
After this scene, Mersault comes to be a greater mystery. Why did Mersault do such a crime? The Arab’s significance in The Stranger is one of the most influential collisions throughout the story. Camus inflicts an immense gap within the Arabian characters, however they are the initiators for the unwinding of this novel. They are the motive for Meurault’s awakening. Arabs signify reality. Before the murder, Meurault did not live within the present, however his sin led him to discover his unhappiness. Jail made Meurault discover himself and not the world. The Arabs
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