One of the moments that struck me most in The Stranger by Albert Camus was the night time vigil for his recently deceased mother. In this scene, Meursault sits awkwardly as he watches over his mom, but all the while paying more attention to the guests that have come to the vigil. Despite this solemn event, he takes notes on the peculiar mannerisms of the other people in the room, such as smacking noises they make or the way they are crying. At one instance he says, "I'd never noticed what huge stomachs old women can have" (10).
What surprised me most about this moment is how disinterested Meursault actually was in the death of his mother. He was actually more interested in the people around him. Other sorts of this "people watching" behavior is prevalent throughout the story. Another instance of this is when he looks over his balcony and watches the people go by. Meursault is very perceptive, but in an odd in way. He always notices minutia, rather than things that are of actual importance. The ways through which Meursault seems to navigate the world is very methodical and direct. Meursault is not one to stop and smell the roses. It might be interesting to ask if a major problem were to occur in his life, how would he respond to it? Will he ignore it, similar to how he waived away the death of his mom, or will he find a direct and simple solution?
I agree with this concept of "people watching". Throughout the first few chapters he seems more interested with other peoples views and actions than his own. He seems somewhat oblivious to what society dictates he should be focusing, his mother.
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