After Meursault was arrested he met with his attorney and they talked about what would happen during the trial and some things that the attorney needed to know pertaining to the events leading up to the murder. Some investigators had found out that Meursaults mom had died and did some questioning in Marengo which is where the funeral took place. The investigators learned that Meursault had "showed insensitivity at Mamans funeral". The attorney asked Meursault about how he had felt about Mamans death and he said, "I probably did love Maman, but that didn't mean anything." This is a striking line because Meursualt steps so far in to existentialism territory that he doesn't even feel anything about his mothers death and is desensitized.
Meursault then goes on to say that "at one time or another all normal people have wished that their loved ones where dead." To me what Meurasault is saying is a cop out of what he actually thinks. He is creating an excuse for not showing sensitivity at Mamans funereal because if he feels emotions the entire underlying message of the book is thrown out of the window. He would no longer exhibit existentialism if he feels for his mom and breaks his sort of mute and lackadaisical character. Meursault is desensitized to the fact that his mom is dead and because of this desensitization he creates existentialism.
I agree, I think that Merusault´s apparent view of existentialism really just desensitizes him from the real world. Although he might actually feel that way about his mom I think that you are right and he is kind of using it as a cop out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, it is inhuman to not show emotion at the death of your mother, his sole caregiver during his childhood. I think saying you are an existentialist is a cop out for showing a inhuman lack of empathy/emotion.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I totally agree with this sentiment. Throughout the second half of the novel, we hear some of the things that Maman told Mersault throughout his childhood. One of the things she mentions is that people can get used to anything. The repetition of this phrase throughout Mersault's life I think could have contributed to his lack of emotion. He had merely gotten used to the idea before it ever happened and had already accepted it before the event took place.
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