Plot Overview

Briefly, but using the entire space, discuss the plot,

conflict, and rising action to summarize the plot.
Use your own words.

The book starts off with Meursault getting a

telegram that his mother has died in the elderly
home she was living at. The characters are slowly
introduced and they began to show what kind of
person Meursault and what he thinks about the
world. He does not grieve about his mothers death,
and even goes out with an old co-worker, Maria.
The next day he plots an attack with Raymond, his
neighbor, on Raymonds old mistress that cheat on
him while he paid for everything she did and had.
The next day he went back on a date with Maria
and spent the whole day with her. When they woke
Meursault went down to go buy some meat to cook;
when he came back he heard Raymond beat his old
mistress and everyone in the apartment complex
came out and even opened the door to see what
was happening. The cops eventually came and
brought Raymond to the police station. Meursault
went to testify as a witness of the cheating which
made Raymond to get closer with him and even
invited him, and later Maria, to go to his friends
beach house. There they went swimming for while
and after while just ate. The ladies then stayed
inside while the men went for a walk. They ran into
a group of Arabs which were after Raymond for
beating his sister. They had a fight with two of them
but backed off after Raymond got stabbed. They
went to the doctor and after Meursault went for a
walk with a gun still in his bag. He ran into one of
the the Arabs which pulled out a knife that shined
onto his head and triggered Meursault to shoot the
Arab in the head and four times a little after the
initial shot. After that he spends all of his time in jail
and waits for the court's decision on the case of
what is gonna happen to him.

About the Author

Include important information about the author. You
may want to include what inspired them, other
works they have written, significant life events, what
time period he or she wrote in, and how the time
period influenced the writing.

Albert Camus is born in Algeria on November 7,

1913. Just 8 months after his birth his father is
shot and killed during World War 1. He was
very poor and could barely afford for some kind
of education, although that was not what his
mom and grandma wanted for him. Camus also
helped the growth of absurdism which plays a
big role in the creating of The Stranger. He has
wrote a lot of other novels that also portray his
personal beliefs on absurdism

Novel Notes
The Stranger
Albert Camus
Abraham Hernandez
3/25/16

Essential Quotes
Add two quotes that capture the essence of the
novel. Be sure to cite the quotations properly.

My nature was such that my physical

needs often got in the way of my
feelings(Albert Camus 65).

Historical Context
Include information on the time period, social,
economical, cultural, and other significant
influences that characterize this novel.
The time period influenced the novel because
absurdism was beginning to bloom in this period.
Camus was also a big leader of that philosophy. He
also lived through both world wars which had a big
impact on his life.

No, there was no way out, and no one

can imagine what nights in prison are
like(Camus 80).
Add Work Cited Here: (google how to do this)
McCarthy, Patrick. Albert Camus, the Stranger.
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2004. Print.

Character Analysis

Identify each major character in the novel.

Describe the most import traits that characterize
this person. (Speech, Thoughts, Effects on other,
Action, Looks)

Meursault: He is the protagonist of the story and

speaks and thinks all throughout the story (first
person pov). He is very emotionless and acts purely
depending on how he physically feels. Also makes
people believe he likes them but in reality does not
care much for anyone. He is very normal in the way
that he looks, not too strong and not too weak.

Maria Cardona: She is Meursaults lover but he

does not feel the same way about her at all. She
talks very politely and is very positive. She has also
heard Meursault say he does not lover but
continues to love him regardless. She attracts a lot
of males towards her and they think she is very
lovely.

Raymond Sintes: He lives on the same apartment

complex as Meursault and Meursault is the only
person he trusts. He talks with a slight accent and is
very cool headed until they mess with him. He also
runs a prostitution and everyone thinks bad of him
because of that. Raymond is a very short man with
very broad shoulders.

The Chaplain: An old short man that tries to

convince Meursault to convert to a Christian in
order for him to be saved from any future problems.
However never is able to actually convince him and
gets yelled at by Meursault.

Salamano: An elderly man who always beat his dog

and was mean towards everyone at the apartments.
Until his dog was lost and he went to talk to
Meursault in which he explained why the dog was
important. He also explained what people thought of
Meursault.

Themes
Identify and analyze some of the significant themes
in the novel.
The power of the physical world: This is a common
trait all throughout the novel which makes the
protagonist make some irrational mistakes. Such as
when it is too hot or something shines onto him
which causes him to become in pain and angry
towards anyone who talks to him. Meursault also
pays much more attention towards the physical
world then how he is viewed socially. Instead of
trying to talk to people he just goes on walks or
goes to the beach and swims.

Motifs and Symbols

Identify and interpret some of the major motifs and
symbols in the novel.

The courtroom: represented the way how

society worked and all of the different people in
society. Such as the people that hate him and
the people who supported him and the people
who just it back and watch everything happen
without doing something. Such as if it was a
movie for them.

Cigarettes: This played as Meursault way to

getting with society and getting through with all
of its bad things. Whose smokes when he is
having a nice talk with someone or when he is
Everything happens for a reason: Meursault thinks
that everything happens for a reason and that death hurting. Its the only way he can connect with
is inevitable. He does not get upset at anything and most people without getting angry or mad
is even emotionless towards death.
towards them.
Absurdism: Camus was a big absurdist philosopher,
which was the philosophy that followed how men
seek happiness but it was never going to happen
because of how the universe worked and was
humanly impossible. Such as when he was waiting
in his last cell for the decision of the court.

Observation: All throughout the story there is a

common motif of either being observed or
observing. Meursault likes to watch people from
his apartment or from other apartments but that
all changes on him when he is in the courtroom
and everyone is watching him and talking about
him and his every move.