Benita Geng16th October 2018ENG4UMr. DixitAnalysis of Chapter 4 and 5 in The Stranger by Albert CamusContent list-Summary of Chapter 4-Suitable Title for Chapter 4-Important Characters and importance in chapter4-Summary of Chapter5-Important Characters and importance in chapter5-Important Characters affect the development of the story in C4 and 5-Important events affect the development of story and characters in C4 and 5-Connections of literary devices and story in C4 and 5-Philosophy in C4 and 5-Recompose the storySummary of Chapter 4After a normal working week, Meursault spent whole Saturday with Marie. They had a wonderful time on the beach and then went back Meursault’s home. On Sunday morning, they overheard a fight between Salamano and his dog.
When Meursault and Marie were talking about their relationship, they heard the fight in Raymond’s room. Raymond thought the woman used him and beaten her. One of their neighbors called the police. In the afternoon, Meursault agreed to help Raymond be the witness of the fight. Salamano lost his dog, and he was upset about it. However, he told Meursault that he didn’t want to pay anything for finding dog, but Meursault heard Salamano weeping at night.
Suitable Title for Chapter 4 A Special WeekendJustification: A good title should perfectly summarize the whole chapter. This whole book is Meursault’s 1st person point of view so that the title should be his point of view. In Chapter 4, there are lots of different things happened around the main character. It is incomplete to name it as a separate event, such as a trip with Marie, the fight between Raymond and the woman or Salamano lost his dog.
It is a special weekend for Meursault. Not only it is the first formal date between him and Marie, and they really had a good time on the beach and in his home, but also he became the witness of Raymond’s fight. Also, Salamano lost his dog and cried made him remind of his mother. It is an extremely special weekend. Therefore, I would like to give this title for Chapter 4.Important Characters and Importance in Chapter 4Meursault is the main character. In chapter 4, his action makes Marie fell in love with him.
Marie had followed him and supported him for a long time because of this love. Meursault became the witness of Raymond and the woman’s fight. This is one piece of evidence for Meursault’ death penalty. Also, because of this help, Raymond might ask for more and more help from him. – Marie Cardona is the main character’s girlfriend. In Chapter 4, she had a nice day with Meursault.
This day is one of Meursault’s good memories. She asked Meursault if he loves her or not, and he didn’t clearly know so he didn’t answer. Because of this question and this answer, readers might know the personality of Meursault so that the following actions of him were reasonable. – Raymond Sintes is one of Meursault’s neighbors. In chapter 4, he fought with his mistress.
He made Meursault into his conflict. He let Meursault to be the witness and help him. This would be one piece of evidence for Meursault’s death penalty. – Salamano is Meursault’s another neighbor. In chapter 4, he lost his dog.
He didn’t push the plot go forward in this chapter. However, his feelings and actions contrasted with Meursault’s. He used to beat and shout to the dog, but after he lost it, he wept for it. His reaction contrasted with main character’s indifference at losing his mother. Summary of Chapter 5Raymond called Meursault to invite him and Marie to a friend’s beach house.
He also said he was being followed by some Arabs, and he wanted Meursault to watch if they were there. Meursault made his boss disappointed because he didn’t have interest in the opportunity to work in Paris. He didn’t want to change his life. Marie came and asked whether Meursault would marry her or not. He showed his indifference. Somehow, their relationship didn’t change. Later, Salamano came to Meursault’s home.
He couldn’t find his dog anymore. They also talked about Meursault’s mother. Suitable title for Chapter 5 I Wasn’t UnhappyFirst of all, it is the constant emotion of Meursault in Chapter 5. At this time, the life of Meursault was still normal, and he was satisfied with his life. When his boss asked if he wanted to work in Paris, he told his boss that he didn’t want to change his life. He thought, “I wasn’t unhappy” (The stranger chapter 5 page41).
In his mind, his life was normal and not bad. He didn’t have any ambition. Also, this chapter tells some soft events in his daily life, so it is a good way to name it as his emotion.
Important Characters and Importance in Chapter 5Meursault is the main character. His actions and feelings made his life stayed constant in this chapter. He thought his life wasn’t unhappy, so he didn’t choose to change his life, and this made the following chapters.
Raymond Sintes is now Meursault’s friend in this chapter. He called Meursault to invite him to the beach house, where Meursault later did the murder. He also asked the main character to help him to watch for the Arabs, and pushed him into the conflict. Boss is also an important character in this chapter. He didn’t push the plot forward, but let readers know more about Meursault’s thoughts and his indifference. Marie’s role in this chapter some points is the same as the boss’s role. Salamano is important in this chapter. After he knew he couldn’t find his dog, he visited Meursault’s home, and had a conversation with him.
This conversation makes readers know more about Meursault’s thoughts about life and his mother. Also, after this, Salamano knew that Meursault was a good person. They became friends.Important Characters affect the development of the story in C4 and 5 MeursaultWhole book is around him. It is his 1st person point of view.
All the plots happen because of his actions and feelings.Raymond SintesIn the whole story, he pushed Meursault to the death. He treated his mistress in a violent and cruel way. He drew Meursault into his own conflicts. Except the things he let Meursault do in Chapter 4 and 5, he also let him to write the letter to that woman for him. Even he nearly killed the Arab himself before Meursault stopped him. Raymond caused Meursault’s death.
His actions pushed the plot forward. He just made Meursault’s indifference and ignorance into the murder and evil. Marie Cardona She didn’t push the plot forward, but from she and Meursault’s conversations, readers could know more about Meursault’s thoughts. After we knew more and more about the main character, the plot would be more reasonable. SalamanoHe plays almost the same roles as Marie in the whole book. From the interactions between him and Meursault, readers can know what Meursault really think about her mother.
At last, he stood on the main character’s side in the court. Important events in Chapter 4 and 5 affect the story and character- Meursault and Marie went to the beach on that Saturday. (4)It is important that they had a very good time there. Because of this event, Marie felt she could keep staying with Meursault.
For Meursault, although he felt really happy, he didn’t know whether he loved Marie or not. It shows his indifference and emotional detachment. Also, it was one of his nice memories when he was in the jail. – Raymond fought with his mistress. (4)This event pushed the plot forward. Raymond treated his mistress in a cruel way so that the cops came. That day, he asked Meursault to be the witness of his fight.
He drew the main character into his conflict. This was also a piece of evidence for Meursault’s death penalty.- Salamano lost his dog.
(4)This incident let Salamano felt upset so that Meursault reminded of his mother. Also, if he didn’t lose his dog, there would be no conversations between him and Meursault. They would never become friends. At last, Salamano would not say good words for Meursault. Conversation between Meursault and his boss (5)Meursault refused the chance to go to Paris to work. If he agreed, the following plots would be totally changed.
Meursault and Marie talked about marriage (5)It shows the indifference and emotional detachment of Meursault. This indifference contrasted with Marie’s attitude. Also, if they got married, when Meursault was in the jail, Marie could come to visit him more times. Connect literary devices and terms to the story and characters in chapter 4 and 5.- Setting?Before World War II, in AlgeriaAt that time, people’s minds were still obsolete. Because of it, the laws were not that much strict so that Raymond could let Meursault to be the witness to help him. Also, people there thought Meursault was not good.
In my opinion, this time period was also one of the hands, which pushed Meursault to the death.- First person point of viewIn the whole book, there are numerous ‘I’s. This point of view shows the main character’s feelings to readers so that readers can understand his actions clearly. – ProtagonistMeursault is the protagonist.
Whole book is based on his actions and feelings. In Chapter 4 and 5, all the events were around him. – Simile:”Her tan made her face look like a flower.” (The stranger chapter 4 page34)This was Meursault’s thought in chapter4, when he and Marie went to the beach. It shows that Meursault’s satisfaction of Marie. Even he thought Marie was that much beautiful, he still didn’t answer that he loved Marie. Therefore it shows Meursault’s difference and his emotional detachment. – Repetition:”First we heard a woman’s shrill voice and then Raymond saying, ‘you used me, you used me.
I’ll teach you to use me.'” (The stranger chapter 4 page35)This is in chapter 4, and it used repetition. Raymond was very angry at that time so that he shouted the same sentence many times. Also, it shows Raymond is an impulsive and irritable person.
Therefore, in the following plot, the actions or things he done was reasonable. Foreshadowing:”I told her I didn’t like cops.” (The stranger chapter 4 page36)Meursault said he didn’t like cops when Marie let him to call the police because of Raymond’s fight. Firstly, he thought it didn’t matter to him, and because of this ignorance, Raymond asked more help from him. This dislike to the police was really important in the following plot. Because of this, he didn’t talk too much when he was in the court so that he couldn’t let others know his innocence. This was an important reason for his death. Simile:”She had bright eyes in a little face like an apple.
” (The stranger chapter 5 page43)Meursault described the woman he didn’t know in this way. It shows his interest. “Then she stood up, put her jacket back on with the same robotlike movements.” (The stranger chapter 5 page43)Meursault had interest in this girl, but he couldn’t understand her busy actions. Many people did things in this way, but he couldn’t understand.
That shows his difference. Philosophy and intent of the author in chapter 4 and 5This is a book, which expresses lots of philosophy ideas. Firstly, it contains absurdism in Meursault’s behaviors. When Raymond asked Meursault if he could “act as a witness for him”, (The stranger chapter 4 page37) Meursault agreed. He was wrong.
It was ridiculous that he even didn’t doubt about Raymond. He just thought it didn’t matter to himself. It would mean that he could do anything, if there is no good reason to refuse. Perhaps Meursault is one of members of absurdism. Also, Meursault also showed his indifference and emotional detachment in his conversations with Marie in these two chapters. When Marie asked him whether he loved or not and if he would marry her, he also didn’t know or slighted over.
From his actions and thoughts, it was easy to know that he only needed to do sex with Marie. He was indifferent to Marie. However, although maybe at first, Marie had the same idea as him, she changed a lot. She started to think seriously about this relationship. Meursault’s emotional detachment made Marie upset sometimes. Also, he didn’t have any ambitions. He didn’t want to change his life because he thought it was meaningless.
“When I was a student, I had lots of ambitions like that. But when I had to give up my studies I learned quickly that none of it really mattered.” (The stranger chapter 5 page41)He was different from the majority of the society. Therefore, some people thought he was not a good person. Those people even didn’t know what he was thinking.
Although he was wrong to help Raymond, he wasn’t totally bad. Sometimes, he just thought it is meaningless so he didn’t do or he did. However, people thought he was unmoral. These killed him at last. Therefore, I think author is introducing abusdism and existentialism to the public. How Do I Recompose I really like the plot of this short novel. However, when I finished reading it, I felt very upset.
Therefore, if I was the author, I would like to write a happier ending than this one for Meursault. Also, I would like to present his story in third person point of view. In this book, even 1st person point of view can’t tell all his feelings. I would like to create more thoughts of him. Also, at last, it would be sweet that Marie found a letter, which Meursault’s mother expressed how his son took care of her in his heart.
Although he still had the death penalty, people would have sense of quilt. In this way, people would realize that things were not always the same as their surfaces.
