The Stranger, by Albert Camus, tells the story of a peculiar Algerian man and the unfortunate events of his life. Meursault is unable to concentrate on what is important because he is engulfed by his senses. He is so involved in what he hears and sees, that he is indifferent to what is essential. At his mother's funeral, for example, Meursault does not show any emotion; instead, he describes his surroundings and the people attending the vigil. He is supposed to be mourning his mother's death and reflecting on what his mother meant to him, yet he comments on how tired he is and even falls asleep. Surely a compassionate person would not fall asleep at his mother's funeral. Meursault displays other uncalled for behaviors; for instance, he smokes a cigarette and feels irritated by a sucking noise the elderly people are making. Later he graphically describes the women at the vigil: "Almost all the women were wearing aprons, and the strings, which were tied tight around their waists, made their bulging stomachs stick out even more. I"d never noticed what huge stomachs old women can have" (9-10). Instead of feeling empathetic, Meursault is annoyed by his mother's best friend's cries of sorrow. "I thought she"d never stop I wished I didn't have to listen to her anymore" (10). Even if he does not feel obligated to cry, he should understand the pain that she is going through. Meursault maintains his apathetic attitude and continues to be indifferent even after he commits a murder.
During Meursault's murder trial, he does not pay attention to his impending fate; instead, he focuses on the atmosphere in the courtroom. Meursault does not think about his crime. He does not reflect on why he did it, or what the consequences are. Meursault seems impervious to the possibility that he could spend the rest of his life in prison, and the death penalty never crosses his mind. When Meursault sees the jurors, he looks them over and comes to the conclusion that they are insignificant, indistinguishable people.
