Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Reading #4 The Stranger



“She shouted again, “You’ll get out and we’ll get married!” I answered, “You think so?” but it was mainly just to say something” (Camus 75).
            Marie visits Mersault in prison, and she forces their conversation. When she brings up their pending marriage, Mersault compels himself to say something. His behavior is not normal. Ideally, two people, when they are engaged, should be excited and happy. Mersault has a neutral tone towards their engagement, and his love for Marie has not been illustrated in the book. His response to her is irritating, because he appears to not realize that he should consider himself blessed that Marie is visiting him and that she even wants to marry him after he killed a person. Even more so, Mersault is not even affectionate towards Marie and he does not illustrate any intense emotions towards her. Their conversation contributes to Marie’s characterization, because her want to marry him does not make sense. The conversation may lead to the conclusion that she is a needy woman, who desperately wants to get married, and will choose anyone, even a person, who says ‘“You think so?”’, but who is judging? 


(I am)

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