How Is Meursault A Bad Person

Will Hartman
Ms. Hogan
English 4
March 10
Is Meursault a bad person?

Is Meursault a bad person or just misunderstood? "The Stranger" by Albert Camus follows the life of a man named Meursault. This book was set in the 1940s. After careful consideration of Meurasult's actions and motives, it is obvious that he is an imperfect individual who is guilty of making very unethical decisions. Looking further into Meurasult's history, including his disregard for the well-being of others and his willingness to prioritize his interests above all else, my argument is that Meurasult's actions do make him a "bad" person. Despite the potential justifications for some of his actions, such as his desire for pleasure, Meurasult's actions demonstrate a pattern

Meursault attempts to alleviate his loneliness when talking to Champlain in prison. "I wanted to try to explain to him in a way that he'd understand that I just wasn't made for that kind of thing and that if I started pretending I was, I'd just be doing the same thing he was." (Chapter 5) Meursault, in many instances, decides to stay quiet rather than speak his mind, so he stays in people's presence. He would rather listen to people talk than talk himself. This is one of the ways Meursault can let go of some of his loneliness by being a good listener. Meursault attempted to alleviate his loneliness in prison by saying, "I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated and for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there would be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they would greet me with cries of hate." Meursault showcases one of his interesting ways of thinking about a situation in this scenario. Rather than fearing the execution, he thinks that the day it happens, he will feel less alone due to being surrounded by people. This shows how he cannot feel lonely in situations where almost anyone would. Ultimately, Meursault's way of alleviating his loneliness is by being in the presence of other people; to him, it didn’t matter what the

Meursault shows his lack of emotional attachment to people: "I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings"( page 41). Meursault shows the regrets of his nature but also, at the same time, explains that it’s not going to change. Rather than focusing on finding someone to spend his life with, Meursault would rather find someone who can always keep him pampered. Meursault again shows his regret for his actions when he says, "I wanted to try to explain to him that it was because of the sun, the sea, the light, in fact, everything, that I had simply loved him with no personal motive" (Page 68). Meursault shows his lack of care for those whom he loved, but at the same time shows that Meursault might not be able to fully control what he does, but rather does everything out of impulse, therefore making him regret his actions in some situations. Lastly, Meursault can show that he does have some regret for his decisions but continues to make them. This shows that he has a lack of control over his