Mersault's Foils In The Stranger, By Albert Camus

The world has been privy to generations of sociopaths as well as people who try to explain them. In Albert Camus' The Stranger, the author writes the main character, Mersault, as a sociopath who is indifferent to the world around him. However, his lover, Marie, is the exact opposite of him despite being in such close proximity. The contrast between Mersault and his foil, Marie, serves to prove Camus's point of the story, that there is no rational reasoning for life.

Upon hearing the death of his mother, Mersault feels indifferent. There is no overwhelming emotion as Mersault does not belief that dying matters. To him, it was just another day and the funeral was just another event that got him out of doing work. This indifference only purports the idea that life has no real meaning. Mersault finds it difficult to mourn because he believes she lived for nothing and he wasn't living for anything either. This always him to turn a blind eye to the abuse of the neighborhood dog and the abusive tendencies of his neighbor. Since he believes …show more content…
She is a firm believer in all things good and expresses shock at his indifference, thus makinng her Mersault's foil. Their relationship is wholey one sided with Mersault only involved for his own hedonistic needs. While Marie is kindhearted and hopeful, Mersault is cold and distant. This is especially highlighted while Marie asks about marriage and Mersault responds that he did not care. Mersault does not care about marriage because he does not feel that what he does in his life matters since he will die anyways. This is what leads him to murder while it drives Marie away. Her happiness comes from her belief that life has meaning, as demonstrated by her adverse reactions to Mersault's actions and thoughts. Mersault's time in prison and before death only leads him to one conclusion: that nothing he did in life mattered, good deeds or bad, because he would die for a crime that was