The second part of “The Stranger”, translated by Albert Camus, reverses the theme presented in the first part of the novel. This switch in the theme from Meursault being the watcher to the watched emphasizes the impact of the title in understand Meursault’s emergence, or lack-thereof, into societal standards.
The title of the novel is the first task for the reader; they must try to identify who the stranger is and why the person has been identified as such. Upon reaching the second part, the reader has identified Meursault as the stranger. Two different interpretations of how Meursault is the stranger are conceived. One reason for Meursault being defined as the stranger is the way in which people to whom, “he couldn’t