The Stranger Focal Point

Throughout the first unit it is evident that the focal point is how man finds identity and purpose in the face of the often random and cruel nature of existence. In the novel The Stranger, Meursault was very blunt when Marie asked why he was mourning. This section emphasizes Meursault’s direct and honest nature, and indicates that he is easily adaptable to life changes. He presents a life-goes-on attitude, which the reader may not understand at first glance because of the recent death of his mother. This teaches him/her about how quickly a person can bounce back in the face of grief or tragedy. The message about life in this section represents what it is like to move on. Meursault chose not to deeply mourn about his mom’s death and let it get the best of him. …show more content…
He knows the morals of society but does not follow them at the right times. He is a stranger to society’s standards and refuses to join the population. His attitude towards life proves he is searching for his purpose through trial and error. Camus portrays Meursault reactions as a test of his values and beliefs. “I told [Raymond] it seemed to me that [the former mistress] had gotten her punishment now and he ought to be happy” (Camus 37). Meursault knows society’s ideas of morals but just doesn’t say or apply them at the right moments. Here, he knows that beating his girlfriend is wrong of Raymond but he doesn’t show any sign of that. In The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden, also had very little values. He simply did not care about lots of situations such as getting expelled from school. Holden and Meursault’s actions both portray the stereotypical rebellious teenagers in modern day society. Due to the immense diversity of contemporary America teenagers struggle to find their purpose in life. Countless teenagers feel as if they have to fit within the social