Meursault is an unconventional character, and he causes a lot of mixed feelings in the reader. In light of his recent actions (the murder in particular) what do you think of him?
Although he may be a little impulsive and do some pretty aggressive things, I like him! I find him to be very interesting and pretty different from most of the other characters that we have read about. He tells us (the reader) what he is really thinking and in pretty clear terms.
I actually like Meursault as a character. He's easy to connect to, for me at least. The way the novel is written actually makes him seem human unlike Jane Erye, which made her just seem annoying. The way the book is written is just how a normal person would react. You think about what you see and how it makes you feel in no particular order. I think he is very interesting, just the way he goes through everyday life and the way he thinks about things. He makes you think and thats why I like him.
I actually don't think that it is written as normal people would react...I at least would put a lot more consideration into who I was going to marry, or maybe consider if I love them or not at least. I think he is too bare- like a robot. His depressing view of life is a little unnerving...
But is he that depressed? He knows what he enjoys and knows what he doesn't enjoy, and he also makes that very clear to the reader. Maybe in the beginning of the story he seemed a little depressed because of his mother and his lack of friends. However, in the reading that we have just done, he makes friends whom he actually seems to enjoy. He seems pretty approachable, especially to Masson, and is clearly happy with Maria. I don't really know how much longer this happiness will continue though because of what he has just done (killed that Arab). I do agree with you Paige about contemplating big decisions. He seemed kind of unsure about wanting to marry Maria or not, which is in most people's opinions, is a pretty big milestone.
I agree with Nicki. I wouldn't say that he is depressed, maybe lonely. Paige, what I meant was more along the lines of our thoughts bounce from one thing to another a lot through out the day.
Typical signs of a sociopath include the inability to really feel or to properly show emotions, the need to please/charm people, the need to appear normal (esp. when it comes to emotions), as well as IMPULSIVE and AGGRESSIVE behavior.
All of these have been shown by Meursault. Some clear examples of this are when he apologizes to his boss but then realizes he shouldn't have said that because that wasn't "normal." He wasn't really guilty he just wanted to fit in, which in the end (like many sociopaths) didn't really work out quite right. Another time was when he was unable to say he loved Maria and he said loving her "didn't mean anything" (35). Then there was his indifference to marriage. He didn't think marriage was serious but would get married if Maria wanted to because that would be "normal." Then there was his violent and impulsive murder of a man he didn't even know. It wasn't just self defense because he paused between the first shot before he shot the man FOUR more times. And the whole time he seemed pretty indifferent to the whole experience. And finally (although there are more) when he met with his attorney he admitted that he "probably did love Maman, but that didn't mean anything" (65). This again shows an indifference to love/feelings.
But I kind of like him, I mean I feel empathy for him because he tried really hard to fit in and be natural but since he is (in all likeliness) a sociopath he cannot. He's interesting and I look forward to learning more about him.
I agree with Nicki and Treazure. He is quiet guy who keeps to himself, but thats ok. Not everyone is outgoing and has something to say all the time. But we don't know what's going on in his head so maybe there are some more real emotions in there that he isn't telling us about. I agree that all signs point to sociopath, and it is clearly evident that he could actually be one...but aren't there cases where people have the same characteristics and don't end up being sociopaths? And doesn't everyone just sort-of want to fit it and be normal? Now its ok to be "individual", but this was before our time (for lack of other words) and it was weird to be different. Just my two cents.
personally i feel like he is more than a quite guy who likes to be by himself, i think he is likely a sociopath. i think this because he lacks empathy. at his mothers funeral this old women is crying cause his mom was hr only friend and he just wishes he could get up and tell her to shut up, he doesn't understand why she was crying, which is clear to most people as lose, and because of this he cannot relate therefore he feels no empathy. also when the lawyer asks if he loved his mom he is like well i guess, and never truly values (loves) anyone. none of this is definitive but its the impression i got.
i actually like him. the reason why i like him is because he does not express how he feels so he is more interesting because the reader needs to figure out what is up with him. if he told us how he feels then he wouldnt be as interesting because we would know everything thing we need to know and we would not be curious. also i like him because he is very realistic and the way he makes his life seem is the way that it truly is
I like him as a character just because he is different. Unlike any other "typical" characters that show too much emotion (Jane Eyre) we are able too see things in a different way. I don't think he's a sociopath. I believe the author wanted to show the character's feelings towards life in a not-obvious way. (kinda?) The way he lacks emotion shows how he didn't care about his life because he thought everyone was meant to die a meaningless life.
while many people find him very unacceptable and infuriating as he appears to have no remorse for anything or have any emotion at all, i like him. i find his apathy quite interesting and almost refreshing as compared to our more emotional characters and texts we have seen. He is a character that sees, and tells it exactly as it is and that's it; while on the other hand, we have people who paste their own views, morals, and logic to everything. he is simple and honest, and everyone else in the book blows things out of proportion because they cannot accept the simple explanations.
Although he may be a little impulsive and do some pretty aggressive things, I like him! I find him to be very interesting and pretty different from most of the other characters that we have read about. He tells us (the reader) what he is really thinking and in pretty clear terms.
ReplyDeleteI actually like Meursault as a character. He's easy to connect to, for me at least. The way the novel is written actually makes him seem human unlike Jane Erye, which made her just seem annoying. The way the book is written is just how a normal person would react. You think about what you see and how it makes you feel in no particular order. I think he is very interesting, just the way he goes through everyday life and the way he thinks about things. He makes you think and thats why I like him.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't think that it is written as normal people would react...I at least would put a lot more consideration into who I was going to marry, or maybe consider if I love them or not at least. I think he is too bare- like a robot. His depressing view of life is a little unnerving...
ReplyDeleteBut is he that depressed? He knows what he enjoys and knows what he doesn't enjoy, and he also makes that very clear to the reader. Maybe in the beginning of the story he seemed a little depressed because of his mother and his lack of friends. However, in the reading that we have just done, he makes friends whom he actually seems to enjoy. He seems pretty approachable, especially to Masson, and is clearly happy with Maria. I don't really know how much longer this happiness will continue though because of what he has just done (killed that Arab). I do agree with you Paige about contemplating big decisions. He seemed kind of unsure about wanting to marry Maria or not, which is in most people's opinions, is a pretty big milestone.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nicki. I wouldn't say that he is depressed, maybe lonely. Paige, what I meant was more along the lines of our thoughts bounce from one thing to another a lot through out the day.
ReplyDeleteI think his a sociopath.
ReplyDeleteTypical signs of a sociopath include the inability to really feel or to properly show emotions, the need to please/charm people, the need to appear normal (esp. when it comes to emotions), as well as IMPULSIVE and AGGRESSIVE behavior.
All of these have been shown by Meursault. Some clear examples of this are when he apologizes to his boss but then realizes he shouldn't have said that because that wasn't "normal." He wasn't really guilty he just wanted to fit in, which in the end (like many sociopaths) didn't really work out quite right. Another time was when he was unable to say he loved Maria and he said loving her "didn't mean anything" (35). Then there was his indifference to marriage. He didn't think marriage was serious but would get married if Maria wanted to because that would be "normal." Then there was his violent and impulsive murder of a man he didn't even know. It wasn't just self defense because he paused between the first shot before he shot the man FOUR more times. And the whole time he seemed pretty indifferent to the whole experience. And finally (although there are more) when he met with his attorney he admitted that he "probably did love Maman, but that didn't mean anything" (65). This again shows an indifference to love/feelings.
But I kind of like him, I mean I feel empathy for him because he tried really hard to fit in and be natural but since he is (in all likeliness) a sociopath he cannot. He's interesting and I look forward to learning more about him.
PS Paige wanted me to post my point about how I thought he was a sociopath otherwise I wouldn't have gone on for so long.
DeleteI agree with Nicki and Treazure. He is quiet guy who keeps to himself, but thats ok. Not everyone is outgoing and has something to say all the time. But we don't know what's going on in his head so maybe there are some more real emotions in there that he isn't telling us about. I agree that all signs point to sociopath, and it is clearly evident that he could actually be one...but aren't there cases where people have the same characteristics and don't end up being sociopaths? And doesn't everyone just sort-of want to fit it and be normal? Now its ok to be "individual", but this was before our time (for lack of other words) and it was weird to be different. Just my two cents.
ReplyDeletepersonally i feel like he is more than a quite guy who likes to be by himself, i think he is likely a sociopath. i think this because he lacks empathy. at his mothers funeral this old women is crying cause his mom was hr only friend and he just wishes he could get up and tell her to shut up, he doesn't understand why she was crying, which is clear to most people as lose, and because of this he cannot relate therefore he feels no empathy. also when the lawyer asks if he loved his mom he is like well i guess, and never truly values (loves) anyone. none of this is definitive but its the impression i got.
ReplyDeletei actually like him. the reason why i like him is because he does not express how he feels so he is more interesting because the reader needs to figure out what is up with him. if he told us how he feels then he wouldnt be as interesting because we would know everything thing we need to know and we would not be curious. also i like him because he is very realistic and the way he makes his life seem is the way that it truly is
ReplyDeleteI like him as a character just because he is different. Unlike any other "typical" characters that show too much emotion (Jane Eyre) we are able too see things in a different way. I don't think he's a sociopath. I believe the author wanted to show the character's feelings towards life in a not-obvious way. (kinda?) The way he lacks emotion shows how he didn't care about his life because he thought everyone was meant to die a meaningless life.
ReplyDeletewhile many people find him very unacceptable and infuriating as he appears to have no remorse for anything or have any emotion at all, i like him. i find his apathy quite interesting and almost refreshing as compared to our more emotional characters and texts we have seen. He is a character that sees, and tells it exactly as it is and that's it; while on the other hand, we have people who paste their own views, morals, and logic to everything. he is simple and honest, and everyone else in the book blows things out of proportion because they cannot accept the simple explanations.
ReplyDelete