A Close Reading of a Paragraph from Albert Camus's The Stranger
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[1] That evening Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. [2] I said it didn't make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. [3] Then she wanted to know if I loved her. [4] I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn't mean anything but that I probably didn't love her. [5] "So why marry me, then?" she said. <img src="/emoticons/emotion-14.gif" alt="Devil [6]" /> I explained to her that it didn't really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married. [7] Besides, she was the one who was doing the asking and all I was saying was yes. <img src="/emoticons/emotion-29.gif" alt="Music [8]" /> Then she pointed out that marriage was a serious thing. [9] I said, "No." [10] She stopped talking for a minute and looked at me without saying anything. [11] Then she spoke. [12] She just wanted to know if I would have accepted the same proposal from another woman, with whom I was involved in the same way. [13] I said, "Sure." [14] Then she said she wondered if she loved me, and there was no way I could know about that. [15] After another moment's silence, she mumbled that I was peculiar, that that was probably why she loved me but that one day I might hate her for the same reason. [16] I didn't say anything, because I didn't have anything to add, so she took my arm with a smile and said she wanted to marry me. [17] I said about my boss's proposition and she said she's love to see Paris. [18] I told her that I'd lived there once and she asked me what it was like. [19] I said, "It's dirty. Lots of pigeons and dark courtyards. Everybody's pale." _________________________________________________________________________
This paragraph from Albert Camus's The Stranger appears one-third into the novel. It takes place after Meursault finishes work for the day. The paragraph is mostly being narrated by Meursault, with Marie questioning him concerning love and marriage. It exhibits Meursault's uncaring, simple, and pessimistic nature, as well as Marie's unscathed desire to marry Meursault. Meursault's nature and Marie's feelings are shown by Meursault's simple remarks and actions, and Marie's reoccurring statements concerning marriage.
Meursault doesn't seem to really care about the things that most people would care about. Upon Marie proposing marriage to Meursault, he blatantly states that it doesn't make any difference to him and that they could get married if she wanted to. Marriage isn't something you would suspect one to think so lightly about. It is obvious that Meursault doesn't care whether or not he marries Marie, signifying his uncaring nature (sentence 1 and 2).
When asked by Marie to describe Paris, Meursault states, "It's dirty. Lots of pigeons and dark courtyards. Everybody's pale."(sentence 19). The short general statements made by Meursault display his simple-natured self. In addition to Meursault's apparent simple nature, the statements by him also exhibit how pessimistic he can be, giving only negative feedback to Marie about Paris.
Despite Meursault's colorless feelings towards Marie, Marie touches heavily upon the subject of marriage in the paragraph. Marie asks Meursault if he wants to marry her and if he loves her. With passive responses made by Meursault such as: "No"(sentence 9) and "Sure" (sentence 13), Marie still shows her love towards him and takes his arm "with a smile" and says that she wants to marry him (sentence 16). Marie has shown that she will continue to love and want to marry Meursault regardless of how he does or does not feel about their relationship.
Meursault and Marie have proved to be totally different people, yet they have also shown that they are alike. Like Meursault, Marie has remained unchanged about the subject of marriage, although their views on marriage are quite different. Meursault's uncaring, simple, and pessimistic nature has proved to have attracted Marie and her passionate ways of thinking.