The Stranger Part 2 Essay

In the passage when Meursault yells at the priest when he comes to talk to him, Albert Camus shows that Meursault did not have a good relationship with him because of how he treated him. For humans, this symbolized that not all people have close relationships and get along with each other.

When the passage begins, Meursault starts by yelling at the top of his lungs at the priest. Meursault says, "I insulted him and told him not to waste his prayers on me"(p.120). Meursault then grabbed him by the collar of his cassock and was pouting out on him everything that was in his heart, cries of anger and joy. Meursault feels guilty and tells the priest to not wast his time on him. "I had lived my life one way and I could just as well have lived it another" (p.121). Feelings of death was all Meursault had.

Meursault still has feelings of guilt because he didn't cry at Maman's funeral. Meursault felt that because he didn't cry, it didn't matter. It didn't matter that he was accused of murder and being executed.

Meursault was gasping for air because of all the shouting he did. "But they were already tearing the chaplain form my grip and the guards were threatening me" (p.122). The chaplain calmed them and looked at Meursault for a moment without saying a word. The chaplain's eyes were full of tears and then he turned away and disappeared.

The chaplain then left and Meursault was able to calm down. Then he started to think about Maman again. "I was exhausted and threw myself on my bunk. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with stars in my face. For the first time in a long time I thought about Maman. So close to death, Maman must have felt free then and ready to live it all again too" (p.123). This shows he is still thinking about Maman and having guilty feelings about Maman and their relationship.

Life is too short because just like Maman, we will eventually die someday and well regret our actions on not having the chance to be close to a loved one that we may lose at any given time. Also just like Maman, Meursault is going to die and be executed and his death is going to be quick. This relates to part 1 because Meursault still has guilty feelings about his relationship with Maman and he did not have a good relationship with the priest either because of his behavior.