Meursault's attitude in part one changes dramatically in part two with his feelings and attitude towards authority and others. In the opening scene of the book, the reader finds that "Maman died today. Or Yesterday Maybe, I don't know." These are the fist hints about Meursault's character; they show him to be almost unfeeling. He feels the need to apologize for things that are out of his control, and to thank people for things that they had nothing to do with. He apologizes to his boss when he asks for two days off work t

o go to the vigil and funeral and he does not want to pay his last respects. To please the Director he agrees to everything the director says even when he told Meursault that his mother wanted a religious burial with a priest he said nothing, knowing his mother was not of the religious type, and tries to justify his reasoning for putting her in the home. When the officer confronts Raymond after beating on his Arab mistress, Meursault stays his distance and tells Marie that he "doesn't like the police". He does these things to avoid authority and stay out of their way. In part, two his attitude towards authority begins to change and his avoidance of authority diminishes. He defies authority when he repeatedly disagrees with the magistrate and chaplain as they try to make him believe in God, and question him about his mother and the reason he paused between the second and third shot. He also shows changes within the relationships he wants to or make with authority figures such as the cell guard, the reporter, his lawyer, and the jury. From part one to part two Meursault's feelings and attitude towards authority and others seems to change for the better even though he still shows some features of a protagonist.

Meursault is unique but isolated, finds the world to be indifferent or hostile, life to be unexplainable, romance to be fallacy, emotions to be detrimental and absurd; that man has freedom of choice; and that man has to be responsible for his actions. These are all shown in various instances throughout the book. The complexity of this character, trying to figure out what is going through Meursault's mind, has made the book as popular as it is. There are individuals who, because of different or strange behavior, might be outcasts of society, but find, in spite of or because of their unconventional behavior, that there are some people who want to be a part of their lives. Meursault, an asocial person is such an individual. His behavior, while not truly antisocial, is distant, yet it does not get in the way of certain relationships. While there are some, people who might find such relationships unsatisfying and limited, Meursault and those he is connected to seem to be content with their "friendships". His aloofness, though, may not have saved him from suffering. It might actually have been the cause of the guilty verdict at his trial for killing the Arab. Withdrawing from involvement with people or life events might not mean total isolation or rejection but it does not necessarily protect an individual from pain or a bad end. Meursault is truly a stranger in his own life. His is caught up in the absurdity of human existence, and is unable to find any sort of meaning in his life. Nothing matters much to him because he realizes that his own mortal existence, as well as everyone

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Approximate Word count = 1904
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)