The Stranger: Analysis of the Novel's Themes, Court Trial and Motive

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of Albert Camus's novel, *The Stranger*. It explores the themes of the novel, particularly focusing on the court trial and the protagonist, Meursault's, experience within it. The analysis examines how the court manipulates evidence and the impact of religious and societal expectations on the judgment. The essay also highlights the author's perspective on racial discrimination and the flawed nature of the justice system. The student reflects on the novel's complexities and the challenges of interpreting its meaning, including the significance of the court trial and Meursault's character. The assignment includes a breakdown of the reading and analysis process, outlining the steps taken to understand the novel's core themes and message.

Running head: THE STRANGER
THE STRANGER
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The Stranger by Albert Camus is the story of an ordinary man who is unwittingly
dragged into an insensitive murder of an Arab on the Algerian beach. Camus, through his
weird portrayal of the protagonist, has shown the naked truth of court trial and how the latter
links everything to the character of a person so that its decision can be morally justified
(Camus 1989). The novel is a short piece of work with simple language so I scanned it.
Initially, his book seemed to be comprehensible but with more reading, I got to know its inner
meaning. Through his novel, he asks the readers to question the ethnicity of an institution that
is trusted by many.
One thing that raised questions was how the court was trying to manipulate the
situations and shreds of evidence to their side. I was shocked to see the reality of a court trial
that humiliates a person in the name of giving the victim a chance for survival. By reading the
novel for the first time, I couldn’t grasp what Camus was trying to reveal but on second
reading, the racial discrimination and nakedness of the court became quite evident. One
question that I reflected on and could not accept was how the court gives importance to
religion and accordingly makes a judgment. Meursault though murdering an Arab and
knowing its consequences, had to go through the pain of the trial where he was verbally
assaulted.
Activity
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Reading the novel b
Assessing the novel

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Evaluating the novel
Analysis of the motive in the novel
Making a definite conclusion

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References
Camus, A. (1989). The Stranger. Vintage International.