Time Traveler

Throughout The Stranger the concept of time seams random. Camus constantly skips huge chunks of the story for what seams no apparent reason. However these gaps hold valuable information that is extracted by inference. “It was the same sun, the same light shining on the same sand as before. For two hours they had stood still; for two hours it had been anchored in a sea of molten lead.” (58) The gap in the excerpt is used as a highlight on how Meursault is nervously waiting on the beach. But what Meursault doesn’t want to tell us is how nervous and uncomfortable he is. As the novel’s narrator, he hides his fear by skipping over emotions, that somehow are not worth telling.

“A few days after I entered prison, I realized that I wouldn’t like talking about this part of my life” (72)

Throughout the first part of The Stranger Meursault tries to avoid any kind of moments that will inspire emotion. In pg 44, when Salamano’ life is told, he skips the time between his wife dying and where he is now. These huge plot holes where any author would be glad to write an extensive emotional flash back are omitted which aid to the understanding of Meursault as a character and a possible reflection of Camus himself. Considering that these gaps are characteristic for emotional moments, the author might be omitting these moments because they are not worth being told. As an existentialist, the repetition between days and other people lives is time consuming and does not deserve a spot in the novel.

The books style and tonality change in Part 2, when a new self-bound prison inmate reveals his thoughts on what he is going through. “On my way out I was even going to shake his hand but just in time, I remembered that I had killed a man.” This quote shows how great Meursault’s change is between parts of the novel. Although gaps continue in the second part of the novel their use as emotion blockers changes to reveal a educated man with only his thought to live for.