Daan

=Chapter 1 =

1939-1945
 * //1. What does the reference to "a soldier" tell you about the time period of the story? //**

//**2. After Meursault arranged for his mother to live in a nursing home, why did he visit her so infrequently? **// She lived too far away

//**3. Why was it odd that Madam Meursault desired a religious burial? **// She had no religion

//**4. In this context, an open casket to view the body is the norm, however, Meursault does not want to see it. Suggests reasons for why he would **////**respond in this way. Is this normal behaviour? **// Open casket's are part of the Christian burial ceremony. Mersault realises that his mother completely changed as a result of being in the old-peoples home and therefore he thought there was no point of seeing her.

//**5. Where is the caretaker from? His age? **// The caretaker is from Paris and he is 64 years old.

//**6. What is the purpose of holding a vigil? How long does it last? **// The purpose of a vigil is so that the people can pay their last respects to the person who just passed away. It lasts for one day and one night.

//**7. Describe Thomas Perez’s relationship with Maman. Provide a relevant quote. **// Mr Perez and Mrs Meursault had a very close relationship. "he and your mother were almost inseparable"

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">8. Describe the journey to the church. How long did it take? How was the casket transported? Use a quote in your answer. The casket was transported by horse where the other people walked "On either side of the hearse, the four men". **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The length of the journey is unknown, however, it took a pretty long time as Mr. Perez had to catch up a lot of times by going cross-country.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">9. List Mersault’s references to sun and light (include page number). **//
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"And the glare of the sky reflecting off the road" page 10
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"With his bright eyes" page 10
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"It was a very bright room" page 12
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"A row of shiny screws" page 12
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Brightly coloured scarf" page 12
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Late-afternoon sunshine" page 13
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Night had fallen suddenly" page 14
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The sudden blaze of light" page 14
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The glare from the white walls" page 14
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Only a faint glimmer" page 15
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Dawn was creeping up" page 17
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The sun had risen a little higher in the sky" page 17
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Bright, shiny and oblong, it looked a bit like a pencil box" page 19
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The sun was already high in the sky." page 20
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The whole landscape flooded in sunshine" page 20
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"I was surprised how rapidly the sun was climbing in the sky." page 20
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The same luminous, sun-drenched countryside." page 21
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The glare from the sun was unbearable" page 21
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The sun had burst open the tar" page 21
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"The shiny black hearse" page 21
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"With the sun and the smell of leather" page 21
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"If you go slowly, you risk getting sun-stroke" page 22
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">"Nest of lights" page 22

=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Chapter 2 =

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Who does Meursault meet the day after his mother is buried? **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">He meets Marie, a woman that should have been his future wife.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. On page 21, what hint is the reader given as to where Meursault lives? **// The reader is hinted that Meursault lives in a very hot place on Earth. As there are lots of references to Paris and France, our first thought would be that Meursault lives in the south of France. However, we know that the story takes place in Algeria, where France is seen as a sort of Utopia where all life is rich and good.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 3. Describe Meursault’s Sunday routine? What does this demonstrate about his character/personality? Use quotes in your answer. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">There is no Sunday routine described in chapter 2. However, we can see that Meursault dislikes Sundays. This is probably because Sunday is the day where everybody is free from work and for many a chance to see friends, family and other loved ones. As Meursault hardly has anyone he really loves, he diskikes the sundays.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 4. Page 28: “I realised that I’d managed to get through another Sunday, that mother was now buried, that I was going to go back to work and that, after all, nothing had changed.” Imagine a tragedy that has just struck a friend. The next day, your friend comes to school as if nothing has happened. What would you say to your friend? How would you react to their lack of acknowledgement? **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">If the mother of a friend of mine would pass away, I think it could very well be possible for him to come to school the next day pretending nothing happened at all. I believe he would go to school to forget the things that have happened. Of course, he shouldn't do this after the first or second day after his mother's death, but afterwards, school could serve as some kind of distraction from his thoughts.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 5. Despite chapters 1 and 2 being poles apart in terms of content (chapter 1 focuses on the funeral, whereas 2 is about a day at the beach with a girl), an indifferent tone is prevalent in both. Explain how Camus uses language to achieve this. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">In chapter one, Camus uses negative metaphors to describe Meursaults feelings. Meursault doesn't like the sun in chapter one, it is too bright and the white walls make the light blinding. However, in chapter two, he doesn't really mind the sun at all. Without that sun, he wouldn't be swimming or on the beach and therefore, the sun makes his day.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 6. Give some examples of Camus’ use of imagery. Note how this is used in place of Meursault’s emotions. **// "a mirror that's gone yellow" describes dirt on the mirror. Meursault describes how lonely he feels and what his house looks like after his mother left.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> 7. See the characters page and add detail on Meursault’s interaction with Marie. **//

=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Chapter 3 =

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">It's Meursault's first day back at work and his boss, following the socially expected rules of human behaviour, asks Meursault about his mother. When asked how old his mother was, Meursault answers with "about sixty". Do you know how old your mother is? Explain how Meursault would rather be true to himself and approximate his mother's age, rather than follow social protocol. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">My mother is 48 years old. Meursault doesn't know the exact age of and believes in speaking the truth. The ignorance of his mother caused him not to know her age. It is against his beliefs to lie.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">How does this reflect his outlook in the text thus far? Keep this quote in mind - it will appear later in the book... **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As he doesn't like lying, he often openly speaks his mind and acts what he thinks like. He does what first comes up to his mind. For example, smoke at the funeral, tells others he doesn't know his mother's age or even the day she died. He doesn't grief over her as he didn't feel bad at all. Mr. Meursault really gets to the point quickly and speaks his mind whenever he has something to say.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Meursault displays a moment of spontaneity when he jumps on the truck following Emmanuel's suggestion. How might this add to his characterization? **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">He might still care about his mother and made him realize that life can end at any moment, he therefore does this to forget about the death of his mother. He also often does as he is told to. Emmanuel told him to get on the truck and therefore he did what he was told. When he was told by Raymond to write a letter, he does that as well

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Many characters comment negatively on Salamano and his dog, however, Meursault never judges. What does this tell you about him? **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Meursault doesn't care about people on the outside. Many people are negative over Salamano and his dog as they are old and appear unpleasantly. Meursault, on the other side speaks his thought and if he judges someone, he does it on his experiences with him. As he doesn't really know Salamano and his dog, he doesn't judge about him. Other people on the other hand, go with whatever others say which are negative comments on Salamano and his dog. Therefore, they give negative comments about them as well.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Imagine Raymond walks in the door and shares his story with you. Write a single diary entry, logging your reaction to his grotesque story. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Today I saw Raymond in my apartment building. His face was covered in blood and I asked him about it. He said he had been in a fight about his mistress. He told me his mistress had been buying lottery tickets and bracelets while Raymond gave her only just enough money to live by and she bought these accessories. He therefore told me that he’d beaten her till she’d bled. I told him he shouldn’t have done it as I think it’s pathetic to hit women. He said that he normally doesn’t either and this was the first time. He then expected me to write a letter to her so he could punish her properly, I thought it was a stupid idea. I hardly know the guy, then the first thing he tells me he beat up his mistress because she had bought a lottery ticket and a couple of bracelets. What was he thinking? He doesn’t even know anything about me. I hardly even know his surname. Now he expects me to write her a letter which he can just as well do by himself just so he can beat up a woman I know almost just as well as Raymond. I told him to do it himself and there would be no way I would help him. I had a short bite with him and then told him it was getting late and I should be going to bed. Raymond then departed.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Now you are Meursault. Write a single diary entry, logging your reaction to Raymond's story. Emulate Camus' style (note - these stories seem to have no impact on Meursault - he is happy to be fed. He is, however, affected by his physical surroundings such as the cigarettes and wine). **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Today I saw Raymond in my apartment building. His face was covered in blood and I asked him about it. He said he had been in a fight about his mistress. He told me his mistress had been buying lottery tickets and bracelets while Raymond gave her only just enough money to live by and she bought these accessories. He therefore told me that he’d beaten her till she’d bled. I thought it was quite reasonable as she was basically cheating on him with another man. She must have known that he cared about her if he even paid her money so she could lead a normal life! I told him it was reasonable to hit her the first time. He said that he normally doesn’t either and this was the first time in his life he ever did this. I did not really believed him, but it was late and I was tired so I decided to just agree with him. He then expected me to write a letter to her so he could punish her properly, I thought he should just do whatever he wanted and therefore I actually agreed to write the letter even though I hardly know Raymond. I think this would be quite a good opportunity to know Raymond some better and I had dinner with him. I was quite tired and the light on the ceiling was a bit too bright that it made me squeeze my eyes together. I was tired and wanted to sleep. After dinner I told him it was late and after writing the letter I told him it was getting late and I should’ve gone to bed.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Comment on how the two differ. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Myself, I would keep more of a distance to Raymond until i know him some better. He wanted me to do something for him where I would first have to know him some better. Meursault on the other side embraces Raymond as a good friend from the beginning. Raymond can ask him anything and Meursault would do it. This is because Raymond hasn't done anything bad to Meursault so far, and so, he sees him as a good friend. We can see this come forth when Meursault actually kills a man for Raymond.

<span style="font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Part 2, Chapter 2 **

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 19px;">Pretend you are Meursault and write a letter to your mother from prison (300 words). **//

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> ﻿ Dear Mother,

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Here in prison I have four empty walls surrounding me. I can feel that same emptiness from the prison walls in my heart. It is only now that I realize that never really had anyone I really cared about around me. Marie is the only person visiting. I think she cares more about me than I do about her. Yet, even that was a long time ago. I miss her sweetness. My life hasn't changed a lot even though my life has basically been taken away from me. Yet, it is here where I actually realize the meaning of my life. I have become lost in time. For hours, maybe even days, have I lied on my bed and thought about what the reason is of us being here. However, even now I cannot give the exact answer. I'm wondering if there even is a true meaning of life, on the other hand, there must be a reason for us to be here.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> My prison is full of Arabs. The very same people as the man I took his life of. They might even have been family. Yet, I do not feel any guilt, and they don't feel any anger. They fear me after they found out about my crime. Even all of these Arabs have families and people they care about. I am secretly thinking that caring for others might a meaning of life. That might even be my crime. I never really cared about anything or anyone in my life. It was only when I met Marie that I felt alive. That might even be the reason why prison is such a punishment. You are forced to be away from your loved ones. Yet for me it seems like my second home.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Mother, I am sorry I have never been there for you. I was never the real son you wished me to be. Yet, I always did care about you.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Your Son, <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Georgia; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Meursault


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 1.4em; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Part 2, Chapter 3 **

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">1. Sketch the courtroom. **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">"The room was full of bursting" It had blinds and various windows, as the sun is filtering through. Yet, the windows were shut.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">2. What is Meursault’s first impression of the jury? **// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">They were just anonymous people he had never seen before. All the people looked alike, as being in a tram.

//**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">3. Who are the eight witnesses who will testify at Meursault’s trial? **//
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Thomas Pérez
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Raymond
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Masson
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Salamano
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Marie
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Céleste
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">The Warden
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">The Caretaker from the home