The Stranger is a short novel by French author Albert Camus, published in 1942. The story combines themes of absurdism and existentialism and is considered a classic of 20th-century literature. This guide uses the translation by Stuart Gilbert.

Plot Summary

Meursault, a young man living in Algiers, receives a message which tells him that his mother has died. He takes a bus to the retirement home where she lived and stays with her body before the funeral. His mother is buried the next day, but Meursault demonstrates none of the emotions expected of a grieving son. He spends more time scrutinizing the elderly funeral attendees than he does thinking about his mother.

Upon returning to Algiers, Meursault goes to a swimming pool where he reunites with a former coworker named Marie. They develop a romantic relationship and, after a date at the cinema, she spends the night with him. However, Meursault struggles to commit to any emotions regarding their relationship. Over the coming days, Meursault strengthens his friendship with a neighbor named Raymond Sintes, who enlists Meursault to exact revenge on his Algerian mistress. Sintes blames the woman for being unfaithful to him, and he wants to embarrass her. Meursault agrees to help without thinking about the ramifications of his actions. As with everyone else, Meursault barely considers the feelings of Sintes or his mistress. He writes a letter for Sintes to trick the woman into returning.

Sintes reunites with his mistress thanks to the letter and, soon after, Meursault and Marie overhear a violent argument in Sintes’s apartment. Sintes beats his mistress so badly that the police are called. However, Sintes receives no punishment, as he enlists Meursault as a witness to say the woman was unfaithful. Meursault also talks with an elderly neighbor named Salamano, a man who is often heard shouting at his sick dog. One day the dog goes missing. Meursault tries to comfort Salamano but is bored by the old man’s recollections about his pet and his dead wife.

Sintes invites Marie and Meursault to his friend’s beach house. They are followed by a young Algerian man, the brother of Sintes’s mistress. Meursault spends a day at the beach and feels ill under the oppressive sun. The Algerian youth (whom Meursault refers to as the Arab) and his friend try to attack Sintes. The Arab draws a knife and cuts Sintes before they run away. Later, Sintes tries to exact revenge on the youths. He tracks down the Arab and his friend and points a gun at them. Meursault convinces Sintes to calm down and takes the gun. That afternoon Meursault goes for a walk alone and encounters the Arab again. The heat of the sun and the confusing situation cause Meursault to shoot the young Algerian four times.

Meursault is arrested and jailed. He reflects on his incarceration and the trial he is about to face. Due to his general apathy and detachment from life, his time in prison is not overly punishing. He explores his memories, sleeps, and is occasionally taken away to be interviewed by a magistrate or his lawyer. The magistrate is shocked that Meursault does not believe in religion, while his lawyer is confident the trial will have a positive result.

At the trial, the prosecutor points to Meursault’s lack of emotion as a reason why he should be executed. He describes Meursault’s behavior at his mother’s funeral and calls numerous witnesses to reveal how Meursault failed to react to emotional situations in the expected manner. This behavior, the prosecutor argues, is evident of a man who lacks any remorse. Salamano, Marie, and Sintes all provide evidence at the trial, but none of them convince the jury that Meursault is a sympathetic figure. Throughout the trial Meursault observes events in the hot, stuffy courtroom in a detached, unengaged manner. The prosecutor closes by labelling Meursault a soulless, remorseless monster who should be put to death. The jury agrees, and Meursault is sentenced to death by guillotine.

Meursault returns to jail while awaiting the results of his appeal. While he waits, he reflects on the nature of justice and death. He argues with the prison chaplain, as the priest cannot understand why Meursault does not believe in God. Religion, Meursault says, is a waste of time. The constant probing from the chaplain leads to an emotional outburst from Meursault. He angrily shouts at the chaplain, who runs from the room. The outburst allows Meursault to express some of the anger and the frustration he feels, but he remains convinced of the meaningless of life and the absurdity of freedom and existence in general.

Meursault prepares to face the guillotine. The more he thinks about his seemingly inevitable death, the more he accepts his fate. He opens himself up to the indifferent nature of the world and hopes that a large crowd will gather to watch his execution.