Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Journal #1

3 Characters
Salamano- Salamano is described as an older man who is neighbors with Meursault and inseparable from his dog for the past 8 years. I think that Salamono at this point in the novel serves as a foil to Meursault. The translator's note talks about how Meursault equates Salamono and his dog's relationship to human with a human's relationship it contrast's Meursault's relationship with his Maman. After he hears Salamono crying after losing his dog it highlights Meursault's lack of emotion in dealing with his mother's death which eventually is one of the main reasons why he becomes sentenced to death. 

Emmanuel- Emmanuel is a co-workers of Meursault's. After work they catch a bus together after chasing it down through some obstacles. Emmanuel serves as a foil to highlight Meursault's lack of emotion altogether. Camus specifically put the sentence in explaining that Emmanuel was laughing to hard to breathe and Camus not only has Meursault comment on this but he almost ignores it entirely. This shows Meursault's lack of emotion not only within himself but as well his lack of ability to emphasize. I think that Camus put this in the book to bring the reader's attention to this because it becomes important during the murder scene.

Raymond- Raymond is Meursault's other neighbor who is a warehouse worker that lives off of women. He is short with broad shoulders. I think that Camus put Raymond in the story at this point to show the way Meursault rationalizes his moral decisions. Raymond asks Meursault to write a letter and later on to help him if Arabs attack him so Camus uses Raymond as a tool to put Meursault in positions where he has to justify a moral decision and when he does that the reader begins to understand Meursault better. Also Raymond receives a lengthy physical description when not many other people are including Meursault so I think Camus is calling attention to that point of the importance of a physical description. 

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