Journal #3 The Stranger

I think that the obvious plot- related reason for splitting The Stranger into 2 parts is to show Mersault before being accused in his normal life and afterwards as he is convicted. I think that the contextual clues help show the deeper reason as to why this novel is split into 2 parts. First off, the way the story is written. The first part of the story is more action oriented, whereas the second digs deeper into Mersault's personal thoughts. The theme of freedom is expressed in the second part in the second chapter, where Mersault reflects on how jail serves as a place to take away freedom, the greatest punishment. However, because Mersault is free from responsibility he once had in the real world, it is almost more emancipating than being 'free' in the world. For example, he talks about how he wants to sleep in Part 1 all the time, and then in Part 2 he finally gets this sleep. Also, because he becomes accustomed to living without cigarettes, he is able to find himself comfortable in his life in prison. But what's more than that is I think that Camus is really saying something about the absurd and rationality in general. In the beginning, Mersault just exists, and in prison he just exists, in both situations not really reflecting the world around him. In the focus of WWII time period, I think this is significant because it's almost as if Camus is saying that those who lived a life before the war were doing the same thing as after- existing, just now closer to death. However, it's how you view the situation that gets you through the time.