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Wanna See a Movie?
The day after Maman's funeral, Meursault asks Marie if she wants to go to the movies. That's not exactly an appropriate way to grieve for your mother's death. Meursault wears a black tie to the movies and this surprises Marie. He immediately assures her that it's "not his fault". Although Meursault doesn't seem to be particularly upset about the death of his mother, he sure cares a lot about making sure others know it wasn't his fault. Perhaps Meursault worries too much about what others think. -
Call the Cops!
When Marie and Meursault are at Meursault's apartment, they hear a shriek from a woman being abused next door. Marie asks Meursault to call the cops, but Meursault refuses because he states that he doesn't like them. Clearly, Meursault knows what is happening in Raymond's room but he doesn't think it is wrong. Meursault's passiveness of morality shows that he truly has no empathy for others and doesn't understand what is right from wrong. -
I Have a Question...
Marie asks Meursault if he wants to marry to her, and he replies very passively. This shows Meursault's indifferent view towards the world. To most, getting married is a big commitment and decision. But to Meursault, it is simply an "I guess so". He doesn't seem to understand love or emotions. He could have said no just as passively, but a part of him still wants to please people. -
At the Beach
While at the beach with Marie, Meursault describes all her physical attributes - from her hair to her legs. He doesn't bring up her personality once. It seems that while Meursault loves to observe everyone, he's very shallow and only sees skin deep. Meursault views Marie as an object; one that he can play with whenever he's bored. This is a reflection of his view on women overall. -
Jail Time!
When Marie visits Meursault in jail, he only wants to touch her body, rather than talk to her. While Marie is speaking to him, he also focuses on the people around him instead, from the small details of their hands to the tones of voice instead. This contrast between the emotional Marie and the emotionless Meursault showcases how different he is from most. Unlike others, emotions don't affect him. While Marie is clearly very emotional and misses him, he doesn't even care. -
No Smiles
As Meursault reflects back on his trial, he realizes that he didn't try to catch Marie's eye once. And when she smiled at him, he couldn't even return a little smile because his "heart felt nothing". Despite Marie's dedication towards their relationship, it appears that it is impossible for him to actually truly love someone. However, at least he appears self aware of the fact that he doesn't feel affection towards others.
