The Stranger

The Stranger by Albert Camus

1957 Nobel

Meursault is a young man living in Algiers. Learning of his mother's death he travels to her funeral where his behavior is less than grief-stricken. He decides not to view his mother. And he naps during the vigil.

Upon returning home afterwards, he befriends his neighbor, Raymond. Raymond asks Meursault to write a letter to his girlfriend asking her to come back to him. Once she does, Raymond beats the crap out of her. So her brother is out to get Raymond. On a trip to the beach Meursault, his girlfriend Marie and Raymond are followed by the brother and an Arab friend. On a walk on the beach Meursault runs across the Arab and winds up killing him.

Meursault is arrested and put on trial. But the trial soon veers away from the murder and focuses on Meursault's attitude. The court decides his attitude is a threat to society.