The Stranger: Microblog #1 (#2 for fiction)

After reading the book The Stranger, by Albert Camus, it was clear that the main character Meursault is a psychopath. According to Forbes.com, there are 5 obvious signs all psychopaths display. After a brief analysis of Meurasult, I have discovered that sure enough, he meets all of the requirements. Here are 3 of the biggest signs of a psychopath and how he meets them.

1. They're charming people

Throughout the book Meursault is a relatively normal person. He is friends with some people in his building and they clearly like him, inviting him over for dinners, etc. He also has a girlfriend. All of these things help prove that although a psychopath, he it is not immediately obvious and still has charm.

2. They Lack Empathy

This is one of the major points of the book, and the fact that Meursault has not feeling for others is one of the key points that gets him convicted. From not crying over the death of his mother, to the killing of another man and even that beating of his friends girlfriend, Meursault shows no empathy for these peoples' pain.  For example the author says, "The woman was screaming and Raymond still knocking her about. Marie said, wasn't it horrible! I didn't answer anything. Then she asked me to go and fetch a policeman, but I told her I didn't like policemen" (45). Meursault clearly shows now empathy for the girl who is getting abused, and while Marie has a natural reaction, Meursault has none.

3. The Have a Grandiose Sense of Self

Meursault clearly doesn't think rules apply to him, and this is one of the biggest points of the book. After having no real reason to kill the Arab, he shoots him several times. On top of Meursault feeling no emotion and not really caring about the dead man, he also feels that he didn't really do anything wrong. When considering his regret of the killing, Meursault says, "I have never been able really to regret anything in all my life" (127). Even after committing one of the worst crimes known to man, Meursault doesn't have an ounce of realization that what he did was wrong, and this point helps the lawyers, and the reader understand that he is most defenatly a psychopath.