Inklings of Sociopathy
At the beginning of The Stranger , it is immediately obvious that Meursault is not a neurotypical individual. His thoughts and behavior diverge noticeably from what would be considered socially acceptable, though the extent of his abnormality initially remains unclear. These notions of abnormality are confirmed at the halfway point of the novel, where Meursault’s sociopathic nature is revealed in his unprovoked, emotionless killing of an Arab man. Prior to the killing, Meursault’s mental state is kept ambiguous, though sociopathy is repeatedly alluded to in his unsettling behavior. Within retrospect, it becomes obvious that these behaviors were indicative of sociopathy or an adjacent underlying mental issue—however, when read without the context of Meursault's future violent actions, his actions seem more innocuous. The first instance of Meursault's unusual emotionless pragmatism is seen in the opening scene of the book where he appears entirely unfazed by the news of his mothe...