Meursault’s court-appointed attorney informs him that the research workers look intoing into Meursault ’ s private life have learned that Meursault was “ insensitive ” at Madame Meursault’s funeral. Meursault explains that he likely did love his female parent, but it didn ’ t affair.
The attorney is clearly uncomfortable with Meursault ’ s response. During the class of the eleven-month probe that ensues, the magistrate takes to naming Meursault “ Monsieur Antichrist ” with an about affable air. Meursault ’ s want to travel swimming, to smoke coffin nails, and to hold sex tortures him in gaol. Meursault ’ s test eventually begins the undermentioned summer. Meursault is surprised to happen the courtroom packed with people. The imperativeness has given his instance a great trade of promotion because the summer is a slow season for intelligence.The justice asks Meursault why he put his female parent in a place.
Meursault explains that he didn ’ Ts have adequate money to care for her. The manager of the place confirms that Madame Meursault complained about Meursault ’ s determination to set her in the place. Celeste testifies that Meursault was his friend. He thinks it was merely bad fortune that led to Meursault ’ s violent death of the Arab. The prosecuting officer states that it can ’ t merely be opportunity that Meursault wrote the missive to Raymond ’ s kept woman, testified on Raymond ’ s behalf at the constabulary station, and went to the beach the twenty-four hours of the offense.In his shutting statement, the prosecuting officer cites Meursault’s obvious intelligence and his deficiency of compunction as grounds of premeditated slaying.
Therefore, he calls for the decease punishment.Meursault denies that he intended to kill the Arab when he went back to the beach. Meursault is found guilty of premeditated slaying and sentenced to decease by closure by compartment. After his test, Meursault merely cares about get awaying the “ machinery of justice. ” The newspapers characterize the state of affairs of a condemned adult male in footings of a “ debt owed to society.
” When he considers his entreaty, Meursault ever assumes the worst foremost. Merely after sing that everyone dies finally does he let himself to see the possibility of a forgiveness. The chaplain asks Meursault why he has refused to see him. Meursault provinces once more that he does non believe in God. When the chaplain provinces that his attitude is the consequence of “ utmost desperation, ” Meursault replies that he is afraid, non despairing.
The chaplain insists that all the condemned work forces he has known have finally turned to God for comfort. Meursault becomes progressively irritated by the chaplain ’ s insisting that he pass the remainder of his short life on God. In the class of his effusion, Meursault grips the chaplain. Meursault has eventually shed any flicker of hope. His lone hope is that there will be a crowd of angry witnesss at his executing so that he will experience less entirely.
