To Lie or Not to Lie: Revisiting Albert Camus’ The Outsider

Abstract

Meursault is different. He will not lie. He will not pretend. He is true to himself. So when his mother dies and he is unmoved, he refuses to do the proper thing and grieve. Returning to his native place after the funeral, he carries on life as usual until he becomes involved in a climatic murder scene. In court, it is clear that Meursault’s guilt or innocence will not be determined by what he did or did not do. He is on trial for being different- an outsider. For example in court when the police man asked Meursault if “he is ‘nervous’. He said no. Infact, in a way it would be interesting to watch a trail” (Camus, The Outsider 81).