P4+Why+do+you+think+Meursault+is+finally+opening+up+to+people,+like+the+Magistrate+for+example?

1. Meursault lives in his own world. He uses people as he needs them, and then moves on. Through out the novel Meursault connects with no one except Raymond, and his connection to the pimp is based on a form of forced friendship by Raymond. when Meursault is on the office of the Magistrate, he shows no emotion, and does not really open up, as the question says he does. "He asked me if I was sorry for what i had done, and more than sorry i was annoyed" (Camus 70). Being with the judge, or Magistrate did not make meursault sorry in any way. He was bored that he was forced to deal with him, and answer the many questions that Meursault believed had no point. Meursault may grow in a sense to understand, and feel emotion in the way society today does, but up to this point in the novel he shows no regret, or emotion for murdering the muslim. -David Myer

Response: You make a good point, and I see where you are coming from. It did seem the only one he did truly "open up" to was Raymond. I liked how you mentioned the friendship was forced, pointing out tat it was not exactly true friendship at all but somewhat reluctant on Meursault's part. Your description of what people really were to him was good, and it was good to back up your statements with a quote taken directly out of the book. You make a good point when saying Meursault did not open up to the Magistrate, but instead was forced to deal with him. I would not say there was absolutely no emotion during his meeting with the Magistrate, though. Upon meeting him, Meursault even described how he felt annoyed, which is a type of emotion in itself. You are correct when you say that he did not feel a thing or show any regret when he killed the Arab, however. - Anna Luisa Griffith