Jorunal #1 The Stranger

1. Marie- Marie is an old friend of Meursault's. When they bump into each other while taking a swim, Meursault instantly thinks back to the old days when he had a thing with her and he never knew if she had a thing for him. Quickly there relationship gets better and most of there weekends are spent together at Meursault's home. Marie often asks Meursault deep questions, like "do you love me", and Meursault never really answers her with a straight answer. He always seems to avoid the question. I think Camus is trying to reveal that Marie is there to be with Meursault, but that Meursault doesn't always need her and has lived most of his life alone.

2. Ramond right from the beginning is seen as a man that can get any type of women. He seems to be wild and wants his old girlfriend to respect him after she cheated on him. Many times Ramond asks Meursault if he wanted to go to a club or go out on the town but he always rejects his offers. I think Camus uses Ramond to show Meursault that there are different ways to live your life during this time period. Meursault is always viewed as being alone, where as Ramond has to always be with different people and is considered in many eyes a "pimp".

3. Salamano is an old man that has a dog that matches him to the 't'. The dog has a disease that doesn't allow him to grow hair. Salamano for the most part seems harsh on the dog for simple things that he himself could have prevented. He also reminds me of Meursault because he is a lonely man that does not have many friends. When Salamano loses this dog he is very upset, although he was always mean to the dog he he loved him in a different way that many others could not see. Not many people could see this but Meursault could, and Meursault understand that Salamano was missing a part of himself when he loses the dog and he does not know what to do with his life without a dog. I think Camus uses Salamano as a character that represents Meursault and shows a foreshadow or something that may happen to Meursault, that Meursault does not understand what Marie really means to him until she is gone.