The Stranger Part 2, Chapter 1 Summary

Here's part 2, chapter 1!!!
Part 2, Chapter 1
After Meursault is arrested the police find out who he is. Meursault thinks his case is easy, so he doesn’t hire an attorney. The state then provides him with one. At first he doesn’t take the magistrate seriously, but he winds up liking him in the end and even wants to shake his hand, until he remembers that he killed a man.
Meursault meets his lawyer who is short, chubby, and young. He says that the case is tricky, but that they should win. His lawyer tells him that there’s been an investigation into Meursault’s private life and they found out that Meursault’s mom had died recently and that Meursault had “shown insensitivity” at the funeral. The lawyer asks if he was sad when Maman died. Meursault thinks and realizes that he probably did love her, but that it doesn’t mean anything. Meursault also says that at one point or another everyone wishes a loved one was dead. The lawyer stops him and is upset and makes Meursault promise not to say things like that in court. Meursault comments that he might have felt sad, but that he was so tired and hot, that he wasn’t aware of what was happening; and that, if he had it his way, he would have rather she didn’t die.
The lawyer asks if maybe he could say if Meursault held back his feelings. Meursault says no because it’s not true and it shocks the lawyer. The lawyer says that they are going to call the funeral director as a witness and it may get ugly. Meursault mentions that none of that has anything to do with the case and the lawyer says that proves that Meursault never dealt with the law before.
The lawyer leaves uncomfortable and angry, and Meursault wishes he could change that. After that he sees the magistrate again, but his lawyer doesn’t come to the meeting. Meursault says he’s fine answering on his own. The magistrate says he’s interested in Meursault as a person. The magistrate then has Meursault go over the entire day at the beach. The magistrate then says the he wants to help Meursault; he asks if he loved Maman and Meursault says the same as anyone. Then the magistrate asks if Meursault fired all five shots at once, to which Meursault says he fired once, then four times. The magistrate wants to know why there was a pause, but Meursault thinks of the heat and the sand and doesn’t answer. The magistrate repeats, and still no answer.
The magistrate goes over to a cabinet and pulls out a crucifix. He shows it to Meursault and asks if he knows what it is. Meursault says, “yes, of course” and the magistrate says there’s no crime that can’t be forgiven with God but that a man must repent first. He goes on waving the crucifix and says he can’t understand why there was a pause between the first and second shot. Meursault says it doesn’t matter, then the magistrate stands tall and asks if Meursault believes in God. Meursault says no and the magistrate sits down angrily.
The magistrate says all men believe in God, even if they turn their backs on him, and if that’s not true then his life is meaningless. He asks Meursault if Meursault wanted to make his life meaningless, and Meursault answers that it has nothing to do with him. The magistrate at that moment shoves the crucifix in Meursault’s face and starts shouting that as a Christian he is asking for Meursault’s forgiveness himself and that if Meursault believes. To get him to stop Meursault agrees. When the magistrate asks if Meursault would put his trust in the lord, he says no, and the magistrate sits down.
The magistrate comments that he’s never seen anyone with such a hardened heart. That all criminals cry when they see the crucifix. Meursault thinks it’s because they’re criminals but then realizes he’s one too. The magistrate asks if he’s sorry and Meursault says more than that he’s kind of annoyed.
After that, when he sees the magistrate it’s a lot more formal and always with his lawyer. From then on God doesn’t come up and the focus is just on the case. He gets so used to it, that he starts enjoying the end of the sessions where the magistrate would slap him on the back and say “That’s all for today, Monsieur Antichrist.”

Видео The Stranger Part 2, Chapter 1 Summary канала Brandon Ecks