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The Stranger Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph). We used Matthew Ward's translation, published by Vintage International published in 1989.

Quote #10

The four o’clock sun wasn’t too hot, but the water was warm, with slow, gently lapping waves. Marie taught me a game. (1.4.1)

Warmth—not heat—puts Meursault in a happy mood. We’re trying to establish some sort of system here, but it could be that the associations are devoid of logic and reasoning—much like an absurdist world. Ooooh.

Quote #11

I’d left my window open, and the summer night air flowing over our brown bodies felt good. (1.4.2)

For Meursault, happiness is the result of physical pleasures. Simple as that.

Quote #12

Once out in the street, because I was so tired and also because we hadn’t opened the blinds, the day, already bright with sun, hit me like a slap in the face. (1.6.2)

This looks a lot like the scene where the sun "cuts" Meursault’s eyes (just before he kills the Arab).