The Stranger Part II (pg. 98-123)

These final chapters, where the most exciting, fulfilling and informative. After reading the whole book you understand why Meursalt is such an annoying man, full of things that one could hate. During the novel, you only watch a pitiful man who looks down on life and what experiences it brings along. It's interesting, each time new chapter's were read my blogs would be commenting on how stupid Meursalt was and I even considered on writing that he should kill himself. When one gets to the end, you're whole perspective of this man changes. You no longer desire him dead. This blog won't be like all the rest, I'd like to take it one step further this time. Instead of talking badly about Meursalt, I'll dedicate this piece to him. As mentioned before I believed that this man was an idiot, no one should of liked him ever and in my eyes he was a menace to society. When Meurslat shot the Arab, in a sort of way I felt pleased. He was going to jail and most probably he'd be hidden from the world. I hated this man so much that when he got the death penalty, this stronger interest in the book arose inside me. You could say I'm crazy or even have a twisted mind, but you'd be completely wrong. After one in barks this book, it's easy to be repulsed by Meursalt. Everybody in my class looked down on him as garbage. Now, more than ever, we've been wrong. There is a quote in the end, that transforms Meursalt in front of the readers eyes. "For the first time in a long time I thought about Maman. I felt as if I understood why at the end of her life she had taken a 'fiance,' why she had played at beginning again. Even there, in that home where lives were fading out, evening was a kind of wistful respite. So close to death, Maman must have felt free then and ready to live it all again. Nobody, nobody had the right to cry over her. And I felt ready to live it all again too. As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself -so like a brother, really- I felt like I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate(The Stranger, Part II, pg. 122-123)."

This time, my connection will be with the movie The Man In The Iron Mask. Leonardo DiCaprio interprets Louis XIV and his lost brother Fillip. During the movie, we look at a king who is hated by his people, and a man that carries a mask as punishment. We later on learn that Fillip was placed in the mask because his brother did not want anybody to find out that he existed. The whole plot of the movie is to place Fillip in the thrown and remove Louis, but make people think that Louis is still in power. I chose these two characters, because like Meursalt they have a secret, which they hide behind a mask. In The Stranger, we see a man who has filled his life with hatred and an empty soul. The mask, that Meursalt wears is that of a monster. In the reader's eyes, this character should be ripped out of society as soon as possible, he does more harm than good. This mask lets one see a completely different person, it fits so well, that even the priest that goes to see Meursalt before he is sent to "hell" cannot convince the monster and begins to cry because of the truth he speaks or the fear it provokes. At the end, the mask shatters and reveals the man's true identity which we learn is not so monstrous as believed.

This time there are no more questions to be asked, because they have all been answered. I would like to answer my most important question which was if Meursalt would ever change. He did. Not as much as we all wanted to, but he did reveal his true identity. One must notice that his final words are the most impacting, because after you finally hate him and wish he was dead, you know he's right. Most of us live a false life, we believe that happiness must be ours from the beginning because we won't last for ever. If you live this way, stop and think again. Life should be the pursuit of happiness, but not wanting it so bad than stupid errors or sad moments ruin it all. Every moment should have happiness in it. After all, it's the memories that count. I'd like to finish with a quote from Cat Stevens song Miles From No Where. "Lord my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end." As mentioned before, make some good memories because that's what you'll be taking, and most importantly those create happiness.

The Stranger Part II (pg. 72-97)

Up until now, I had begun to give up hope on my theory of what was going to occur in The Stranger. It began to seem impossible that some sort of event would change Meursalt and his way of looking at people and life. After killing the Arab, one would think that Mr. Meursalt would change, but that was a far fetched idea. During these two chapter's we see small changes in Meursalt's personality, it seems that by taking his freedom in prison, life is more important for him now. There was a specific part which made me realize that I shouldn't give up hope on my theory of Meursalt changing, and it was the following. "When I was first imprisoned, the hardest thing was that my thoughts were still those of a free man (The Stranger, Part II, pg. 76)." It's been hard reading this book, after all I'm a person who appreciates life and everything it brings with it. Partly, that's why I haven't given up on Meursalt. There is an old Arab phrase that my dad taught me, and even though it's in Spanish, the idea can be understood in English. "It doesn't matter which card set you get in life, the important thing knowing how to play the your cards right." Basically that's what I do. If there is something I've learned in life is that negativity takes you now where, while positivity opens every door in your way. Meursalt is a man who misses things in life because he doesn't have an open mind towards anything. I could say right now that he has everything he desires, but happiness does not depend on what you have or don't. It's much more than that, so saying this would be a lie from my part. I'm still hoping to be right on Meursalt changing.

This connection was the hardest one yet, it took me around an hour and a half to looked for one. Of course like anything else if you try hard, probably you'll succeed just like I did. Meursalt has had a small change so that made my search difficult, but finally one relation came to me. Captain Jack Sparrow acted by Johnny Depp from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean II, cares only for himself. In these chapter's, Meursalt starts caring for his freedom (himself) and in a small proportion for Marie. Jack Sparrow does exactly the same. When Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) needs his help so they won't cut off his head, Depp's character refuses to assist in his rescue, because he couldn't give up his compass. Jack also starts carrying for a woman called Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), so much that he falls in love with her. If we are lucky, the same thing will happen to Meursalt with Marie. When he is in court, there is a description given by Mr. Meursalt that makes me believe he will marry Marie because he will fall in love. "Marie entered. She had put on a hat and she was still beautiful. But I liked her better with her hair loose. From where I was sitting, I could just make out the slight fullness of her breasts, and I recognized the little pout of her lower lip (The Stranger, Part II, pg. 93)." It could be a sign that he's falling in love or simple sex is the only thing in his mind. We'll only find out until the end.

Most of the questions I asked myself last time have simple answer's and most for most of them the answer is no. Concerning Meursalt's marriage with Marie, the answer is no, he's never going to marry her. Raymond won't have a negative influence anymore, because as things are going maybe Meursalt will never be freed from jail. At first I thought that maybe jail would change Meursalt, making him look at life with new eyes and appreciating more the fact that he was free once to do anything he wanted. Up until now I'm starting to realize that I might be wrong and that this might not happen, I'm not losing hope that he'll change, but each time it seems harder for me to believe that he's going to start living his life and caring for anything he does. Maybe something really amazing will happen that will prove what I have been saying about Meursalt being able to change, but only time will tell.

- Is Meursalt going to remain the rest of his life in jail? If so wha'ts going to happen?

- If he is not thrown in jail, will Meursalt change his way of life (negativity)?

- What will happen to Marie if he doesn't get out?

- Will Raymond confess that the gun was his, helping Meursalt to not take all the blame?

- Why did Meursalt go back to he beach with the gun if he knew that the Arab was there? Did he entend on killing the Arab?

The Stranger Part I-II (pg.47-71)

During the first chapters, one begins to get bored and starts to feel that the book will never keep on. Meursalt will always be the same grouch and ogre towards his family, friends and life itself. It would seem that if the book was to keep this course, reading it would be a waste of time. But then there was where I was wrong. These two chapters have changed the book completely, going from a story of man who hates everything and everyone, to being convicted of a murder (even though it was in personal defense). This single action leads to a greater reaction that will take the us to a new environment for the novel. We' ll enter a new world where Meursalt will be very busy to look down upon anything, but himself and his ways. I've always heard about how "Karma comes to return things you've done in you life", and I think this is a perfect example. Meursalt had this negativity that makes him better being dead. He looks at life as the worst thing that has ever happened to him (except for wine and cigarettes). No respect what so ever for his loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbours. For being this way, Karma will make Meursalts life worse and will give him a problem (like the murder) that might change obligate him to change his ways. I believe this will happen or better yet I hope it does. There is one specific aspect of Mr. Meursalt that simply makes me want to close the book and cease reading. It's his way of not enjoying life. At the beginning of the book I believed he was going to end up killing himself. It seems to me (as I stated from the beginning), that Meursalt is a man who is waiting for something to occur in his life that will give him a specific purpose in life. We will never learn this, until the book is finished.

As I was reading along, finding a connection to another character in a movie during these chapter's, was really hard. I couldn't find anyone at first, but then it came to me that looking for someone literally like Meursalt would be impossible. It took me quite sometime to find a connection, but after thinking it over I did. In the Last Samurai, Tom Cruise takes on the role of Captain from the United States Army that was in charge of fighting the indigenous rebels. His name is Nathan Algren. He's a man that carries with a burden. During one of his missions, Algren notices that the tribe they we're going to kill was innocent of a rebellion that had taken place. His Commanding Officer does not care and makes Nathan and the rest of the battalion slaughter the whole village. Algren suffers during his whole life, hating anything that comes his way, just like Meursalt does in the book. Although they are alike, they have one single difference that I hope will occur to Meursalt. Algren changes his way of looking at life and forgives himself for his burden. I believe Mr. Meursalt is a man that also carries a burden that we haven't yet learned about, maybe it might be the murder or something else that we will discover along the way.

After reading these chapter's, some of my questions started being answered. For example I know no that Meursalt is going to marry Marie. I never really found out what happen to Salomon's dog, he must of never found him. We still don't know why Mr. Meursalt is so negative and hates everything. Finally I'm still curious to find out what was Maman's and Meursalt's relationship like. There is one question that can be answered fully. Raymond did drag Meursalt along with him. It was Raymond's gun that Meursalt was holding when he killed the Arab, also it was because of Raymond that he got into trouble with the Arab. Everything that has happened in this two chapter's has a connection with Raymond, this man seems to be causing lots of trouble since he showed up in the book and in Meursalt's life. I think something worst is going to happen and it will all be because of Raymond.

- What's going to happen to Meursalt, is he going to jail or we'll he be freed?

- Is he still going to marry Marie?

- Will Raymond still have a negative influence Meursalt's life?

- If he is sent to jail, will this change Meursalt's way of looking at life? Will he stop being so negative?

- Did Meursalt really care about Maman? If he did why didn't he say or act like it when she died?

The Stranger Part I (pg.25-46)

All my life I've been told to enjoy each moment as if it were my last, and every single my objective is to do so. Memories are created in the process, good or bad. Even so there is no reason which prevents me from having fun and learning in the process. The Jesuits use to say "Ora et Labora" which means work hard and pray every day. I've had my problems, and as hard or impossible as they seemed they were left in my past. It's funny how things work out. Just a while ago (about a year and a half) I was the most negative person on this planet. Everything good that happened to me, I thought was luck and it wouldn't stay around for much longer. Things change...people change. In The Stranger, Mr. Meursalt cares for nothing and no one. He's a man who lives his life by not caring about anything, not even his mother's death, his girlfriend's marriage proposal and even worse watching as a man hits a woman and not wanting to help. This is beyond negativity. The only explanation is a boy with a twisted childhood or an event that traumatized him for the rest of his life.

Up until know, I've noticed that Meursalt reminds me of a character in a movie called Little Miss Sunshine. Olives grandfather, acted by Alan Arkin, doesn't care about a thing. He gets kicked out of his retirement home because of his foul-mouth, inhaling cocaine and always thinking about having sexual relations. The grandfather always gives bad advice to his grandson and is a bad role model. Meursalt and Alan Arkin's character are very alike in there way of thinking, they don't really care if they get run over by a car and die, that would be even better than the life there living. There are some differences between the character's. Alan Arkin does care about his family while Mr. Meursalt doesn't even want to know about them. That's the only thing that separates their personalities.

Concerning the questions that were asked before, there is really only one that can be answered fully. We finally discover who the woman Meursalt is dating really is. It seems unbelievable to think that after all he says he desires her, when she asks him to marry her, he says no. Mr. Meursalt is a very strange man, he explains at the beginning that he and the woman were almost dating, and that they had to stop because she left. When they finally get back together after leading the reader to believe that was the objective, he throws everything away by not caring and simply acting like a spoiled brat. It's ilogiacal, but when you live in a world of negativity this nonsense is your logic.

- Why does Meursalt have to act so negativly?

- Is going to marry Marie?

- What ever happened to Salomons dog?

- Is Raymond going to get into some kind of conflict and drag Meursalt along with him?

- What was Maman and Meursalt's relationship like? Did he really send her off to the retirment home because he loved her?

The Stranger Part I (pg.3-24)

I can't really compare myself to Mr. Meursalt literally, because he lives a very boring life. It seems like he's a depressed man all the time. One of the things that most impacted me was that he did not care for his mother's death. I can say this, he has one characteristic which I myself have. If you read carefully you notice that he has this ability of observing people and what is happening with them. I've always enjoyed looking at people (without being rude and invading there personal space). You can learn a lot just by paying attention to the small details. So, I believe that would be my only similarity with the character.

There was this one part during these first twenty pages which really left me thinking. When Mr. Meursalt is telling the reader what is happening during his mother's procession to her burial ground, he mentions an old man named Mr. Pérez who was always with his mother. He talks about how they leave him behind and he always tries to catch up by taking shortcuts, but that he really never seems to stay at their pace because of his limp. Afterwards Meursalt says, "Big tears of frustration and exhaustion were streaming down his cheeks. But because of all the wrinkles, they weren't dripping off (The Stranger, Part I, Chapter I, pg.18)." A long time ago I felt this way. I had to face a problem head on, and every time I looked for a short cut, but such a thing never existed. My face has no wrinkles, but as the tears of Monsieur Pérez hid on his, I used a smile to hide what was really going on in my life.

Meursalt reminds me of a character from a movie I recently watched. I relate him to that of Leonardo Di Caprio's character in Blood Diamond, Danny Archer. They are both empty men which are waiting for something interesting in their lives to occur. Mr. Meursalt has not show me yet what is it that he is waiting for, but in Blood Diamond Danny Archer is looking for this judge diamond that will get him out of Africa and when he finds it, after all he and his companion have gone through he is shot and basically sees the error of his ways.

- Why didn't Meursalt care for his mother's death and why does he feel so guilty about it?

- What ever happened to the girl who he went out with and is she ever going to reappear in the story?

- Will he ever see Monsieur Pérez again?

- What happened between Mr. Pérez and Maman?

-What is Mr. Meursalt waiting to occur in his life that will take him out of this depression?

Will Newspapers disappear?

The article we read on Friday was really interesting, it talked about how people are trying to convince newspapers to stop printing and enter the cybernetic world permanently. While reading this piece, it reminded me of a video I saw in you tube called "Shift Happens." After you read the article and watch the clip several questions arise in your head.

- Will this really happen?
- How much is true about the information given to us?
- Will these changes affect our ways of life?
- Will important newspaper's take the challenge fully?
- How will developing countries be affected if these changes occur?

Bienvenue!

Welcome to the 21st Century! It's time you left behind notebooks, pencils, pens, etc. Yeah you can also stop writing essays! How about joining a place where you can write as much as you want without wasting anymore paper and at the same time helping the planet? So, what do you say? Just jump in!