In the society of the past and today, people are told how to live based on the different influences in their surroundings. Different ethnicities have distinct beliefs about the meaning of life and have unique traditions. In the novel The Stranger, Meursault is the only character who is bold and does not conform to the ideas or practices of Franco-Algerian society; even though he was constantly forced to change his absurd opinions. The protagonist of the novel, The Stranger,'s refusal to conform to society's ideas hinders his ability to be accepted within it, yet allows him to live an honest and fruitful life. Meursault symbolizes the unwanted piece of a puzzle. He fails to live up to the expectations of a “normal” society and, in turn, is alienated by it. He is detached from Franco-Algerian society because he shows no pain over his mother's death. According to Meursault, his mother's death was normal because she was already old. While in prison Meursault speaks to himself: "I have seen that it does not make much difference whether one dies at thirty or at sixty, since, in both cases, other men and women will continue to live, the world will go away ". as before” (Camus 71). Meursault's reaction or lack of reaction to his mother's death is a significant example that demonstrates his views on death. His reaction also refers to author Albert Camus' views on death. Both share the idea that sooner or later everyone will die and that death would represent the end of life. Meursault's reasoning for his mother's death shows how honest he was with himself, he didn't try to find any other reasoning other than that she was old and it was time to leave. Meursault should have had s......middle of paper.. ....that society makes people have closed minds. Meursault wants these people to realize that a person can be alienated from the mores of society but can still live a justifiable life. In Meursault's eyes he lived a pleasant and satisfying life; however society considered him a monster because he didn't care about anything in life, not even his mother. Several people tried to change the meaning of his life, in the end these people were just wasting their time. He didn't bother to think about the consequences of the choices he had made. He has always been true to himself and the society he finds himself in, which proves that he has had a worthy life. As much as people try to confirm this in their daily activities, he does not give up and pretend to be like the rest of the people found in society. Works Cited Camus, Albert. The stranger. New York: Random House, 1988. Print.