The Stranger-Journal #6

At the end of the book, we can pick apart Mersault's words and uncover his feelings to determine his overall conclusions about life. Mersault's words reflect that he has fallen back into the trap of complacency and lack of ambition. He goes on to expose that the realizations he makes clearly shows him that he could've made a purpose for his life. He realizes that the choice he made to live a life of lacking ambition is one of lasting effect and he can't go back on it now so he might as well be happy because before he went to prison he was happy with how things were. He might not of seemed happy but he truly was. Since Mersault wasn't able to show much emotion the reader judges his life and since it may not be a life that they would be satisfied with themselves, they assume that Mersault should not be happy with it either. This aspiration on their part results in a dissatisfied reader because they want to have hope for Mersault's life. A hope he does not have himself. Camus wants the reader to have an unanticipated hope once Mersault puts his hopeless self into projection. Being hopeful is not always a good thing see find out, because when you are perfectly content with your life, what else is there to hope for?