The Stranger

Meursault seems to be outside events. He describes the conflict of Ramon and the other men as if he's watching something on TV. He seems desensitized to the violence in front of him even though there's a lot of blood. He actually seems more troubled by the women's tears and questions than he does the violence. What seems the most troubling to him, though, is the sun. The sun attacks him--like cymbals, like a knife. It seems to stab him so that he is shooting at the sun and only accidentally kills the Arabic man.

I'm puzzled by the four shots he takes at the end. I wonder if he's expressing rage. If he blames the dead body for what it's done to his life. Or if he is as helpless to shoot the body then as he is the first time around. He seems governed by events, not the master of his fate.