In earlier sections of the text,
Meursault leaves out details of certain things and leaves the reader to
speculate what happens, and to speculate why he left out the details. In chapter two of part two, Meursault
explicitly states that there are parts of his life that he doesn’t like to talk
about. In doing so, Meursault leads the
reader to wonder what he doesn’t like talking about them. The beginning of chapter two states: “There
are some things I’ve never liked talking about.
A few days after I entered prison, I realized that I wouldn’t like
talking about this part of my life.
Later on though, I no longer saw any point to my reluctance” (Camus
72). Although the reader is first led to
believe that his stint in prison is going to be another area of detail that
Meursault leaves to speculation, Meursault indicates a shift in his viewpoint
and leads the reader to believe that he will disclose the details of his time
in jail. However, there are still areas
of his prison life that he clearly leaves out.
Meursault says that “the things I’ve never liked talking about began”
shortly after Marie wrote to him (76).
Meursault leaves the reader wondering exactly what it is that he is
leaving out and why he seems ashamed of it.
Also, Meursault seems to contradict his statement that there is no
longer any point to his reluctance to talk about his life in prison when he
refuses to talk about any aspect of it.
Meursault’s omission of details establishes him as a narrator who refuses
to provide the reader with all the available information.
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