Question

1. meursaults conversation with marie on page 75 reveals his belief that...

a. he is better equipped to survive a prison sentence than the other prisoners.
b. his relationship with marie brings meaning to his life.
c. he will be in prison for a very long time.
d. marie does not really love him.

1. meursaults desires in prison reveal that he values...

a. physical pleasures.
b. his home.
c. friends.
d. nature.

1. reread the following passage from page 79:

i realized then that a man who had lived only one day could easily live for a hundred years in prison. he would have enough memories to keep him from being bored. in a way, it was an advantage.
how is this realization important to the novel as a whole?
a. it reinforces the impact of emotional attachment.
b. it demonstrates the conditions of the prison.
c. it highlights the benefits of entertainment.
d. it illustrates the importance of mindset.

Explanation:

In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, Meursault is a character who often shows a detached and existentialist view. For question 1, Meursault's conversation with Marie does not show that he thinks his relationship with her gives meaning (he is rather indifferent in a way that goes against traditional views of relationships giving meaning). For question 2, in prison, Meursault's desires are more about simple physical things (like the memory of physical sensations which can be related to physical pleasures in a basic sense). For question 3, the realization about a man living one day and being able to survive in prison with memories shows that one's mindset (how one views and uses memories) is important rather than emotional attachment (he is not attached in a traditional emotional way), prison conditions (the focus is on the internal thought), or entertainment (it's about memories as a mental resource).

Answer:

1. C. he will be in prison for a very long time.
2. A. physical pleasures.
3. D. It illustrates the importance of mindset.