William Bivens

Period 1
English Mr.Vigil
5/22/16

Trial Notes for the Stranger

Mersault is put on trial for killing the Arab.
Mersault is on trial for both his actions and his character.
The Court is more concerned with Meursault's outlook on life (his character) than the fact
that killed another person. This starts out as typical questioning, to find out a criminal's
character in order to discover a motive for committing the crime.
Meursault notes that he does not believe in God and the magistrate finds this
"unthinkable."
The judge and the Prosecutor spend much more time questioning Meursault about his
relationship with his mother than about the murder.
Meursault's lawyer asks "Is my client on trial for having buried his mother, or for killing
a man?"
The Prosecutor responds, saying "I accuse the prisoner of behaving at his mother's
funeral in a way that showed he was already a criminal at heart."

This is a very important moment by the Prosecutor that the jury should focus
on the ways Meursault has behaved, prior to the crime. The evidence of Meursault's murder of
the Arab is an effect of his criminal behavior.