L’étranger
Cut along the dashed lines and pass the cards around the table.
The book is full of sun, sea swims, and hot afternoons in Algiers. Which scene of heat or light stayed with you most, and did it remind you of a place you've been?
Meursault gets a lot of joy from simple things like a swim, a cigarette on the balcony, or a coffee with milk. What small everyday pleasure would you say you'd miss most?
Early on, Meursault doesn't show his grief the way the people around him expect. Have you ever felt judged for grieving or feeling something in your own way? How did that feel?
Meursault refuses to say things he doesn't mean, even when a small white lie would make life easier. Did you find that honesty refreshing, uncomfortable, or both? When has plain honesty helped or hurt you?
The neighbors and friends in the book (the old man and his dog, the café regulars) are odd, lonely, and oddly touching. Which of the side characters did you feel most tender toward, and why?
The title is often translated as 'The Stranger' or 'The Outsider.' Is there a time in your life when you felt like an outsider in a place that should have felt like home?
By the end of the book, how did your feelings about Meursault change from the first chapter? Did you find yourself softening toward him, pulling away, or just feeling confused, and what moment shifted things for you?
The book asks, gently but again and again, whether life needs a bigger meaning to be worth living. After spending time with Meursault, where do you find your own sense of meaning or comfort?