Defining the words is crucial in understanding them, so here we go
The Stranger:
Stranger: 1. A person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar
2. A person who does not know, or is not known in, a particular place or
community
Well, Meursault seems so open to us as readers, but how much do the characters actually know about him? I do not believe the second definition applies nearly as much, and I highly doubt he is unfamiliar with the community. He pays enough attention to know about Salamano after all. I'd say the purpose for naming this novel 'The Stranger' was to give off a sense of the unknown. This ties in with the 'absurdist' way of thinking we researched, where finding an answer to everything is impossible. If there is one, it isn't known and there might not be one. Who knows.
The Outsider:
Outsider: 1. A person who does not belong to a particular group.
2. A person not accepted by or isolated from society
I personally find this title to be more meaningful than the other two. I mentioned this in journal one, but Meursault is the guy who just doesn't fit in. He may take sides, but even then he's not really putting forth much of an effort to drive the principles in his mind. Meursault seems to be accepted by society, evidenced by the 'friendships' he develops in the first part of the story. The title of 'The Outsider' becomes much more significant in the second part of the novel.
The Foreigner:
Foreigner: 1. A person born in or coming from a country other than one's own.
2. A stranger or outsider
This is in interesting title, as it encompasses the other two. The first term really cannot be taken literally, but when I think of a foreigner I imagine a person with different beliefs, customs, mannerisms, languages etc. Again, someone who just doesn't fit in for one reason or another.
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