In the book “The Stranger”, Albert Camus depicts Meursault, the main character, as someone who is indifferent to the moral standards set by society. Because of this indifference, he does not restrict his actions based on what society would think of him. Thus, his inability to uphold society's standards, as seen when he is questioned by the magistrate, during his trial, and when he "talks with the magistrate, leads to his downfall. Meursault's inability to adapt to society's directives begins to lead to his downfall. to his fall, as we can see when he speaks with the magistrate. During the interview, the magistrate asked him why he fired additional shots at a body that was already dead on the ground. Meursault thought for a moment and “once again, [he] could see the red sand and feel the burn of the sun on [his] forehead. But this time, [he] didn't respond. (67) » He could describe the parameters of the shooting, but could not provide a rational explanation as to why he shot the corpse. This shows that he most likely acted on his physical instincts, because he could vividly describe the shooting scene, but could not describe any rational motive. Unable to justify his action, the magistrate asked him: “Why? You have to tell me. For what? (68) » This question of “why” shows that the society in which Meursault lives places emphasis on reasoning. Meursault having acted on instinct, he had no rational reason to explain his pause between the gunshots and remains silent. However, the magistrate misinterprets this silence, and instead assumes that Meursault does not wish to share why, leading him to zealously preach to Meursault about God, and why he believes Meursault needs... ... middle of paper... ...dead. When Meursault declares that he does not believe in God, he is described as "Mister Antichrist", compared to the devil. His trial later paints a false picture of his life, based on his previous actions. Although these acts were committed due to his physical instincts, he was considered a monster engaging in despicable activities after his mother's death. Finally, during his “friendly” interview with the chaplain, he tries to explain to him why he lives the way he did. Instead, he was seen as attacking the chaplain, and the chaplain ignored his argument, "complaining" at him for not seeing things the same way as his society. Due to his deviation from the norm, Meursault loses his trial and appeal, and presumably he is executed.Works CitedCamus, Albert. The Stranger. Trans. Matthew Ward. Alfred A. Knopf. Inc.., 1988.