Genre
Philosophical
Setting and Context
France in an unspecified historic time period
Narrator and Point of View
Harun narrates the novel in the first-person.
Tone and Mood
The tone is ominous; the mood is unsettling.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Musa is the protagonist; Meursault is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Meursault murders an Arab, in an act that he claims was simply an accidental gesture.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Harun begins to revisit the events surrounding his brother Musa's death.
Foreshadowing
The trial of Meursault is foreshadowed by the fact that he murdered Musa.
Understatement
The role of truth is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the different realities we all have of the world.
Imagery
The imagery of Musa's murder is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Meursault murders Musa, yet claims it was a misunderstanding is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the sadness that Musa's family feels and the anger that Harun has.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
