Written in the first person, the novella tells the story of Meursault, a settler in French Algeria, who kills an Arab man on a beach in Algiers weeks after the death of his mother.

Major characters

Meursault: a French settler in Algeria who learns of his mother’s death by telegram at the start of the novel

Thomas Pérez: Meursault’s mother’s fiancé

Céleste: the owner of the café

Marie Cardona: a typist who begins a relationship with Meursault

Salamano: Meursault’s dog-owning neighbour

Raymond Sintès: Meursault’s friend who has an Arab mistress

Masson: the owner of the beach house

The Arab: the brother of Raymond’s mistress who is shot and killed by Meursault

The Chaplain: the prison chaplain