- vigilnounChapter 1 →
A nighttime watch kept beside a dead person's body before the funeral, often involving prayer or quiet sitting with the deceased.
- varnishnounChapter 1 →
A clear, hard liquid coating applied to wood or other surfaces to make them shiny and protected; here it refers to the smell coming from the coffin or church furnishings.
“the smell of varnish and incense from the church — all of it was m…”
- incensenounChapter 1 →
A substance burned during religious ceremonies that produces a strong, sweet-smelling smoke, commonly used in church services.
“the smell of varnish and incense from the church — all of it was m…”
- hearsenounChapter 1 →
A vehicle, traditionally horse-drawn or motorized, used to carry a coffin to the place of burial.
“the smell of leather and horse dung from the hearse, the smell of varnish and incense from the church”
- glarenounChapter 1 →
An intensely bright, harsh light that is painful or difficult to look at, especially sunlight reflecting off a pale surface.
“The glare from the white-walled road was almost blinding”
- haphazardlyadverbChapter 4 →
Done in a careless, unplanned way without following any particular order or method.
“I typed the letter. I did it rather haphazardly, but I tried my best to please Raymond.”
- palnounChapter 4 →
An informal word for a close friend or companion, used here to express genuine liking and camaraderie.
“He said that I was a real pal and that I was all right.”
- triggernounChapter 6 →
The small lever on a firearm that, when pulled with the finger, fires the weapon.
“The trigger gave; I felt the smooth underside of the butt; and there, in that noise, sharp and deafening at the same time, is where it all started.”
- buttnounChapter 6 →
The thick, rear end of a gun — the part held in the hand or against the shoulder — as opposed to the barrel.
“The trigger gave; I felt the smooth underside of the butt; and there, in that noise, sharp and deafening at the same time, is where it all started.”
- deafeningadjectiveChapter 6 →
So extremely loud that it temporarily overwhelms the sense of hearing, like the blast of a gunshot at close range.
“there, in that noise, sharp and deafening at the same time, is where it all started.”
- griefnounChapter 7 →
Deep emotional suffering and sorrow felt after losing someone, especially through death.
“He wanted to know if I had felt any grief on that day.”
- repentedverbChapter 7 →
Felt sincere regret or remorse for a past wrong and wished one had acted differently, often with a moral or religious sense of guilt.
“In the end, he asked me if I repented of what I had done.”
- vexationnounChapter 7 →
A feeling of mild irritation or frustration, less intense than guilt or remorse — being annoyed rather than truly sorry.
“what I felt was less regret than a kind of vexation.”
- crucifixnounChapter 8 →
A cross bearing a figure of Jesus Christ, used as a religious symbol especially in Catholic practice.
“he showed me what he held in his hand: it was a small silver crucifix. He was waving it at me in a rather strange way.”
- insensitivitynounChapter 9 →
A failure to show normal emotional feeling or awareness of others' pain; here, the absence of visible grief at a parent's funeral.
“it was true that Monsieur Meursault had shown insensitivity on the day of the funeral, but that this insensitivity was not a crime.”
- presiding judgephraseChapter 10 →
The chief judge who runs a court trial, controls the proceedings, and delivers the court's formal rulings and sentences.
“The presiding judge told me in a bizarre language that I was to have my head cut off in a public square in the name of the French people.”
- remorsenounChapter 10 →
A deep, painful feeling of guilt and regret for having done something wrong, stronger and more moral in weight than simple regret.
“I have never been able to truly feel remorse for anything.”
- consummatedverbChapter 11 →
Brought to its final, complete conclusion; fully carried out or finished, leaving nothing more to be done.
“For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators at my execution”
- spangledadjectiveChapter 11 →
Covered or scattered with many small bright points of light, the way stars appear scattered across a dark night sky.
“gazing up at the dark sky spangled with its signs and stars, for the first time, the first, I laid my heart open to the gentle indifference”
- laid my heart openphraseChapter 11 →
Allowed oneself to become fully emotionally exposed and receptive, dropping all resistance or defense against feeling something.
“I laid my heart open to the gentle indifference of the world.”
- indifferencenounChapter 11 →
A complete lack of concern, preference, or feeling toward something; here, the universe's total unconcern for human suffering or meaning.
“I laid my heart open to the gentle indifference of the world.”
The StrangerNovel by Albert Camus