The Stranger Important Characters

Meursault = the protagonist, an existentialist who shows almost no emotion throughout the book despite attending his mother's funeral and shooting a man, represents the title of the novel, works in an office, dates Marie, neighbors with Salamano and Raymond, friends with Celeste who owns the restaurant where he often eats, is ultimately sentenced to death

Marie = Meursault's girlfriend and supposed fiance despite the fact that he doesn't really care if he marries her or not, she tries to stay true to him and hopeful of his release from prison despite all evidence to the contrary, used to work with Meursault

Raymond = neighbor who asks Meursault to write a letter to one of his prostitutes so that he can lure her back then dump her, asks Meursault and Marie to go to his friend's beach house, causes trouble with the Arab whose sister he abused, which leads to Meursault killing the Arab

Celeste = owns a restaurant and considers himself a friend of Meursault

Salamano = neighbor whose abused dog runs away leaving him lonely

Masson = owns the bungalow where Meursault, Marie, and Raymond visit and enjoy the beach

Maman = Meursault's mother whom he put in a nursing home several years before and hasn't seen much since who dies before the novel begins

Thomas Perez = Maman's love interest before she died

Magistrate = questions Meursault about the circumstances of his crime then waves a crucifix in his face trying to get Meursault to show remorse

Chaplain = comes to see Meursault just before he will be beheaded, tries to get him to accept God eventually angering Meursault causing him to somewhat attack him