The Stranger by Albert Camus, is a French philosophical novel written in the mid-1940s. In the novel, we are introduced to our narrator, Monsieur Meursault. Meursault is a French man living in Algiers and has just received word via telegram that his elderly mother has passed away. He notes that he has asked for two days of leave from his job, even though his boss is quite annoyed by this. He is to travel to the Home for Aged Persons in Marengo, which is at least fifty miles from Algiers. He takes the bus and sleeps for most of the trip from Algiers to Marengo. Once he arrives in Marengo, he realizes he has a one-mile walk to the home. When he finally arrives to the home, he is greeted by the doorkeeper. The warden meets him in his office and tells him that even though Meursault all but abandoned his mother in this home, it was the absolute best decision he could have made. The director knows that Meursault makes very little money at his job and could not take care of his mother. He also claims that Meursault's mother had made great friends and had enjoyed spending her last few years with people of her own age. Meursault had felt judged by the warden, but after this conversation, he agreed with the notion that his mother had been better off in this home, instead of living with him. We see Meursault rationalizing why he had not been to visit his mother much, as it cost him an entire weekend day on Sundays, the commute to the home was an hour each way, and getting a ticket for the bus was a hassle in and of itself. The director then informs, Meursault that he has arranged for a religious funeral ceremony to be performed the next day. Meursault knows that his mother was not religious and would not care. When it comes time for Meursault to see his mother, he does not want to see the body as it was already sealed inside the casket. This causes the doorkeeper to ask Meursault why, to which he responds he cannot think of a reason. The doorkeeper describes why the hold funerals so quickly in Marengo. He tells Meursault that it gets too hot there for them to keep the bodies for four or five days like Paris does. Meursault finds this topic interesting. The old man then informs him of the custom of allowing all the other residents to hold an overnight vigil by the casket before the funeral. Meursault finds this odd, but plays along. The doorkeeper offers him some coffee. Meursault gladly accepts and gives the doorkeeper a cigarette in exchange. Meursault eventually falls asleep in the room waiting for the elderly residents to arrive for the vigil. He is eventually woken up by the sound of people shuffling into the room. Once people are settled in their seats the only sound he hears is the sound of a woman sobbing in the second row. This perturbs him for a bit, but eventually he falls asleep again and sleeps until morning.