The Stranger 3

Mersault feels compelled to kill the Arab who assaulted Raymond. He cannot make the decision whether to hurt or leave the Arab alone, so he lets himself go free and releases his free will. He frees himself from care and lets the influence of other take over, "It occurred to me that all I had to do was turn around and that would be the end of it. But the whole beach, throbbing in the sun, was pressing on my back" (58). All of the external influences of life, represented by the "beach", are pushing Mersault to kill the Arab. Mersault feels pressured to act in violent ways towards the man he feels nothing for. Because he is indifferent to the man and world around him, it makes it easier for him to kill.