What do the relationships in The Stranger say about Camus' view of relationships?

While the story of Meursault is the primary focus of the book, there are several relationships in the book that shed light on how Camus views the world.

As an existentialist, Camus highlights one of the fundamental beliefs of existentialism—all humans suffer from alienation and thus cannot ever truly know other people. We see this estrangement with Meursault right away as he is unable to express an emotional response to Maman’s death. Instead of feeling emotions like sadness or loss for family, Meursault feels the physical sun on his back during the procession and annoyance at his mother’s friends who cry at her wake.

In terms of friendship, Meursault is unable to grasp that Celeste cares for him as more than a simple acquaintance from the restaurant. Meursault only seems to notice his genuine affection when Celeste gives his testimony (which Meursault responds to by saying he could “cry”). In a different capacity, Meursault’s relationship with Raymond shows Meursault’s willingness to follow others. Meursault does not seem fazed by Raymond abusing his girlfriend, the rumors about Raymond, or Raymond’s aggressive attitude and instead goes along with all Raymond asks of him.

Similarly, when Meursault dates Marie, he is primarily focused on the physical pleasure he brings her as opposed to her emotional support. This emotional detachment is illustrated by his constant reference to her body and not her mind or personality. Even when she asks him about marriage, his apathetic response is “it didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to” (41). Even Meursault’s romantic relationships mean little to him.

Finally, Salamano and his dog also provide a point of comparison. Old Salamano treats his dog horribly as he beats him and swears at him. However, once the dog runs away, Salamano is heartbroken. When he hears dogs bark at night, he is reminded of his loss. While it is interesting that Salamano feels very clear emotions of remorse and longing, Camus’s decision to estrange Salamano from his pet—“man’s best friend”— and provide no resolution to this side-plot again reflects the existentialist tenet that all humans are alienated.