The Meursault Investigation

by

Kamel Daoud

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Meursault Investigation makes teaching easy.
A young woman, whom Harun and Mama notice watching them as they prepare to leave Algiers after Musa’s death. Harun comes to believe that she was Musa’s clandestine girlfriend, and that she is called Zubida, since he once heard Musa mutter the name in his sleep. It’s possible, although not certain, that a dispute over her honor led to the altercation with Meursault in which Musa was murdered. It’s also likely that Musa was secretive about his romantic relationships due to Mama’s jealousy and dislike of women who threaten her own importance in they eyes of her sons.
Get the entire The Meursault Investigation LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Meursault Investigation PDF

Zubida Character Timeline in The Meursault Investigation

The timeline below shows where the character Zubida appears in The Meursault Investigation. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Justice and Retribution Theme Icon
Harun knows nothing about the woman Musa was involved with, but Harun heard Musa whisper “Zubida” in his sleep the night before his death, so Harun assumes that’s her name. After... (full context)