In Albert Camus's The Stranger, what is Meursault actually on trial for; his actions or his eccentric character?

In
strictly legal terms, Meursault is on trial for murdering the Arab. But at the same time, he's
also on trial for his nihilism and his shameless flouting of the accepted norms and values of
the society he's come to reject. The prosecutor makes great play of the shocking way that
Meursault treats his girlfriendeven though his behavior was hardly out of the ordinary at that
time. The prosecutor also launches a furious attack against the prisoner in the dock for his
indifference towards his late mother. For a young man not to honor his mother is treated by the
prosecutor as almost a crime in itself, one worthy of total condemnation.

The evidence for Meursault's guilt in carrying out the murder is overwhelming, but the
authorities know that it's not enough that he must be punished for this most serious of crimes.
He also needs to be made an example of. Meursault's nihilism, his alienation from society, are
potentially contagious, especially among the young. It is as essential,...