Given the existential idea of Existence precedes Essence, at what point in the book does Mersault finally make a choice that would give his existence essence? In other words, at what point does he finally become a person, an identity, a 'self'?

In The Stranger, Mersault is portrayed as a fairly flat character who doesn't seem to feel much emotion at all. I don't think he ever really becomes "a person, an identity, or a self" at any point in the book at all, because in order to do so, he must have made an important choice in the first place. He never really chooses anything, he just "goes with the flow" and lives as a reaction to his environment. He views everything in a practical light and never acknowledges the fact that his existence has any essence at all. I don't think Mersault has made that crucial jump from simply existing to living as an individual with a unique identity. He almost lives as if he doesn't really have free will to make decisions, he complies with everyone else and doesn't even consider going against the wishes of those around him. The reason he does everything is because he tries to fit in with society and please others or if something in his immediate environment pushes him to do so. He attends his mother's funeral because it's the right thing to do by societal standards, he dates Marie because as a male human, his body naturally feels a physical attraction to women, he testifies for Raymond because Raymond asks him to, and he kills the Arab because the heat from the sun and reflection of light from a knife makes him "unbearably uncomfortable". It's because of his lack of acknowledgement of his own being and free will that leads me to believe that Mersault never makes a choice that gave his existence essence in the novel.