• Provide an overview of the Algerian War and relate this history to the references made in the story. What specific events might have caused Balducci and Daru to question the Prisoner's loyalties and discuss the possibility of an upcoming war? Who could have been responsible for writing the menacing note on the chalkboard?

• Investigate the fundamental principles of Islamic law. Under what conditions would the Prisoner be considered guilty of a crime for killing his cousin? In what scenarios could the act be deemed justifiable? Use this understanding to formulate a defense for the Prisoner within the French legal system.

• Examine the geography of Algeria and correlate it with the locations and events mentioned in the story. What does the region Camus described appear like on a map? What climate conditions contribute to severe droughts? What government policies have either exacerbated or alleviated droughts similar to the one depicted in the story?