Daru struggles to find his place in the world and ends up settling on a distant plateau in Algeria. He does it because he has his place in Algeria in the same way as any other French citizen. Daru feels like the situation Balducci is putting him in is unfair and he struggles to make a decision. He has no idea whether or not he should deliver the Arab to prison to remain loyal to his country or allow the Arab to be free to remain true to his own morals. Daru's struggle with himself shows how every character in the story struggles to find someone. they can have confidence and a place where they belong. Daru does not support the way the French treat the Algerian people, but he also feels that he has some sort of duty to the nation he despises. When Balducci gives Daru this task, he expects him to accept the proposition because he is a fellow Frenchman. Daru spent his life finding a place where he could isolate himself from what was happening in the world around him. However, now his nation is literally knocking at his door. Balducci represents the French nation and its need for control. Not only does he represent the nation but he also represents the governments in place in Algeria. French citizens living in Algeria feel they have a greater right to live in Algeria than native Algerians. The French behave as if it is their country because they control the natives so aggressively that they have no choice but to revolt. Daru sees how the French treat the Algerians and knows that one is not better than the other. Daru struggles with what he should do with the Arabs because he can't decide what the right decision to make is. Somehow Daru empathizes with the Arab... middle of paper ... pretends to belong somewhere with all his heart, it literally consumes him the whole night the Arab is in his House. He knows that being loyal to his nation is the right choice if he wants to belong to it, but morally he knows that it is not his right to choose this man's fate because he does not belong there in first place. Balducci also knows this is the case. it is not his place to ask Daru to make this decision for him but because of his lack of knowledge he is only following orders because he wants to prove that he has the power to belong to the Algerian country. Balducci also does not know who Daru belongs to because he is very reluctant to provide this service to his French comrades. The message on the board could very well have come from the French saying that by choosing not to make any choice, Daru proved that he was not loyal to his nation and surrendered..