C doesn't have bounds-checking on array access, so no it shouldn't. There is nothing in the language stopping you from attempting to read every (virtual) address you can imagine, although often the operating system and/or computer itself will protest, which might generate some kind of exception. Note that just because you "can" (it compiles and run, seemingly without any ill effects), that doesn't mean the program is valid or that it "works". The results of invalid memory accesses are undefined behavior.