The Sun Motif in "The Stranger" by Albert Camus.

The sun becomes one of the most important motifs in Albert Camus' "The Stranger". The imagery Camus uses when describing the sun sets the stage for the climax of Mersault's murder of the Arab. More than anything the sun is depicted as a distraction to Mersault. It causes him to do things he would not normally do and clouds his judgement, causing him to commit a serious crime which will cause his own death. The …

…epitome of abnormality and is thus the main target of society's, of the sun's, wrath. After the death of the Arab, Mersault "shook off the sweat and the sun" (59). This is the perfect quote to end the first half and introduce Mersault's philosophy for the second half of the novel. He shakes off society like he shakes off the sun, eventually coming to the realization that life means nothing, and this realization ultimately frees him.