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 sun is in a way a representation of the constraints society places upon Mersault. The effect the sun has on Mersault that results in death is a parallel to the effect of society…