Mirror in the Sun

Throughout the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the sun is a frequent and powerful motif that both influences and mirrors the main character attitude of the main character, Meursault. A primary example we see of this reads, "The sky was already filled with light. The sun was beginning to bear down on the earth and it was getting hotter by the minute" (15, Camus). The opening statement is one that generally precedes a more hopeful or content moment, as light is often associated with heaven and happiness. Camus uses this expectation to create a greater contrast to his next statement, where he characterizes the sun as an oppressive force. He confronts the reader's assumptions in order to make them pay attention to the unique narrative the sun has for the main character.  The passage that follows this opening statement focuses on his mother's funeral procession, yet another dark and generally depressing time. By challenging the reader's initial perception of sun and sunlight, Camus introduces the idea that Meursault may view the world in a different more negatively slanted way than most people.

The passage continues with another unconventional reflection on the sun, reading "Today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat, it was inhumane and oppressive" (15, Camus). This passage again references the sun but exchanges the usually joyful association for a depressing one. While the foremost adjective is "shimmering," which generally suggests a magical or supernatural feel, Camus reroutes the sentence by throwing in "inhumane and oppressive" to describe the moment.While his personal characterization of the sun accurately fits the situation of his mother's death, it does not fulfill the general expectations that accompany the beautiful and vibrant sunset he seems to portray. By continuing this atypical characterization of the sun, Camus further distinguishes Meursault as a rather unusual person- a social anomaly if you will.

Camus uses the motif of the sun and sunlight in an unconventional and unexpected way in order to better demonstrate Meursault's negative and rather alternative worldview. If Meursault were to bear witness to a particularly nasty rainstorm, do you believe he would be more content with that as opposed to these sunny and hot days? Why or why not?