The Stranger Research Paper

The Power of the Sun The novel The Stranger by Albert Camus has meanings and themes in it that are deeper then what is seen on the surface. One extremely important detail that has a crucial presence in the story would be the sun. The main character of the novel, Meursault has little emotion throughout the novel despite the intensity of the events he goes through. At these events the sun is always present and when it is not, Meursault shows more feeling than usual. The sun is the primary motif of the novel because it portrays and reflects the intensity and emotion of events in Meursault’s life. A funeral, especially of a mother should always be an intensely sad time. However, Meursault shows little to no emotion during the funeral because he believes that everyone will die sooner or later. But he notices the sun so acutely when he says “The sun was beginning to bear down on the earth and it was getting hotter by the minute.” Even though his mother’s death left him with no sorrow or suffering in his mind or body, the sun somehow manages to annoy him and

Even though they are not complete, and they are not always narrated by him or expressed by him they do exist. The sunlight is always a present factor in these emotions. Originally it was there to represent and show the intensity of his emotions, but later on in the novel it grew to be a reason for him to have emotion. Due to Meursault’s very nature, he does not really believe emotions and feelings should really factor into choices made. Also he believes that it is simply irrational to be afraid or sad over such things as death. But the sun almost shows the humanity in him. How most people in his situation would feel is portrayed by the sun, Without the sun, or his emotions, the novel would have taken a much different course. Therefore, the sun remains a crucial motif and cornerstone of the story, greatly adding to the depth and meaning of