The Depiction Of The Sun In Camu's The Outsider

In Camu’s The Outsider, there is minimal description allocated to the processing Meursault’s internal environment and instead plenty is dedicated to illustrating his feelings on a largely superficial level. In the sun’s presence, Meursault suddenly attains complex human emotions, and like a quick flip of a switch, the sun transforms him from an impassive individual to one obsessed with his physical environment. Camus presents the sun as being in opposition to the warmth and beauty we associate it with; rather, it is expressed as a malevolent entity with an appalling hold over Meursault’s entire existence.

The sun alters Meursault’s emotions and compels him to act. It overpowers him, and becomes a catalyst in his every other action making him its slave. During his mother’s funeral he obsesses over the sun, reflecting his internal battle. Before the procession embarks, Meursault observes the sun and calls it "inhuman and oppressive”, setting a morbid tone. Immediately we can see that Meursault has a bad impression of the sun. He does not mention any memories of his mother and his focus is on the sun in his natural environment. The agony and discomfort the sun inflicts on

This metaphor shows that the sun has released him, like he has finally done the deed the sun wanted him to do; he has finally succumbed to the sun’s cruelty. All along, there is a discernible impression that the sun provokes Meursault into committing a horrible atrocity. Therefore, we can see how Meursault feels that, by killing the Arab, he kills the sun, highlighting the command the sun has over him. Instead of regretting the crime he just committed in murdering the Arab, however, Meursault’s absurd concern is that he destroyed the peacefulness of the beach. He makes irrational decisions based on how sees the sun and its influence on