The Perception of Colors and Light in the Arabic Translation of Albert Camus's Novel (TheStranger)

Abstract

This article examines and analyses the perception and the interpretation of colors and light that domine the novel of Albert Camus L’Etrangerin the Arabic translation. We will study the case of two well-known and distinguished Arab translators of the novel of Camus:AydaMatarji and Mohammad Ghattas. Indeed, the perception and the translation of the colors in the extracts are not the same for both translators. We make here the difference between real colors defined by the physicist in terms of length and waves, and the color that is perceived from a social and cultural point of view. Regarding these differences, this article aims to confirm the fact that literary texts are not easily interpreted. They must be situated in their cultural and social context. And that the differences in interpretation of colors in this text of Camus is a sign of the link between these colors and the perception of absurdity and the existentialist vision of the author.