I think that Camus chose to divide the book into two parts in order to create a separation between Mersault's life before and after the murder of the Arab. I believe that Camus creates this separation because he wants to show a distinction between Mersault before and after the murder, specifically, in that Mersault preceding the murder has not yet come to an existentialist belief of life's meaninglessness. However, there is parallel structure between the two parts.
Firstly, both parts 1 and 2 begin and end with a death. Part one begins with Maman's death: "Maman died today. Or yesterday, maybe, I don't know." (1). And ends with the murder of the Arab: "The trigger gave(...)then I fired four more times..." (59). Part two does not necessarily begin with death, but it does take place right after the murder when Mersault has been arrested, so in that sense the concept overlaps. However, part two does end with Mersault's death, or the implications of it: "...I had only wish that there be a large crowd of spectators on the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate." (123).
Another similarity I noticed between parts one and two is that in part one, Mersault seems feel like he has to state that things are not his fault: "I even said, 'It's not my fault.'" (1). "I felt like telling her it wasn't my fault..." (20). And in part two, Mersault seems to have a hard time grasping the realization that he is a criminal, as though he feels blameless: "One my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but just in time, I remembered that I had killed a man." (64). "I was going to say that that was because they were criminals. But then I realized I was one too. It was an idea I couldn't get used to." (70).
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