"Mother Died Today. Or Maybe Yesterday; I Can’t Be Sure"

Being one of his most significant novels, Albert Camus' The Stranger delves into the dilemma of the absurdist and explores existential themes through its protagonist, Meursault, who perceives life as fundamentally meaningless.

The novel’s beginning invites various interpretations. In the original French, the text starts with "Aujourd'hui, maman est morte. Ou peut-être hier, je ne sais pas." In French, 'my mother' would be 'ma mère.’ The omission of the possessive pronoun highlights the protagonist’s detachment and emphasizes his alienation from the outset. By not referring to his mother as ‘my,’ Meursault’s emotional distance is underscored. This lack of personal connection signifies his broader disengagement from societal norms and expectations.

Additionally, the protagonist’s depiction of time as ‘yesterday or today,’ two opposing periods, illustrates his uncertainty and disconnection from reality. This ambiguity regarding the precise moment of his mother’s death reflects a deeper existential detachment, revealing his indifference to the passage of time and its significance. For Meursault, these temporal markers lose their meaning, aligning with the absurdist view that life and its milestones are ultimately arbitrary.

Moreover, the opening lines immediately introduce an absurd behavior that aligns with the absurdist theme. Traditional values, such as family bonds and the passage of time, appear entirely meaningless to the protagonist. His indifference and inability to grieve his mother’s death highlight his fundamental detachment from conventional expectations. This behavior sets the stage for understanding Meursault’s character as one who rejects the societal impositions of meaning.

Another crucial aspect of this passage is how it portrays death as the ultimate absurdity. Meursault’s casual reference to his mother’s death underscores the inherent meaninglessness of both living and dying. In Camus’ existential framework, the universe is indifferent, and the search for meaning is rendered futile. By presenting death in such a detached manner, Camus emphasizes the anguish of confronting a reality devoid of inherent significance.