2506.10 The Myth of Sisyphus
Meaning in a meaningless world
11:25 AM
But why do you like cartoons? They are stupid.
I don’t know. I like them.
Tom is running after Jerry. Jerry escapes, gets caught and escapes again. Round and round, all day.
But he always escapes! I like Jerry. You are Tom, I am Jerry.
I can see you biting your nails when Tom is inches away from Jerry. What will happen if Jerry is unable to escape?
He will find a way. He always has.
No, but for a second imagine that Jerry is caught and he is unable to escape. What then?
Ummmm.
See, I knew it. I will lock you inside the cupboard and throw away the keys. How would you escape then?
Ummmm.
Ok, tell me, why does Tom want to catch Jerry in the first place?
He wants to eat Jerry. But Jerry doesn’t like being eaten. He has a little house in the walls. He is not troubling anyone. He only eats some cheese but Tom is evil. I don’t like Tom.
You didn't answer my question. Why is Tom after Jerry all the time?
I don’t know.
Give me the remote.
No.
Give it. [He snatches the remote]
I don’t want to watch cricket. It is so boring. Why are they wearing white T-shirt and pants? Is it there PT period?
Dumbo, it’s test cricket.
They are giving their test! But where is pencil and paper?
What? In test cricket they wear white.
But where is their Miss?
Shut up. Let me watch.
[Goes to another room] Why is it called ‘test cricket’ and why do they wear white clothes?
They have to play for five days straight. Just like you study for a year and give your test, they also prepare long and hard for this difficult match. It’s a test for them.
Ohhhh. And why white? Their clothes get all dirty. Won’t their mommies scold them?
I think their mommies do scold them when they go home after playing.
So, why wear white?
I think they don’t want their ‘good’ clothes to get dirty. They use the same clothes for all matches. And only colourful clothes for parties and functions.
Ya, that must be so.
[Goes back to the previous room, TV is switched off] What happened?
We lost!
Good. Now I can watch cartoon.
01:38 PM
[Shouting from the kitchen] Come for lunch.
Coming.
Coming.
Aloo again!
Eat quietly.
But I wanted to eat chowmein. Today is Sunday.
[Simultaneously] Chowmein is bad for health. Chowmein is bad for health.
[Eating slowly and reluctantly] But aloo has no colours. No taste too.
Give me your plate. I will draw Tom and Jerry on your food.
[Takes two pieces of aloo, flies them in the air, as if chasing each other] Who are the aunties in the book in your desk drawer?
[A piece of aloo and roti comes out of his mouth. Wide eyed and aghast, he looks back, trying to quieten him with his eyes] Indira Gandhi.
Oh.
What is Indira Gandhi?
Stupid, Indira Gandhi was our prime minister once.
What is a prime minister?
Indira Gandhi was our prime minister. She was like the boss of India. She was a very strict lady. Her son ate what she cooked. Never complained. That is how he became a pilot. Don’t you want to fly planes?
Yes, yes. I want to fly planes. But why did she not like wearing clothes. Didn’t she feel cold?
What!
[He was left alone at the dining table. Two-thirds of the occupants of the house went to the TV room. The room was locked. There were loud noises, both verbal and physical. Then there was some weeping. After some time, one of them came out and rejoined lunch.]
You eat your aloo or else I will smack you.
But I am eating! What happened to him? Why is he crying?
Nothing. You eat.
You don’t want him to become a pilot.
Shut up.
I will also not fly planes. I will eat all my aloos too.
Just finish your lunch.
05:15 PM
[Both got up after their afternoon siesta]
Do you want to play catch?
Ok.
[They go out into the garden and play catch]
Why were you looking in my drawer? Next time, beware, or else I will beat you to a pulp.
I was searching for my eraser. But what is wrong with becoming a pilot? They fly planes. It is so amazing, isn’t it?
Just play catch. You are anyway too little to fit in the cockpit. They won’t let you fly in the first place. You can barely look over the dashboard in our car. How will you fly a plane.
[Feeling dejected, he runs into the house] I don’t want to play with you.
Go, I also don’t want to.
[A car arrives in the driveway of the house]
[At the dinning table] Why can’t I become a pilot?
OF COURSE YOU CAN. WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T?
[Explanations are made with unintelligible words and phrases]
So, why can’t I become a pilot?
OF COURSE YOU CAN.
But why was he beaten for watching pictures of ‘India Gaadi’? Her son became a pilot. She also cooked bad tasing aloo for him.
I make tasty aloos, just so you know.
AND I AM PICASSO. JUST THAT MY MUMMY DIDN’T LET ME BUY A BRUSH.
So, why was he beaten?
HE WAS NOT STUDYING. JUST WASTING TIME.
[Feeling scared and repentant] I will only watch ‘India Gandi’. I will study very hard. I will become a pilot then.
[Both simultaneously] NO, NO. No, no.
[He runs to the room to get the book. All chase him. He gets hold of the book. The book is snatched from him. It is torn to pieces and thrown in the dustbin.]
How will I become a pilot now?
[All console him.] You will. YOU WILL. You will.
Oh I remember now! There is one more ‘India Gandi’ book in the main bedroom too.
[He smiles and rushes to the main bedroom. All, except him, look at each other, unable to say anything.]
Why is Tom always after Jerry? How come Jerry always escapes?
Sisyphus had chained Thanatos, the god of death, preventing anyone from dying. He had cheated death. Zeus didn’t approve of it. He was, therefore, condemned to do an absurd task. He was punished by making him push a boulder up a hill, only to watch it come back rolling down — ad infinitum. Sisyphus was the absurd hero. His endeavour represented his daring clash against the universe, a universe which seemed pointless, represented by the absurd and recurrent act of pushing up a boulder.
Life is more or less meaningless. It only derives its meaning from what we infuse into it. Tom was trying to catch Jerry because he always escaped.
Thank you for reading.