Approaching Absurdism: The Implied Reader of Absurdist Fiction

[Absurdist fiction is a genre of novel that explores existential themes, where the meaning of life is explored, often nihilistically, leading to feelings of meaninglessness]

In The Implied Reader (1972), Wolfgang Iser theorised the concept of the ‘implied reader’, an imaginary reader that the text sets for itself, whose capacities and expectations are important for the text to achieve its goal. On the basis of this understanding, we’ll try and identify the implied reader of texts which fall under the genre of absurdist fiction. The structure of narratives of absurdist fiction, characterisation, and thematic concerns directly imply a reader with specific characteristics. This essay will identify these features, providing textual evidence from prominent works in this genre to demonstrate how such texts build such a reader.

The most prominent expectation one can notice that is presented by absurdist fiction is that its implied reader possesses the capacity to engage with the irrational. When we say ‘engage with the irrational’, we mean that events and situations which defy logic and common understanding are to be accepted. Such events and situations prominently occupy absurdist fiction texts. Unlike a text belonging to the fantasy genre, these texts generally situate themselves in incoherent worlds with no governing set of rules or logic. In Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (1915), Gregor Samsa is transformed into an insect. The text offers no rationale for this, we are presented with only what happens after the transformation. The immediate and unexplained transformation implies a reader who will not demand an explanation of the logical kind but accepts the given event or situation as is. By accepting this, the reader can allow the text to explore themes like alienation and dehumanisation (treatment as less than human). In the play The Bald Soprano (1950), Ionesco writes characters who often say things which do not follow any logical order or connection. Termed ‘non-sequiturs’, Ionesco couples them with illogical exchanges between characters. An example of this during the exchange between Mr. and Mrs. Smith as well as Mr. and Mrs. Martin quoted below:

MRS. MARTIN: One can sit down on a chair, when the chair doesn't have any.

MR. SMITH: One must always think of everything.

MR. MARTIN: The ceiling is above, the floor is below.

MRS. SMITH: When I say yes, it's only a manner of speaking. (Ionesco 16)

This feature implies a reader who is willing to give up the expectation of coherent discourse and does not look for meaning through the conventional lens of language and logic. Furthermore, the implied reader of absurdist fiction must be willing to engage with questions about existence and human life which may be profound and philosophical. Themes like meaninglessness, alienation, and search for purpose/meaning feature consistently in absurdist fiction. These themes function in worlds which are seemingly indifferent to them. Camus’ The Stranger (1942) illustrates this through the characterisation of Meursault. Meursault narrates the story to us in an unemotional and distant manner. When his mother dies, he doesn’t seem very sad, only noting down facts without feeling. His actions seem not based on a sense of right and wrong that most people expect. He gets himself into a situation where he ends up killing someone after he goes to the beach and gets into a relationship shortly after his mother’s death. The reader here ends up questioning conventional senses of morality and societal expectations. Thus the text here expects a reader prepared to engage with such philosophical questions. Questions regarding the morality of Meursault's actions. The reader is not offered an answer in the text or in the way it is written. This implies that the reader becomes the one deciding these values and answering these questions.

Another expectation which absurdist fiction makes of its reader is an appreciation of dark humour and irony. These comedic aspects are presented usually against the theme of meaninglessness. In Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1953), we see repetitive and nonsensical exchanges between Vladmir and Estragon as they wait for someone who never comes. The humour arises from the futility of their actions. Any attempt here to make meaning of their interaction only shows us how futile our tendency to seek meaning would be in the genre of absurdist fiction. In Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 (1961), we see the text demanding a reader who can appreciate the illogicality and dark humour within the system. The text uses a satirical and ironic tone to illustrate the absurdity of war and political logic. 

The implied reader of absurdist fiction is also someone who can tolerate ambiguity. The lack of resolution that we do not observe in traditional narratives is what sets apart the implied reader’s expectation here. Traditionally, texts try to provide answers and tie up loose ends. Absurdist fiction texts however, frequently end without offering definitive solutions or explanations. This aspect of the genre intends to mirror the uncertainty of existence. Kafka’s The Trial (1925) ends with the protagonist Joseph K. being executed. What the reader isn’t given here is the knowledge of the nature of the crime or the identity of the parties accusing. This leaves the reader grappling with the themes of guilt and powerlessness. The whole story here is of a trial where the reader is given no context of. One can imagine how the sense of powerlessness and guilt can permeate the whole text this way. 

In Ionesco’s works or the exchanges in Waiting for Godot, we see an implied reader who is not frustrated by the lack of clear communication, someone ready to engage with circular and often nonsensical dialogue. They understand this as an absurd world in which it does not make sense to have a meaningful language. Surreal or dreamlike imagery, like the one found in Gregor’s transformation in The Metamorphosis (1915) requires a reader open to non-literal interpretations, someone who can engage with symbolic and metaphorical aspects of the text. 

If we were to look for an opposite or contrast to the implied reader of absurdist fiction, we would find one in the implied reader of 19th-century realist novels. This can be observed in a text like Pride and Prejudice (1813). This implied reader expects a coherent plot, a cause and effect relation, a resolution which gives one a sense of closure. In conclusion, the implied reader of absurdist fiction engages with the questions and uncertainties of existence. From a tolerance for ambiguity and irrationality to appreciation for irony and dark humour, the characteristics evidenced by the features of given texts contribute towards building our implied reader, a reader equipped to navigate meaninglessness and a constantly questioned existence: the heart of absurdist fiction.