“La vie devant soi” (Prix Goncourt 1975) is a masterful tale of unconditional affection between an old Jewish woman and an abandoned Arab boy.
SURESH RAMPHUL
Romain Gary wrote the novel, published by Mercure de France in 1975, under the pen name Émile Ajar. The references in this appreciation of the book are from Éditions Belin/Éditions Gallimard, 2009.
Mrs. Rosa, an obese 67-year-old Jewish immigrant, lives clandestinely in Beauville, Paris. She is sick. She occupies the sixth floor in a building without a lift. It is a torture for her to move around. Momo (Mohamed), an Arab, is aged 10. Sex workers are used to leaving their kids with Mrs. Rosa against payment. They visit once in a while. The children ignore who their fathers are. They have no idea what their mothers do for a living. Mrs. Rosa was herself a sex worker once.
We see women thrust into the world of prostitution to survive. Momo craves for his mother. He pretends to suffer from stomach ache and belly ache. But there is no sign of mother. He even shits everywhere and makes Mrs. Rosa’s life a hell. Concrete details underline powerfully what the absence of a mother does to a child. They also effectively highlight the child’s loneliness.
Lack of proper guidance and love: the stage is set for delinquency. Mr. N’da Amédée enriches himself as a pimp. Unlike Mrs. Rosa who, at least, provides food and shelter to the kids with the money their mothers are sending, Mr. Amédée operates in his own interests.
The plight of prostitutes suggest a crying lack of work opportunities, sexual exploitation, the difficulties of managing in a male-dominated society and what it means to be trapped in a merciless system. The women are sex objects with no financial prospects. The children are not schooled for fear of running into trouble with the authorities. It is a pessimistic yet realistic portrayal of society. It is against this disintegration that we see Mrs. Rosa as a symbol of love and hope. Though severe, she loves the children, especially Momo.
Bonding
Mrs. Rosa may not be beautiful yet Momo develops a special place in his heart for her. Her health is deteriorating. Momo is relieved to learn that she has no cancer. He sits on the stairs and “j’ai pleuré comme un veau” (page 97). He visits the mosque to pray for her health, and dreams of buying her a new wig. He longs to stay with friends but realizes that “je ne pouvais pas laisser Mme Rosa seule dans le merdier” (p 79). When he is away he regrets spending a long time far from the old woman. 
He would like to be a policeman one day so that no former sex worker, destitute and lonely, would ever cry on the sixth floor of a building without an elevator. She is worried about his future and makes him promise “que tu vas pas te défendre avec ton cul” (p 99). She is afraid of being dumped when he grows up. The child reassures her that he will never let her down. What is the deepest fear of an old, ailing person, anywhere in the world? The answer is: the fear of dying utterly alone in an anonymous, dingy room somewhere. The author captures admirably well the psychology of Mrs. Rosa. The child’s reassurance is a balm to her. It is what keeps her going.
Momo and another kid care for her: “On a déshabillé Madame Rosa des pieds à la tête et on l’a nettoyée à l’eau de Javel parce qu’elle avait fait sous elle pendant son absence. Après on lui a poudré le cul avec le talc à bébés et on l’a remise en place dans son fauteuil.” (p 130) Momo’s father drops in to claim his son but the old woman cleverly dissuades him. Momo is delighted and grateful: “On était tout ce qu’on avait au monde et c’était toujours ça de sauvé. Moi je pense que lorsqu’on vit avec quelqu’un de très moche, on finit par l’aimer.“ (p 150)
One day Momo finds an ambulance in front of the building. He thinks Mrs. Rosa is no more. He runs into the house and finds her alive. “J’ai couru l’embrasser. Elle sentait pas bon parce qu’elle avait chié et pissé sous elle pour des raisons d’état. Je l’ai embrassée encore plus parce que je voulais pas qu’elle s’imagine qu’elle me dégoûtait.” (p 167)
Generosity
Neighbours visit regularly. Mme Lola comes: “On l’a soulevée, on l’a déshabillée, on l’a étendue par terre et on l’a lavée.” (p 169) Waloumba, a black fire-eater, organizes a ceremony with friends; there is dancing and chanting to exorcize Mrs. Rosa. She suddenly shouts out of fear and they all believe they have warded off the devil. Mrs. Lola brings champagne; Mr. Djamaili brings meat. Mrs. Rosa is never made to feel alone. At no moment do they give her the impression that her situation is desperate. They spread cheerfulness around her. The four Zaoum brothers, furniture movers, “l’ont descendue comme un piano” (p 111) one Sunday and take her in their car to boost her morale. The idea that comes across is that you are never alone in your miseries. There is always a hand to support you. They all want her to die in peace and dignity, whatever her past and her nationality. Their presence will be heart-warming and will make death more bearable and less complicated. Momo will learn what it means to love and be loved and that people are not all that bad at the bottom. Despite the world going to the dogs, people are still capable of overcoming their prejudices and revealing their humanness by lending a helping hand in your hour of need. There is no room for despair.
Fear
Mrs. Rosa is afraid of contracting cancer. Her health is getting worse; the children fear for her “parce qu’on avait que ça au monde” (p 51). She is hurt at the idea of losing Momo to the authorities. The idea harasses her. It is awfully difficult for her to climb the stairs. Momo is terrified: “J’avais une peur bleue de me trouver sans elle.” (p 54) Momo is scared that the old woman may die at any moment. In his mind she, perhaps, represents a mother-figure too. She is always afraid of being arrested. Fear runs throughout the novel, adding to the tension. It emphasizes how precarious their situation is. Do not talk to her about hospitalization. Momo vows to keep her home: “Je lui aurais promis n’importe quoi pour la rendre heureuse.” (p 132)
The book is about human warmth, old age, the fate of abandoned children, a degrading society, finding inner peace amidst a chaotic life, the purity of a child’s heart, and the social and moral initiation into adulthood, illegal immigration, and ostracism. The author explores the mysterious territory of the human heart and gives a prominent place to humour to enliven a tragic story.
“Can we live without love?” is a question that Momo often asks Mr. Hamil. The question is omnipresent in this delightful book.