The Age of Reason (novel)

The Age of Reason is a 1945 philosophical novel by Jean-Paul Sartre, the first part of his planned trilogy, Les Chemins de la Liberté (The Roads to Freedom). The novel explores themes of existentialism, freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in a world without inherent values.

The story follows Mathieu Delarue, a philosophy professor in Paris, over a period of a few days. Mathieu is faced with a crisis: his girlfriend, Marcelle, is pregnant and he is unwilling to have a child. The novel traces Mathieu's attempts to obtain an abortion for Marcelle, and in doing so, his struggle to define his own freedom and make authentic choices.

Throughout the novel, Sartre examines the perspectives and choices of other characters, including Ivich, Mathieu's sister; Daniel, a homosexual man grappling with self-acceptance; and Boris, a young student. These characters, like Mathieu, are confronted with situations that force them to confront their own existential anxieties and make choices that define their existence.

The Age of Reason explores the existentialist concept that existence precedes essence, meaning that humans are born without a pre-determined purpose and must create their own values and meaning through their actions. The characters grapple with the burden of this freedom and the responsibility that comes with it. The novel is set against the backdrop of pre-war France, adding a sense of urgency and uncertainty to the characters' lives as they navigate their personal struggles within a larger social and political context.