Work · Jean-Paul Sartre
The Age of Reason
Mathieu seeks money for an abortion while relationships expose the contradictions of independence understood as refusing commitment.
Understanding the text
Published in 1945 but set in prewar Paris, the first Roads to Freedom volume establishes characters whose projects will be transformed by historical crisis.
Key points
- 01
Abstraction
Remaining available for every possibility can prevent any concrete project.
- 02
Relationships
Mathieu's choices have consequences beyond his own consciousness.
- 03
Time
Waiting to be completely free before acting postpones existence indefinitely.
How to read it
Follow money and other characters' expectations, not only Mathieu's justifications.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗