Jean-Paul Sartre’s trilogy, The Roads to Freedom, captures the tumultuous period leading up to and during World War II through the eyes of several interconnected characters. In The Age of Reason, The Reprieve, and Troubled Sleep, Sartre explores themes of existentialism, personal responsibility, and freedom, as his characters navigate the complexities and moral dilemmas of their time. Each novel acts as a chapter in the lives of the protagonists, revealing how their decisions and circumstances intertwine with the broader historical events around them.

The Age of Reason

The journey begins in June 1938 with The Age of Reason, where we meet Mathieu Delarue, a philosophy teacher grappling with his desire for freedom and his entanglements with others. Mathieu's longstanding affair with his mistress, Marcelle Duffet, reaches a pivotal moment when she reveals her pregnancy. Mathieu's immediate reaction is to propose an abortion, indicating his reluctance to commit to a life that he perceives would trap him even further. His pursuit of freedom is marred by his inability to take decisive action, as he navigates the complexities of personal relationships and societal expectations.

Desperate to avoid the impending responsibilities of fatherhood, Mathieu seeks funds for an abortion. His journey for financial support takes him to Sarah Gomez, a woman who had faced a similar situation, and then to his friend Daniel Sereno and his brother Jacques, both of whom refuse him for different reasons. Boris Serguine, a student admirer of Mathieu, attempts to help but faces his own crisis when his mistress, Lola Montero, reacts disastrously to his request for money.

Mathieu’s moral dilemma deepens when Lola appears to overdose on cocaine, and he considers stealing her money to fund the abortion. Although initially hesitant, the pressure of his circumstances drives him to take the money. Yet, when Mathieu presents the sum to Marcelle, she rejects it, influenced by Daniel's manipulations and her own desires to keep the child. Daniel's intentions are revealed as malicious, aiming to humiliate both Mathieu and himself, given his hidden homosexuality.

Mathieu's interactions with Ivich, a young woman he is attracted to, further demonstrate his conflict between desire and inaction. Despite her willingness to reciprocate his feelings as she faces her own failures, Mathieu cannot commit, recognizing that such a relationship would only compound his sense of entrapment. As the novel closes, Mathieu stands alone, aware that his pursuit of freedom remains elusive.

The Reprieve

As The Reprieve unfolds, the narrative shifts three months forward to September 1938, a time when Europe teeters on the brink of war. Sartre depicts a society in suspense, with characters old and new caught in the political and personal upheavals of the era. The Munich Agreement momentarily averts war, but the tension of impending conflict is palpable.

Mathieu, facing conscription, finds himself amidst a partial mobilization. Boris, anticipating war, enlists in the military, while his sister returns to Paris to be with her boyfriend. Daniel and Marcelle have relocated to Peyrehorade, their marriage serving as a means of escape for both from the pervasive chaos.

In this milieu, Sartre introduces additional characters whose lives intersect with the main protagonists. Philippe Gresigne wrestles with familial expectations and his own political beliefs, initially contemplating desertion to Switzerland before resolving to protest the war from within France. Meanwhile, the shepherd Gros-Louis and the invalid Charles represent the ordinary individuals caught in the disarray, their personal struggles a microcosm of the societal breakdown.

Despite the temporary reprieve, the characters’ trajectories reflect their unresolved internal conflicts and the broader existential questions posed by the looming war.

Troubled Sleep

The final...