In the opening pages of Journey to the End of the Night, the young Ferdinand Bardamu enthusiastically follows a military parade through the streets of Paris. Just a few pages later, he is horrified and exhausted by the war. This quick transition from youthful patriot to jaded cynic sets the tone for Bardamu’s story and, in particular, for his narrative style. Over the course of the novel, Bardamu will take on many different roles and identities. He is a soldier, a doctor, a theater hand, a factory worker, and a colonialist.

Though his journey takes him across oceans and continents, though he plays many different roles in society, there is a permanent sense of pessimism, cynicism, and nihilism. The experience in the military is formative for Bardamu; he never again seizes upon anything with as much energy or enthusiasm as he did when he first followed that parade. In this way, Bardamu’s nihilism is the dominant feature of his character and his narration, the constant throughline that follows him everywhere. The nihilism is shaped by the war in ways that Bardamu never truly comprehends.