Preview of The Mandarins Summary:

In The Mandarins, Beauvoir develops two contrasting themes: that of the finitude of man with its contingent fear of aging and obsession with death as illustrated in the attitude and actions of its heroine Anne; and the opposing theme of optimism, with its inherent positive attitude geared toward action, which runs parallel throughout the novel and is embodied in the protagonist Henri Perron.

Anne's preoccupation with death begins with her loss of faith...