Journey to the End of the Night

This section of the guide references the death of a child and discusses outdated attitudes toward mental health.

Bardamu is convinced that Robinson is mostly to blame for his troubles starting up again. He stays inside, fearful that he will run into Robinson and get swept up in an absurd scheme. Instead, he continues to work with his patients in exchange for very little payment. Bébert contracts typhoid. Bardamu is one of many doctors consulted to help the boy; eventually, he is left alone to heal Bébert. The neighbors are fond of Bébert, and they are invested in his care. Bardamu feels a genuine affection for the young boy. Despite his best efforts, Bardamu cannot cure Bébert. Bardamu visits the Joseph Bioduret Institute, hoping they can give him “a bit of advice or recommend some vaccine” (249). Amid the labyrinthine hallways of the institute, filled with elderly and ineffectual scientists, Bardamu searches for Serge Parapine, an “undisputed eminence in his special field” (252). Parapine listens to Bardamu’s predicament and complains about his lab assistant. Complaining as well about the nature of scientific research, Parapine leads Bardamu to a café, but he is upset that the “little girls” (256) from the nearby school have already gone home.