Conclusion

In the twilight of his life, Baumgartner, the protagonist of Paul Auster’s last novel, reflects on the future that still lies ahead. “Time matters now, and he has no idea how much of it remains. Not just how many years until he ‘kicks the bucket,’ but more precisely, how many years of active, productive life he has left before his mind or body—or both—begin to fail him, turning him into an incompetent fool, wracked with pain, unable to read or think, unable to remember what was said four seconds ago, or summon enough energy to have sex—a horrible thought he does not wish to entertain. Five years? Ten years? Fifteen? The days and months now race past him more quickly, and the time he has left will pass, in any case, in the blink of an eye.” This uncertainty is one of the differences between youth and old age. One can clearly distinguish childhood from adolescence. However, the duration of the two stages of old age—one of good health and autonomy, the other of dependency and various impairments—remains uncertain. It’s true that, on average, in a given country and at a certain time, from the age of 65, the first stage lasts around 10 years, and the second about 8 years. But these are merely statistical averages. On an individual level, the length of old age and the distribution between these two stages can vary enormously.