In the book, “The Plague,” the author, Albert Camus, solidifies the importance that evil has in bringing people a newfound hope/ faith. The book is set in at the location, 194-Oran which is a French port on the Algerian coast. The town is plain. The author believes the people may care more for money than their own happiness. The people don’t take time to process the world around them. The main character is Dr. Bernard Rieux, often referred to in the text as Rieux. Over time, the town gradually finds an increase in death rates of the rat population. This is quickly linked to a epidemic in humans, which is suspected to be the plague. Consequently, after the Plague is linked to rat deaths, the town goes into quarantine. …show more content…
Consequently, during this same time Tarrou and Rambert visit a camp (A haven for the sick). When visiting this camp they recognize how strange it is that life and death sit a wall between each other. They are referring to the people walking/driving outside the stadium versus those who are waiting for death within the stadium. Accordingly, we learn about Tarrou’s past in which he reveals to Dr. Rieux saying he had indirect conduct with people’s deaths. Tarrou then asks Rieux a notable question, “Can one be a saint without God?”(Camus 119) After this we then again get a glimpse at hope as we watch them build their friendship amongst the chaos of the plague. However, just after that, Rieux has to watch Tarrou die and get news of his wife’s death as well. Ordinarily, the people of the town are then able to reunite with their loved ones but they are in denial to the change the plague had on them. They all now shared, “Love, exile and suffering,” (Camus 278) because of the plague. The Plague brought the people newfound hope and faith because when faced with the plague they continued to believe and hope for the future despite what the condition was at the moment in which they hoped. The people never gave up and held on to what they wanted to live for