The Problem Of Suffering In The Plague By Albert Camus

Have you ever been curious as to why devastating evil and senseless suffering exists in this world? An excellent question, one to which we as human begins may unfortunately never know the proper answer to. Albert Camus’ book “The Plague” offers a valid response to the problem of evil and suffering because, it offers a more rational understanding of the puzzle that is the problem of evil and suffering while, it simultaneously encourages resistance to evil. The story accomplishes this by having the reader experience the reality of natural evil through the eyes of various characters’ perspectives. Throughout the story, the reader observes vastly different mental and physical developments of each individual cast member as a result of the physical
This experience occurs during the peak of the novel right after the long and painful passing of Jacques Othon. The doctor and priest had previously been present for countless deaths so far. Despite, their sort of immunity towards emotion during the time of the plague, Rieux records that this was the first time that they had all "watched a child’s agony minute by minute” (Camus 200). This particular death strikes close to the groups heart as they felt tremendous grief in watching an innocent child tragically suffer and hopelessly die in front of them. The loss of Jacques Othon was significant moment for Father Paneloux, as he shouts out during core of Jaques’ suffering “My God, spare this child” (Camus 201)! A potential question of faith…Or maybe just an outburst of anger? Regardless, what is transparent here is the hole in Panelouxs’ theology and the fact that nothing from this point on forward is ever the same for Paneloux after witnessing this innocent boy’s senseless
Interestingly enough are the words scribbled on Paneloux’s diagnostic index card. Two words that bridge the uncertainty of Paneloux’s religion along with the uncertainty of Rieux’s medicine are "doubtful case." In the end, the priest dies unsure on whether or not he can faithfully accept the will of God in a world filled with an enormous amount of senseless suffering. Adding on to the mysteries, the doctor is not absolutely certain what the priest died of. More importantly the reader obviously does not know anything thus, feeding into the cycle of further