Characters
This character is the narrator off the book and the doctor that works relentlessly to help victims.
Who is Dr. Rieux
This event foreshadows the coming of the plague in Oran
What is the weather changing
This barrier represents isolation and loss of freedom, but by the end of the story, it represents hope and reconnection
What is the gates of Oran
This character undergoes a faith transformation after delivering a sermon saying the plague was God's way of punishing Oran.
Who is Father Paneloux
This action is taken by the authorities to prevent the spread of the plague
What is the closing of the gates
These creatures pile in the streets of Oran before the plague hits, foreshadowing its arrival.
What are the rats
This character is a clerk that is writing a novel and is hyper fixated on trying to perfect the first sentence.
Who is Joseph Grand
This emotional phenomenon is contracted among Oran as they are stuck in quarantine and isolated from their families.
What is existential dread
Dr. Rieux represents this trait by helping Oran because it is the right thing to do.
What is duty
This character originally wants to flee Oran to be with the woman he loves, but changes his mind in order to stay and help the suffering community
Who is Raymond Rambert
This event marks the end of the plague and conveys the reunion of familes
What is the gates reopening
This phenomenon conveys the absurdity of human existence and suffering
What is the plague
This character thrives during the plague due to the chaos and his ability to take advantage of those suffering, making him different from the rest of the characters.
Who is Cottard
This central idea is about resisting suffering is highlighted when Dr. Rieux reveals himself as the narrator at the end of the novel
What is human solidarity
This represents the dehumanization caused by mass suffering and parallels with the Holocaust in WWll
What are mass burials