Resilence in Crisis: From “The Plague”to Global Pandemics

Feiyu Lin

Albert Camus’s novel “The Plague”, published in 1947, depicts an epidemic destroying a small town-Oran. In the epidemic, as the epidemic spreads, the government establishes a strict quarantine, locking the town gates to keep the sickness from spreading to nearby areas. The citizens of Oran are separated from the outside world, and as the epidemic becomes worse, the government asks for mandatory quarantine and case reporting to control the spread. The two main characters, Dr. Rieux and Rambert reflect two opposing perspectives on the plague: one confronts suffering with a persistent reality, while the other shifts from pursuing personal happiness to embracing social responsibility. These two mindsets are consistent with Camus’ concept of absurdism, particularly in the instance of Dr. Rieux, who represents a paradoxical view of existence.  He focuses not just on “do good” but, more importantly, focues on”not doing harm.”His viewpoint represents the concept that, while the universe lacks a fundamental purpose, humans must recognize this and live in contradiction of nonsense in order to achieve fulfillment. This article will examine how Dr. Rieux and Rambert represent two typical human responses to severe conditions, connect their acts to Anderson and Said’s ideas, and eventually make connections with recent world problems, including the COVID-19 epidemic.

Dr. Rieux is the major person in “The Plague”, responsible for responding to the outbreak in Oran. He is the first person to observe the unusual deaths of rats and an increase in human death cases, identifying the possible epidemic and contacting the government immediately. Dr. Rieux stands as a symbol of resilience and dedication during the crisis, continuing his work even while separated from his ailing wife, who is receiving treatment elsewhere. Although he does not believe that they have much chance to totally eradicate the plague, as he stated in a meeting with the health committee, he warns that infection sites are multiplying and the city may lose half its people within two months. He also points out that “Let’s just say we shouldn’t act as if half the city isn’t at risk of being killed because then it will be,” and “It’s not about painting a dark picture. It’s about taking precautions” to emphasize the importance of taking careful precautions and preventive measures(Camus, 2022). At the same time, Dr. Rieux proposes a paradoxical strategy for surviving in harsh situations, emphasizing “minimizing harm” above actively “doing good.” In “The Plague”, Rieux’s attempts to assist the ill are motivated by his honesty, strong sense of responsibility to mankind, and genuine compassion, rather than a desire for heroics. Even though he realizes that the epidemic may be unbeatable, he continues to treat patients daily because he cannot stand by and watch people suffer. His acts are based on realism which means even in a world filled with meaninglessness and anguish, his responsibility as a doctor is to relieve suffering.

Rambert is the second character I want to analyze, and he stands in stark contrast to Dr. Rieux. Unlike Rieux, Rambert is a journalist from outside Oran. At the beginning of the epidemic, his primary focus is on escaping the quarantined city so that he can reunite with his lover. He tried a few ways to leave, including requesting Dr. Rieux for a health certificate. He even corporate with Cottard who is driven by self-interest, seeking to prolong the plague for personal recognition and significance, simply because Rambert sees himself as an outsider, someone who doesn’t belong in Oran or in the fight against the plague. For Rambert, the greatest challenge posed by the plague is the forced separation from his lover. And, he is also a typical symbol of whom values love and relationships in the pandemic. In the end, He is unable to resist the innate human impulse for compassion and resistance and chooses to stay in the Oran and fight with other citizens. This change in Ramberts’ attitude is shown in the second paragraph of the book in the conversation between Dr.Rieux and him about love, duty, and heroism. Rambert is changing his mind from ”living and dying for what we love” to standing on the right side(Camus, 2022). Rambert’s change reflects how the majority of normal people respond to pandemics. People who are initially unconcerned or preoccupied with personal issues may attempt to avoid responsibilities. However, once the seriousness of the problem becomes clear, individuals frequently realize that involvement in collaborative activities is critical for the greater good.

Some points mentioned in the book, “The Plague”, could link to some opinions in “Imagined Communities” written by Benedict Anderson, and they both talk about the relationship between individuals and communities. In Anderson’s view, maps serve as more than just tools for navigation, they represent the creation of national identity and the consolidation of colonial authority. Colonialists used maps to solidify borders and recreate regions as part of a larger national vision. In “The Plague”, this notion is echoed in the quarantine, which forms a similar barrier around Oran, separating it both physically and mentally from the outside world. This forced division forces the city’s residents to reconsider their identity, in the same way that colonial maps altered colonized peoples’ self-image. Moreover, in “Imagined Communities”, Anderson posits that museums function as instruments of state power by preserving history to form collective memory and national identity. This concept is also shown in “The Plague”, where the epidemic serves as a metaphorical “museum of memory” for the people of Oran. The plague leaves a lasting impression on their collective consciousness, influencing how they perceive their city and community. Similar to how museums shape national identity through historical artifacts, the plague becomes a key historical moment that the citizens will collectively remember, contributing to their sense of identity and unity in the future.

Said’s “Orientalism” also incorporates some key elements from Camus’ “The Plague”, Said illustrates how the West views the East as a separate “other,” depicting it as inferior and in need of assistance, legitimizing their purpose of colonialism. Similarly, in the epidemic, Oran’s residents first saw the disease as an external matter, unrelated to their everyday lives. They dismiss it as a minor issue until it increases and threatens their own survival, compelling them to realize its brutal truth. In addition, Said examines how the West dominates the East through cultural and political narratives, portraying this control as a means of legitimizing colonial power. In The Plague, this notion is reflected in the power structures that arise when the government imposes stringent quarantines and limits Oran’s residents’ freedom. The epidemic’s reaction serves as a type of domination that Said associates with Western authority over the East, with the people’s destiny determined by external forces in both situations.

Related the book to COVID-19 in reality, “The Plague” delves into concepts that are deeply relevant to global crisis management, notably during the COVID-19 epidemic. One obvious similarity is the attitude of official epidemic prevention operations. In China, for example, as reported in the paper “COVID-19 pandemic in China: Context, experience, and lessons,” the country’s pandemic response occurred in three stages. The first stage stressed public health precautions such as hand washing, mask-wearing, and keeping at home; The second stage entailed severe interventions, which began on January 22, 2020; The third stage was a careful withdrawal plan, with China progressively easing restrictions starting in mid-March 2020 (Xu, Wu, and Cao, 2020).  In the process of stage two, Wuhan, the heart of the outbreak, was placed under extreme lockdown, with only one person per home permitted to buy every three days.

However, there are some differences in the measures taken to combat COVID-19 and the plague. While COVID-19 responses made use of advanced technologies such as big data to monitor population movements and classify individuals via health apps, the epidemic in “The Plague” was addressed with far simpler measures like quarantines and city lockdowns. COVID-19 efforts also included telemedicine for milder cases, whereas The Plague presented no such modern interventions, with people relying instead on collective endurance and mutual aid.

Overall, Camus’ The Plague is more than just a story about an epidemic; it is a deep reflection on how humans respond to distress and uncertainty. Camus explores the conflict between personal enjoyment and societal obligation demonstrating the need for resilience and unity in the face of hardship. Connecting these themes to Anderson and Said’s ideas reveals how social institutions and power dynamics impact both individual and communal fates during crises. In reality, this story is also a reflection of real-life crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Work Cited

Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Verso Books, 2006.

1. 163-185

Camus, Albert. The Plague: A new translation by Laura Marris. Vintage, 2022.

Macfie, Alexander Lyon. Orientalism. Edward Said, Latent &Manifest Orientalism

Routledge, 2014.

Xu, Weiwei, Jing Wu, and Lidan Cao. “COVID-19 pandemic in China: Context, experience and lessons.” Health policy and technology 9.4 (2020): 639-648.