Response To The Plague

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Reponses to the Absurd in the Plague
In the novel The Plague, Albert Camus examines acceptance, suicide, and religion as responses to the Absurdity of the plague through the form of characters Rambert, Cottard and Father Paneloux. Although all think recognize different ways of approaching the Absurd, the three unify in that they all identify the meaninglessness within their lives and within the city or Oran which “every man truly [shares] in” (Camus 138). Rambert, Cottard, and Father Paneloux all fail to extinguish the Absurd within their lives; however, through them, Camus highlights his philosophy that revolt against human desire benefits the society or the person more so than these individualistic approaches. The three responses connect …show more content…
Cottard, who recognizes the Absurd, attempts to escape the meaningless conflict of life by escaping existence itself. The paranoia of a previous offense plagues his mind as he experiences “a secret grief”, which Camus examines in Cottard’s first unsuccessful suicide attempt (33). Cottard’s suicidal timeline coincidentally coincides with the imprisonment of the town. When the town gates remain open, the townspeople of Oran experience freedom and liberation; conversely, Camus exposes Cottard as the sole person who feels liberated through the confinement as he at this time, begins to “strike up friendships” (53). Cottard’s “amiable” nature ignites as he feels united with the townspeople (53) which shows the concept that Camus criticizes: Cottard lives fully when he believes that everyone suffers and lives in fear of the Absurd. However, as the circumstances of the plague improve and people rejoice in their “newborn freedom” (307), Cottard experiences a breakdown and shoots “folks [who] were having fun in the street” (304), because people are no longer relishing in the same fear that he does. In another instance, he reveals that he feels “much more at ease [in Oran] since the plague settled in” (141) which again shows his relief from the shared anxiety that the plague disposed. As police arrest Cottard for his wrongdoings, Camus demonstrates the false notion that suicide or escaping …show more content…
By finding meaning through religious or spiritual beliefs, people can respond to the Absurd and live despite it. In a time of chaos, Father Paneloux “submitted passively to the treatment given him, but never let go of the crucifix”, which shows his belief that this belief in a higher being and in religious doctrine will help him find intrinsic meaning despite the Absurdity of the plague. Because he believes in this so staunchly, he threatens non-believers and people consumed by the day-to-day to “choose to hate God or to love God” if they are concerned about the nature of their future as a people (228). Camus restores his belief that religion is not completely applicable in the case that the religious or the pure are not exempt as Father Paneloux attempts to assert. Father Paneloux claims that “a true Christian [...], kn[ows] all the pangs of suffering” (224), which shows that even those who distinguish themselves as fully aware of the Absurd are subject to the Absurd, which is imminent and inevitable for all regardless of
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