Page "The Plague" Paragraph 47

The ravages of the plague in Oran vividly convey the absurdist position that humans live in an indifferent, incomprehensible universe that has no rational meaning or order, and no transcendent God.

The plague comes unannounced and may strike down anyone at any time.

It is arbitrary and capricious, and it leaves humans in a state of fear and uncertainty, which ends only in death.

In the face of this metaphysical reality, what must be the response of individuals?

Should they resign themselves to it, accept it as inevitable, and seek what solace they can as individuals, or should they join with others and fight back, even though they must live with the certainty that they cannot win?

Camus's answer is clearly the latter, embodied in the characters of Rieux, Rambert, and Tarrou.

Rieux's position is made clear in part II in a conversation with Tarrou.

Rieux argues that one would have to be a madman to submit willingly to the plague.

Rather than accepting the natural order of things — the presence of sickness and death — he believes one must fight against them.

He is aware of the needs of the community ; he does not live for himself alone.

When Tarrou points out that " victories will never be lasting ," Rieux admits that he is involved in a " never ending defeat ," but this does not stop him from engaging in the struggle.