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1-Page Summary of Plague
The Plague is a novel about a plague epidemic in the large Algerian city of Oran. In April, thousands of rats stagger into the open and die. When a mild hysteria grips the population, newspapers begin clamoring for action. The authorities finally arrange for daily collection and cremation of the rats. Soon thereafter, M. Michel, who works at Drs Rieux’s place falls ill with strange fever after being attacked by one rat that he tried to kill when it entered his house through window from outside balcony where there was garbage piled up on it because sanitation workers were not doing their job properly (The sanitation workers are on strike). When cases similar to M Michel’s case appear, Dr Rieux realizes that they might be suffering from bubonic plague which is an infectious disease caused by bacteria called Yersinia pestis. He tries to convince other doctors present there but most refuse to believe him due to lack of evidence or proof since no doctor has seen any patient infected with this disease before and all those patients have died without being able to tell what exactly happened to them so they assume it must be some kind of virus or something else but not plague as such because how can anyone see plague these days? Only after many people start falling sick with symptoms similar to those shown by M Michel do doctors realize that they may be right and try hard together along with sanitary department officials trying their best too under pressure from public opinion created by media reports until strict measures like sealing off whole city completely including airport etc are enforced bringing situation under control eventually saving lives of millions living in Oran thanks only God!
When an epidemic strikes, people are suddenly separated from their loved ones. They become selfish and think that they’re the only ones suffering because of it. A priest delivers a sermon about how the plague is God’s punishment for Oran’s sins. Raymond Rambert wants to go back to Paris to be with his wife, but he can’t leave because of bureaucratic restrictions on travel. He tries to escape using illegal means with Cottard’s criminal associates, but Tarrou tells him that Rieux is in the same situation as he is when it comes to being separated from his wife. That makes Rambert feel ashamed for wanting to run away instead of staying behind and fighting against all odds like everyone else who was left behind in Oran during this horrible time period does. Cottard committed a crime (which we don’t know what it was) at some point in his life so he has been constantly afraid of getting arrested or punished by someone if they find out about whatever crime he did before since then. When this epidemic happens, though, he feels less alone because there are other people who have contracted the disease too so now everyone around him understands what it feels like not having anyone around you anymore while you’re sick and dying which makes them more compassionate towards each other even though they might not get along normally when they aren’t sick or dying yet.
When the plague lasts for a while, many of Oran’s citizens are able to recognize that it is a collective disaster. They take responsibility and join in efforts to fight the disease. When M. Othon’s small son dies from the plague, Dr. Rieux tells Paneloux that he was an innocent victim who didn’t deserve such a death. This causes Paneloux to change his mind about God and realize that there are things we can never understand about Him with our limited human minds; we must simply accept His will as being good even when it seems bad to us. He refuses medical treatment when he gets sick because he wants everything left up to divine Providence (God). He dies clutching his crucifix but doesn’t have any symptoms of the plague on him so Dr. Rieux records him as “doubtful.”
