The Existential View Of Absurdity in Camus The Plague Essay

Absurdity, why does one event occur, yet the most obvious doesn’t? Many philosophers question absurdity and how it affects our everyday lives. But no matter how much it is analyzed, there is no explanation of the absurd. Even as pleasant as the world can be at times, there is no order and there is no reason for the events that occur. Albert Camus, the accomplished author of many amazing books knew about this idea and understood the meaning, which in turn influenced many of his great novels. One of his excellent novels, â€Å"The Plague,† exhibits the ideas of absurdity in many aspects. One being the idea of an absurd hero, or someone who realizes that the world lacks order, yet through that spectacular revelation continues through their†¦show more content†¦Being that Oran is a small sea port they depend on others to trade with them, it is absurd that they would build walls to block them from the incoming trade, and in turn their salvation. Death is ever-presen t throughout â€Å"The Plague,† and links one tenet to two others; anxiety and absurdity. The absurd fact of the matter is that who dies and survives is completely random. Camus doesn’t choose specifically who dies, it is the â€Å"luck† of the draw. Being that the deaths in the novel are random this creates anxiety throughout the sea port. An example of this existential anxiety is that everyone is fearing that they might be infected with the plague or they are going to be infected in the near future. This actually leads the townsfolk to follow another tenet, â€Å"existence precedes essence,† or living in the moment. In the middle of the disaster, the citizens of Oran started spending their money haphazardly. This was due to many of them not caring what would happen tomorrow, just focusing on the now, not looking ahead. Also, this means that the people of Oran were a blank slate before they developed themselves into who they are today. This is present in one of the main characters, Dr. Rieux. The doctor understands his purpose in Oran. Throughout the novel, he puts his job before everything. Through the six tenets of existentialism, the plot is greatly enhanced, and Dr. Rieux develops into the absurd hero he is. Dr. Rieux fits the description of an absurdShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Plague an Authentic Interpretation3794 Words   |  16 Pages All of Camus writings may be viewed as a quest for meaningful values in a world of spiritual aridity and emptiness. He begins with mans despair, estrangement, fear, suffering and hopelessness in a world where is neither God nor the promise that He will come- the fundamental absurdity of existence- but ultimately affirms the power of man to achieve spiritual regeneration and the measure of salvation possible in an absurd universe. 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