When considering the current issue, we paid precise attention to the portrait of the author in the world of literature. Albert Camus is a famous French philosopher, journalist, and writer who worked during the post-war period. Facing severe difficulties of the cruel reality, Camus chose the themes that respond to the conceptions of existentialism, nihilism, and absurdism. Undoubtedly, most of his works illustrate the human’s reaction to the inevitable events and highlight the vital notions of personal choice and the nature of destiny. Thus, the paper deals with the precise analysis of Camus’ novel “The Plague”, which is to determine the particular features of this work and conduct a further investigation of the mentioned conceptions.
Expressive narration of the story depicts a cholera epidemic that took place in 1940 in Oran. Specifically, such disease was widespread among the population of this town at that time. However, the leading goal of this issue is to provide an allegory between a deathful threat of the disease and German occupation of France in the historical context of the Second World War. Describing a peculiar sphere of interpersonal communication concerning such a complicated existing the population has to cooperate with, the author portrays the influence the plague has on its inhabitants. Moreover, he carefully examines the quotidian life of the town citizens and their behavior due to the life-challenging situations.
Naturally, the aspect of human relations is of a profound interest among the representatives of this style. By the way, such approach leads to an accurate investigation of ideas and interactions that somehow reveal themselves during the epidemic period. The different characters express negative, neutral or escaping attitude to this catastrophe. Some of them recede easily, even if the disease does not concern their lives; the others continue their desperate fight and refuse to leave Oran even in a case there is an opportunity. There is no need to point out that in this manner Albert Camus depicted the national and cultural values of the French community.
Moreover, the writer uses the bubonic plague figuratively, more as an allusion on this context. Such conception may be envisaged as a phenomenal consciousness of a human being, which leads to better comprehending of the pretentious message of this novel. As the main hero, the Narrator specifically highlights the current occurrence, providing distinguishing characteristics of the atmosphere dominating in the town; therefore, a reader has a chance to get acquainted with the allegorical equivalents of the disease (the link between Gestapo and Nazi occupation). It should be mentioned that Camus also applied the theme of symbolism in his work, using a disease in a comparison of war and a hidden enemy.
Undeniably, the place of Albert Camus cannot be underestimated in the context of the literal world heritage. Profiting by realistic and existential conceptions, the manner of the author is similar to the Kafka’s tone of expression. Sartre, Nietzsche, and Dostoevsky, the leading writers in the sphere of existentialism, impacted the formulation of Camus style. Consecutively, this author succeeded to influence Michel Onfray, the artist whose realm of interests is based on hedonism, atheism, and anarchism.
Returning to the comparative analysis of the selected items, the common theme of a malady in the social-historical aspect may also be revealed in the work “The Yellow Wallpaper,” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. This piece of art has a similar tone to the dominant subject of Albert Camus’ creation. Presented from the first person, it lets a reader dip into the world of self-reflexion and concentration. The grave nervous depression and a tendency to some hysterical attacks are the prominent disorder described in this work. As the interpretation of this novel has an apparent influence on its audience, this malady is used as a powerful tool of the plot, like in “The Plague.” Conducting the parallels between these two works, it is significant to outline that the manifestation of a strong emotional impact allows remarking the double context in the selected novels. Therefore, the authors used the image of the disease as a method of exposing the distinctive ideas.
To sum up, all of the ingenious findings lead to the better understanding of the literal conceptions. Remarkably, the Albert Camus’ novel is a perfect example demonstrating the leading categories and vital notions in the sphere of particular literal research. Thus, this piece of art is worth investigating and applying its prominent ideas into the contemporary usage.
Mason Dillon is a talented essay professor writer. Whose hobby is to transfer his thought to the paper sheets.