characters

Here are some of the primary characters:

• Dr. Bernard Rieux - The main protagonist, he is a physician who treats the plague victims and tries to combat the epidemic with the means available.

• Jean Tarrou - A visitor to Oran when the epidemic starts, Tarrou is a moralist and a philosopher who keeps detailed diaries that provide a chronicle of the plague's impact on the town.

• Joseph Grand - A low-level civil servant, Grand is an amateur writer who spends his time perfecting the first sentence of his book. Despite his modest means and ambitions, he plays a significant role in the town's fight against the plague.

  • refers to his writing as private work

• Raymond Rambert - A journalist from Paris who is trapped in Oran. Initially, he is desperate to escape and return to his beloved in Paris, but eventually, he chooses to stay and help fight the plague.

• Father Paneloux - A Jesuit priest in Oran who delivers sermons that interpret the plague as God's punishment for the sins of the citizens. His views evolve as the crisis progresses.

• Cottard - A character with a shady past, Cottard benefits from the chaos the plague brings, showing how different individuals react to societal breakdown.