A Dynamic Character

The town of Oran announces that it is in “a state of plague” due to the efforts of Dr. Rieux. In the beginning of the novel, Dr. Rieux proves to be a man with morals who sincerely cares for his town. The doctor went through a series of actions to ensure that his town would be prepared to face the fever. However, in this section of the novel, Dr. Rieux’s character is beginning to alter due to the affects of the plague on his town.  

            The usually concerned and involved doctor becomes detached and unresponsive to the town’s growing death toll and suffering citizens.  The visiting journalist, Raymond Rambert, who earlier in the novel interviewed Dr. Rieux now came to Rieux for help. The journalist claimed that he did not “belong” in Oran and had “a girlfriend waiting for him in Paris” (77): Rambert pleaded to Rieux if there was any way he could help him escape. Rieux quickly explains that, “there are thousands of people placed as you are in this town, and there can’t be any question of allowing them to leave,” (79). Dr. Rieux finds himself dealing daily with families of his patients. The narrator explains that Dr. Rieux is becoming so accustomed to the suffering residents that he turns indifferent to their cries. The narrator explains, “in this feeling that the heart had slowly closed in on itself, the doctor found solace, his only solace, for the almost unendurable burden of his days,” (83).