A Little Tarrou

Tarrou in his entries continues to propose ways for the citizens of Oran to stop wasting time for however longer the period that they are stuck inside the walls for this quarantine. Tarrou proposes that constant awareness of little details in everyone’s routines in order to help not waste time.

Tarrou is one of the last residents the hotel that he is staying and because of this is constantly engaged in conversation with the manager of the hotel where he reveals his thoughts on how much longer the plague will last, “They say that cold weather stamps out diseases of this type”(115). To this the manager states that is it “never truly cold in these parts” (115). This short conversation serves to as yet another reminder that everyone in Oran is in this for the long haul.

Lastly, Tarrou has a short encounter with M. Othon. M Othon informs Tarrou that his Mme Othon is “under suspicion” for having taken care of her mother who has succumbed to plague. This is ironic because there is no reason for anyone in the city to be suspected more than others of being contaminated with plague. They are all interacting with the same people and have practically the same chances of infection. This isolation of certain people is a vain attempt to show that the leaders of Oran are at least attempting to solve this plague problem and give the people some sort of security.