Raymond Rambert

Rambert is almost opposite of Rieux in his understanding of the plague. His extreme attempts to escape the diseased town show his desperate will to live and love. While the story illustrates very clearly in section two that many people feel this way, Rambert sees himself as above the others because he's not a native, he's a journalist, and because the love for his wife is so profound. For a majority of the story, Rambert does not comprehend the unbiased character of the plague.

On the other hand, Rambert realizes how "sneaky" the plague is. It is clear to him that he must get out and go far away if he is to be safe from the plague. He tries every means possible of escape: first the authorities, then he tries to pull strings, and last he turns to illegal methods. Because he is so desperate in his effort to leave the realm of the unpredictable, he views those who know the plague to be unbiased as unsympathetic, hardened people who can't understand his special circumstances.

Only when Rambert learns of Rieux's wife who is 100 miles away and dying does Rambert grasp the disease's nature. Suffering caused by the plague is collective; it does not single out a selective few. It is the same as the sickness itself that can go anywhere it pleases; therefore, everyone must be on alert. Once Rambert comprehends this concept, he puts his newly gained knowledge into action by joining the anti-plague effort, a collective initiative to rid the whole town of the plague, not just himself.