What narrative is conveyed in the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice? What is the importance of the scene where Tarrou and Rambert watch a performance of Gluck’s opera, Orpheus and Eurydice?

Investigate the history of Vichy France from 1940 to 1944. What objectives did French leaders like Pierre Laval, who collaborated openly with the Germans, aim to achieve? How did they rationalize their actions?

Revisit the first chapter of The Plague, where Rieux provides a description of the town of Oran and its inhabitants. Is Rieux as impartial a narrator as he asserts? What are his primary critiques of Oran’s residents? How does the outbreak alter their perspectives?

In Part II, why does the narrator state that the "true embodiment of the quiet courage that inspired the sanitary groups" was not himself or Tarrou, but Grand? In what way can Grand be considered a hero?

Envision a debate between a contemporary Father Paneloux and Dr. Rieux or Tarrou regarding the modern plague of AIDS. What might each individual say and do in response to the epidemic?