“Narrate to Survive," Observations from Lit. of Pandemics

“Narrate to Survive” is a series of articles about the magic of Literature of Pandemics. This time of need, brokenness, and fear could contribute to creating a new humanity, a new rise from the ashes! Since the horrified spread of COVID-19, literature lovers or fans shed the lights on what is called the “Literature of Pandemics on one hand, on the other hand, many professors attempted to re-read the most celebrated works from the eyes of the age of unknown pandemic.

In the previous article, the earliest work about the concept of the pandemic was expressed, "The Decameron." Through this article, classic pandemic work is discussed. "A Journal of Plague Year" by the great Daniel Defoe. Defoe is most known for his timeless "Robinson Crusoe."

Regarding "A Journal of a Plague Year," it observes the changes that occurred in London during the outbreak of the anonymous plague.

Also, Defoe uses the structure of the diary to touch upon the slightest details of the measures of protection.

This novel questions a lot from the COVID-19 outbreak perspective. It’s also been a source of wonder for centuries, with its stories of “the face of London now indeed strangely altered”, where, over 18 months in 1665 and 1666, the city lost 100,000 people – nearly a quarter of its population, according to The Guardian.

Defoe claimed that the book was a genuine contemporary recalling for his childhood memories when he observed the plague of London.

On the title page, he states that the book consists of: “Observations or Memorials of the most remarkable occurrences, as well public and private, which happened in London during the last great visitation in 1665.

Regarding the incidents of the novel, it starts with reporting the death of a man by anonymous disease in a small town in the Netherlands. Shortly, a new death is reported in London by the same disease.

Unfortunately, after a few months, the plague outbreaks in London drives the concerned authorities to take strict measures to control the unstoppable pandemic.

Those events bell the rings with the incidents that took place in Wuhan last year. News about a new virus and the exerted efforts to control it, and the earliest scenes of the first curfew in the time of the plague.

Those incidents are observed too in the novel such as the precautions taken to fight it, and the chilling progress of the carts loaded with corpses accompanied by cries of “bring out your dead”.

Surprisingly, the novel gives touching psychological observation to the actions of people during the pandemic for example Solomon Eagle runs into the street half-naked with a pan of burning charcoal on his head.

On one hand, those scenes were here in 2020, Tiktok videos, baking cakes at 3 am, singing from balconies, and activating the concept of family table games.

On the other hand, many people faced terrible cases of anxiety and insomnia due to fear of the plague outbreak, fear of losing beloved ones, and fear of exceptional lifestyle routines.

The novel also expresses the love of life people believe in their will to survive. The final scenes of the novel are breathtaking as they depict the earliest days of winters that bring cold and clear air to the suffering city.

This breeze helps in breaking the strength of the plague and carries the cure to the victims, so, everyone starts to walk in the street again, gazing at each other, and thanking God.

Remember, the darkest period at the night is the one before dawn!