What is Evil?
Evil. You see it around you all the time. Whether it’s school shootings, murders, kidnapping or Donald Trump. But is that truly evil? Let me start off by literally defining what evil is. Evil is “profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity.” I like to think there are two different types of evil. The first kind of evil is the “natural evil.” This type of evil can’t be helped and is not influenced by morals. For example, The Plague or an earthquake. The second kind of evil is “moral evil.” This type of evil is when you do something to intentionally harm others. Lying to your parents, murdering, robbing a bank. Those are all examples of moral evil. Recently I have read “Homeless” by Anna Quindlen, “Live free and starve” by Chitra Divakaruni , “Defining Evil” by Stephen de Wijze and “The Plague” by Albert Camus. These texts did help help me somewhat grasp a better understanding of what evil truly is.
Let’s start off with the brilliantly written essay by
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Before the plague Cottard was a criminal always fearing of being punished and arrested. In the beginning of the plague Cottard attempts to commit suicide but is found just in time. When the city of Oran is quarantined Cottard is comforted by the fact that he no longer is alone in his constant state of fear. He is also comforted that the authorities are far too busy coping with the plague so he no longer fears getting arrested for now. He makes friends with people that he thinks may someday serve him well as a character witness. For example, he befriends Torrou. Torrou has always had a soft spot for criminals. He views Cottard as a lonely man in pain and as an “accomplice” to the plague. The author sort of made us have sympathy for Cottard since the start (suicide attempt). In the end, Cottard loses it completely. Cottard starts randomly shooting people from his apartment. Cottard is finally arrested, just as he feared he would always