30 pages • 1 hour read
Daniel DefoeA Journal Of The Plague Year
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1722A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
The Narrator
The narrator is a Christian, upper-class man who could afford to flee London with his brother but chooses not to because of his belief that God wants him to stay and will protect him. He wavers in this belief and occasionally views it as a folly as the plague reaches its height. However, his account, written some years after the plague, is firm in its belief that the disease is a result of God’s judgment. In the past-tense events he narrates, he shows himself chastising and scolding other Londoners for their rude and unneighborly behavior during a time of public calamity. He claims to have written his journal both to relay the true horror of the events of 1665, and to provide insight and instruction to future generations and cities should they be afflicted with a similar outbreak of disease. The narrator rarely shows himself in intimate conversation with friends or loved ones, thus providing little insight into his character or personal life, but he does share that he survived the plague with the help of his servants, the advice of his friend Doctor Heath, and his ample use of caution in interacting with others.
John the Biscuit Baker
At the outbreak of the plague, John lives in a rented room. Afraid of losing his home and his livelihood, he spearheads a plan to camp in the countryside and convinces his brother Tom, as well as invites his friend the Joiner, to leave. He joins their group to another and becomes the unofficial spokesman for them all. He has strong tactical and persuasive skills and is able to intimate that their group is larger and more dangerous than it is in conversations with one town’s constable. He thus procures charity and goods for his group and successfully shepherds them through the plague.
Thomas the Sail-Maker
Thomas is John’s brother, and he also lives in a rented room at the outset of the plague. He is more wary than his brother of going out into the countryside, where he knows no one, but he is easily persuaded by his brother’s plan.
The Narrator’s Brother
The narrator’s brother tries to convince the narrator to leave London for his country house, but to no avail. He lives in a large house in London and entreats its care to his brother after his departure.
Doctor Heath
The narrator’s friend is a doctor who advises him to avoid contact with others, to cover his mouth, and to burn a fire in his room all summer long.
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By Daniel Defoe
