Blindness

You should read Blindness by Jose Saramago while self-isolating because it explores the effects of a crisis on humanity. Saramago’s book is an allegorical tale that explores a town's reaction to an epidemic that causes people to suddenly become blind. ^[1]As the entire town becomes seemingly affected, society seems to collapse in panic. It causes the reader to think about how reason can dissipate in a time of crisis. This allows them to reflect on their own actions in response to the current pandemic and consider how they can overcome panic in a time of crisis. People should also read Blindness because it makes the reader consider societal behaviors in general. Times of crisis tend to bring out the extremes in people, both good and bad. Throughout the story, the author introduces extremist actions of brutality and overwhelming kindness. During the pandemic, there have been similar extreme occurrences. Through reading and observing the similarities, readers can see how humanity is affected on a global scale by these extremes. ^[2] Blindness also gives hope to the reader in a time of crisis. Although the book is extremely dark in some places, the moments of kindness and love suggest that humanity is not completely lost in times of fear. In addition, the book ends on a hopeful note. This reminds the reader that even in times of crisis, they can have hope that their pain will come to an end.

[P1] When thinking about how the coronavirus impacts the world, people should consider how it impacts human nature. [P2] Blindness by Jose Saramago explores human nature in the event of a worldwide crisis. [P3] The coronavirus pandemic is a worldwide crisis that will change human behavior. [P4] People should read Blindness by Jose Saramago.