In part, yes. Good books aren’t limited to a single interpretation though. How I read it, the plague is unexplained, an uncaring force without direction or anim

In part, yes. Good books aren’t limited to a single interpretation though. How I read it, the plague is unexplained, an uncaring force without direction or animus, and can be interpreted as a symbol both for death itself as well as the consequent meaninglessness of life. The book not only treats how society and individuals react to this existential crisis, but also how an individual (Rieux, the protagonist) _should_ react. Faced with overwhelming despair, Rieux continues to treat his patients.