Blindness by Jose Saramago
(1995) 349 pages

The eerie and thought-provoking book “Blindness” by Jose Saramago explores the dark recesses of human nature. The book is a compelling depiction of a society that disintegrates into anarchy as a result of an unexpected outbreak of blindness.

The story opens with a mysterious outbreak of “white blindness” rapidly sweeping through an unnamed city in an undisclosed nation. The government acts quickly to contain individuals who have contracted the disease in an abandoned mental institution as the disease spreads. The main character, a woman who is the sole person not affected by the disease, ends up in the hospital with her blind husband.

As the days go by, the situation in the hospital worsens, leaving the blind patients on their own without access to food, water, or medical care. As the government fails to stop the disease’s spread and leaves the isolated patients to their fate, the situation gets out of hand.

The writing of Saramago is distinctive and potent. With little punctuation and lengthy, fluid words that are practically stream-of-consciousness in style, he conveys a sense of haste and disarray. He explores the psychological and emotional effects of losing one’s sight, which results in a frightening and realistic picture of blind individuals.

Saramago explores themes of authority, corruption, and the human condition throughout the entire book. He investigates the extent people would go to in order to survive in dire circumstances as well as the disintegration of societal conventions when order is broken. While characters are compelled to make morally challenging decisions in the face of absurd circumstances, the book also explores the nature of morality.

The novel “Blindness” is intense and unsettling, not recommended for those who are easily scared. Although Saramago’s writing style is demanding, the result is an emotionally stirring and thought-provoking novel that will stick with the reader long after the last page has been turned. Anybody who is interested in the human condition should read it since it is a true masterpiece of contemporary literature.