The Madness of Crowds

When Abigail Robinson begins publicizing her controversial theories, many people (including Gamache) contest her right to do so. They believe that the message she is spreading (endorsing the so-called “mercy killing” of vulnerable individuals) is dangerous and undermines the collective good. However, many others contend that Abigail Robinson’s individual right to freedom of speech is paramount, and that it would be censorship to prevent her from sharing this message. This debate comes to the fore in the discussion between Gamache and Colette Roberge, when he pleads with her to cancel the lecture and she responds, “free speech is fine, as long as it doesn’t bump into your personal beliefs, your ideology?” (24). Individual rights come into conflict with the collective good because it is impossible to decipher who is acting objectively and who is acting from self-interest: Although Gamache knows that Abigail genuinely poses a danger to society, he also must concede that he is particularly sensitive to her message because he has a grandchild with a disability.

This theme is especially potent in the post-pandemic setting of the novel, where communities are grappling with what it means to protect the vulnerable and how far personal liberty should extend when public health is at stake.