This horrible event shows just how powerful repression can be. Elinor's big sin—sleeping with the wrong person—is something that many people have done. Her shame is so strong, however, that it basically drives her temporarily insane.

No one is exempt from the horrors of the plague. The villagers were gung ho to stay in town when Mompellion first suggested the idea, but now that they're experiencing the consequences of their decision, they're left wondering whether they made the right call. Unfortunately, things will only get worse before they get better.