--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tarrou had \"lost the match,\" as he put…" description: "\"“Tarrou had \"lost the match,\" as he put it. But what had he, Rieux, won? No more than the experience of having known plague and remembering it, of havi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/albert-camus-47_friendship_tarrou-had-lost-the-match-as-he-put-it-b_1365371.jpg" --- # Tarrou had "lost the match," as he put it. But what had… ![“Tarrou had "lost the match," as he put it. But what had he, Rieux, won? No more than the experience of having known plague and remembering it, of having known friendship and remembering it, of knowing affection and being destined one day to remember it. So all a man could win in the conflict…” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/albert-camus-47_friendship_tarrou-had-lost-the-match-as-he-put-it-b_1365371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/albert-camus-47_friendship_tarrou-had-lost-the-match-as-he-put-it-b_1365371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/albert-camus-47_friendship_tarrou-had-lost-the-match-as-he-put-it-b_1365371.jpg) > ““Tarrou had "lost the match," as he put it. But what had he, Rieux, won? No more than the experience of having known plague and remembering it, of having known friendship and remembering it, of knowing affection and being destined one day to remember it. So all a man could win in the conflict between plague and life was knowledge and memories. But Tarrou, perhaps, would have called that winning the match.”” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surviving tragedy yields knowledge and memory, which become the true victories over suffering. **In simple terms:** Memory and knowledge are lasting wins. Key Takeaway Value lessons from hardship. Themes suffering memory knowledge Mood somber hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - war zones - pandemic response - personal loss - educational curricula Key Concepts existentialism human resilience Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you kept from past crises? - How can you transform pain into purpose? A Different Perspective Memories can be painful and hinder healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-to-remember/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) ## Related quotes > [“So all a man could win in the conflict between plague and life was knowledge and memories. But Tarrou, perhaps, would have called that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/so-all-a-man-could-win-in-the-conflict-between-plague-and-life-was-2/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So all a man could win in the conflict between plague and life was knowledge and memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/so-all-a-man-could-win-in-the-conflict-between-plague-and-life-was/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [But what does it mean, the plague? It's life, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/but-what-does-it-mean-the-plague-it-s-life-that-s-all/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Good Friday is a day of repentence and prayer, a day to remember Gods sacrifice for us, a day to ask forgiveness, a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-friday-is-a-day-of-repentence-and-prayer-a-day-to-remember-gods/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's so crazy how it'd make my week just to hear them mention your name. Is it so hard to understand how you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/it-s-so-crazy-how-it-d-make-my-week-just-to-hear-them-mention-your/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [A new day signifies a new begining; don't sit there and let that opportunity pass you by. Accept the each new day and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-new-day-signifies-a-new-begining-don-t-sit-there-and-let-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Gratitude does not always come naturally. You will not always feel grateful. But you can take the time each day to remember the benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gratitude-does-not-always-come-naturally-you-will-not-always-feel/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [A day to remember is when you apologize to me and fix my empty heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mcpherson/a-day-to-remember-is-when-you-apologize-to-me-and-fix-my-empty-heart/) Claire McPherson > [I love A Day to Remember. They really had that style down of doing heavy songs mixed with pop songs when nobody was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-radke/i-love-a-day-to-remember-they-really-had-that-style-down-of-doing/) [Ronnie Radke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-radke/) > [A day to remember, not to forget. A day day lasts forever, on with no regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/a-day-to-remember-not-to-forget-a-day-day-lasts-forever-on-with-no/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [“Sabbath is not so much about a day off as it is a “day up”—a day to remember that He is God and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/sabbath-is-not-so-much-about-a-day-off-as-it-is-a-day-up-a-day-to/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Today will soon enough become tomorrow and spent wisely, will then become a yesterday to remember.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/today-will-soon-enough-become-tomorrow-and-spent-wisely-will-then/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [“It was not a day to remember; it was a day to forget...the memory of it could not pass soon enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lessman/it-was-not-a-day-to-remember-it-was-a-day-to-forget-the-memory-of-it/) [Julie Lessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lessman/) > [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. 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As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Day to remember quotes > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“It was not a day to remember; it was a day to forget...the memory of it could not pass soon enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lessman/it-was-not-a-day-to-remember-it-was-a-day-to-forget-the-memory-of-it/) [Julie Lessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lessman/) > [“Today will soon enough become tomorrow and spent wisely, will then become a yesterday to remember.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/today-will-soon-enough-become-tomorrow-and-spent-wisely-will-then/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [“Sabbath is not so much about a day off as it is a “day up”—a day to remember that He is God and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/sabbath-is-not-so-much-about-a-day-off-as-it-is-a-day-up-a-day-to/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [A day to remember, not to forget. A day day lasts forever, on with no regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/a-day-to-remember-not-to-forget-a-day-day-lasts-forever-on-with-no/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [I love A Day to Remember. They really had that style down of doing heavy songs mixed with pop songs when nobody was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-radke/i-love-a-day-to-remember-they-really-had-that-style-down-of-doing/) [Ronnie Radke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-radke/) > [A day to remember is when you apologize to me and fix my empty heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mcpherson/a-day-to-remember-is-when-you-apologize-to-me-and-fix-my-empty-heart/) Claire McPherson > [“Gratitude does not always come naturally. You will not always feel grateful. But you can take the time each day to remember the benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/gratitude-does-not-always-come-naturally-you-will-not-always-feel/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [A new day signifies a new begining; don't sit there and let that opportunity pass you by. Accept the each new day and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-new-day-signifies-a-new-begining-don-t-sit-there-and-let-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's so crazy how it'd make my week just to hear them mention your name. Is it so hard to understand how you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/it-s-so-crazy-how-it-d-make-my-week-just-to-hear-them-mention-your/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [Good Friday is a day of repentence and prayer, a day to remember Gods sacrifice for us, a day to ask forgiveness, a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-friday-is-a-day-of-repentence-and-prayer-a-day-to-remember-gods/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Kat Von Wolfenstein~ Ghost Cat,King For A Day~Pierce The Veil,Fer Sure~The Medic Droid,Tentacles~Ghost Town,Watch Me Bleed~Scary Kids Scaring Kids,All I Want~A Day To Remember,A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/kat-von-wolfenstein-ghost-cat-king-for-a-day-pierce-the-veil-fer-sure/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [I can't write my life story without Emmitt and Troy. They can't write their life stories without me. We're tied together forever. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-irvin/i-can-t-write-my-life-story-without-emmitt-and-troy-they-can-t-write/) [Michael Irvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-irvin/) > [“Gdmng, friends! As part of my mission to keep you present & mindful everyday, today’s reminder hits close to home: Don’t Leave Anything For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-goyal/gdmng-friends-as-part-of-my-mission-to-keep-you-present-mindful/) [Rajesh Goyal, राजेश गोयल](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-goyal/) [Browse all 28 Day to remember quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-to-remember/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Tarrou had \"lost the match,\" as he put it. But what had he, Rieux, won? No more than the experience of having known plague and remembering it, of having known friendship and remembering it, of knowing affection and being destined one day to remember it. 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