The Justification
The story “The Use of Force” by William Carlos Williams describes a doctor’s emotions when he tries to treat a perverse child. The doctor changes his attitude from a kind doctor to an aggressor because of the conflict between him and the child that is the main theme of the story. Can we use the force to achieve our goal? If the force is the only way to save a person’s life, is it a justification?
Dr. Williams is the main character and the narrator. The doctor enjoys using the force. At that moment, he cannot separate between goodness from his humanitarian work and a challenge that lead him to be enjoying violence in different ways. He mixes up between love and cruelty.
The doctor has strength of observation when he describes the mother as, “A big startled-looking big, very clean and apologetic,” and the child as “Fully dressed.” Also, he does not forget to report their acts when he says, “The child was fairly eating me up.”
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He knows there are many kids in her schools have a deadly disease, so he has to check her throat. When he tries to open her mouth, he uses his best skillful method to persuade her to open her mouth. The doctor wants to have a solution to make her dutiful; he treats her very well. However, she does not move, which means she refuses, so he tries another way, but it does not work. When her mother says he is a kind doctor and will not hurt her, he feels disgusted. Then he knows he has to use another way. The doctor moves toward her, and she attacks his face like a cat does. He is getting angry, so he threatens her. If she does not want to open her mouth, he will be using the
From the beginning of The Use of Force, the doctor goes in to great detail about the patience it takes as he tries to coax the young girl to open her mouth. When he realizes the futility of his approach, he gives the child an ultimatum of “Will you open it now by yourself or shall we have to open it for you?” which is shown as he steels himself for the upcoming battle. (pg. 58) It is obvious that this doctor is committed to helping the uncooperative child, and his thoughts portray his determination that is untainted by a fear of hurting the girl in order to help her. This is in contrast to the obvious observance of the child’s parents that fear hurting her which impedes the ability to heal her. It is probably a typical portrayal of parents that are so emotional and soft hearted that the doctor sees regularly, but contrasts the assertive actions of the doctor which leads the reader to realize that doing what is best for someone is not synonymous to what
Though on the surface, William Carlos Williams' "The Use of Force" is about a doctor checking in on a sick girl, when viewed through a feminist lens, Williams' text clearly displays a case of male dominance over a young girl. Williams starts by referring to the girl as, “an unusually attractive little thing,” (par. 4). This statement begins the near-obsession the doctor feels for the girl. The way he chose to describe the girl was almost sexualizing the obviously naive and young child. The doctor begins his inspection of the girls mouth, and when faced with opposition, he instructs the father to restrain her, “Put her in front of you on your lap, I ordered, and hold both her wrists,” (par. 24). Here, the doctor tells
Dr. White is a very good doctor,” Her mother glances at me, as if asking that is all you have to do, right? “That’s right, that’s the only thing we need to do. And your mom is going to be there the `whole time.” The little girl looks up to her mother, then back at me, then nods her head.
The doctor goes on to narrate, “Perhaps I should have desisted and come back... No doubt it would have been better...children lying dead in bed... I must get a diagnosis now or never I went at it again” (3). In this situation, the doctor knows it to be sensible to give the child a break but the thought of dying children (a negative emotion) brings him to feel that he “must get a diagnosis now or never,” scaring the poor child. Williams emphasizes the evil in the physician in the lines, “I could have torn the child apart in my own fury and enjoyed it.
“Do patients trust doctors too much”?(Chen1) People have trusted doctors opinions for generations with no concern. ”The Use Of Force” by Williams Carter Williams analyzes society’s opinion about the trustworthiness of doctors some of which still exist in today’s society. Trustworthiness has multiple words and meanings in the word itself. Trustworthiness means being honest, have integrity and keeping promises.
“The Use of Force” by William Carlos Williams; it is the common story with a lot of compassion which has left many of the readers in total dilemma. In this story, many issues which are debated are social issues. From chapter 33, the main question which can be paused surrounding on justification good deeds with purpose. This has compelled the use of force not to be only the cause for the use of altruism. In this story, there are two main different tasks, the dark side which persists to every individual, parents and the children concern. This has caused the use of sympathy on the patient's care (Williams, 2155).
Yells and screams bounce off the walls from a desperate woman and child. Nurses rush trying to see what can be causing such horror. Nurses with eyes so wide open at what they see like seeing a ghost…”Someone, please call pediatrics.” by numerous nurses. A kid holds his deep scar from his head tightly, trying not to let the blood seep out. A pediatrician walks in, and it is like a calmness filled the room; for pediatricians are greatly educated doctors, who which are trusted by kids and parents.
He first tries to be accommodating by asking the girl for her name in order to get her to cooperate in opening her mouth, but she does not budge. The doctor assures Mathilda that he has nothing in his hands and that she should open up. “Such a nice man, put in the mother. Look how kind he is to you. Come on, do what he tells you to. He won’t hurt you.” The mother’s helpfulness in assuring the girl that the doctor is trying to help enrages the doctor; as he puts it, “At that I ground my teeth in disgust.” The doctor then shows frustration, “If only they wouldn’t sue use the word ‘Hurt’ I might be able to get somewhere.” (par. 16) Despite this he continues to get his diagnosis. As the doctor reaches again for the girl, she swipes his glasses and the parents light up in embarrassment. They apologize and chastise the girl and assures assure her that he is a nice man. The doctor lashes out to the parents, “For heaven’s sake, I broke in. Don’t call me a nice man to her.” (par. 19) He states to the parents that he is strictly there to check her throat to see if she has diphtheria and that she could die from it. It is apparent at this point that the doctor may not care what the parents and child think of him, just as long as he checks the girls (should it be girl's? I didn't correct you, because I'm not actually sure which is right)
Their comments only serve to do nothing but hamper the doctor from doing what he is required to do. This is well portrayed by their comments, which also reveal the speakers internal thoughts about the couple. For instance, the mother says, “do you think she can stand it, doctor?” (Williams, 1984) in this sentence, the writer demonstrates the use of logos while trying to appeal to the reader how nagging the parents were.
External conflicts within the doctor’s mental state change a lot as the story develops. In the beginning, the doctor acts as other doctors often do to take trial shot for the throat check. He professionally explains to the family why their daughter has a high fever and patiently coaxes the girl to open the mouth. As the girl refuses to open her mouth and what her parents act, the doctor gets more furious and uses force to restrain her. For example, he starts to order her father to “Put her in front of you on your lap, and hold both her wrists”, and uses a heavy silver spoon back of her teeth even though “the child's mouth was already bleeding.
The description of symptoms and treatments of all the different diseases fascinated her, but she also learned what the doctor’s accusations had meant.
To make a short story even shorter, this story is about a doctor who was called by a sick child’s parents to come diagnose the young girl. Throughout the story the little girl refuses to let the doctor come anywhere close to examining her. No matter how much the parents try to calm the child down, they seem to make the situation even worse.
Marxism is thoroughly used throughout “The Use of Force” and is evident in the power struggles embedded in the short story. Williams uses the conflicts between the doctor and the child; the parents and the doctor; and the parents and the child to develop the drama in the story. The struggle begins when the child refuses to cooperate with the doctor and let him see her throat. As the doctor begins his diagnosis, the child tries to physically attack him. “As I moved my chair a little nearer suddenly with one catlike movement
the story “The Use OF Force”, by William Carlos Williams. Is about a doctor who enter the household of a family in need of helping a sick child. While helping this child the doctor seems to be over aggressive with the child. In the story, the doctor says and does some disturbing things while treating the child which reveals his true self and makes him a reliable reader.
Doctor Pax bent on one knee and stared into her face. And stared. And stared some more.