The Use of Force, A Story of Guilt
"The Use of Force" by William Carlos Williams is a window into one doctor's guilt over the negligent loss of a child patient. This story focuses on the disillusionment caused by his self-pity and guilt. The doctor's guilt triggers a fanciful illusion of "The Use of Force" that gives him giddy delight in his envisioned torture of the young, beautiful girl. His disgust for her uneducated, immigrant parents and their poor, humble surroundings only heighten this image. But his justification of these imagined actions empowers him all the more. He perceives himself above these less than human creatures, as a master lords over his good for nothing dog. In his self-empowered greatness he comes face to face with the greatest flaw any doctor can have, lack of humanity and compassion for those lesser then himself.
During the first 20 paragraphs, Williams is simply recalling the events as they had taken place. Never revealing the death of the child. We are led to believe that the child never dies, but Williams gives us clues into her death when he states in paragraph 31, "I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect." His guilt of how he handled the situation plunges his imagination down a dark, immoral path. The pivotal point between reality and his vivid imagination becomes clear when he states, "I explained the danger but said that I would not insist on the throat examination so long as they (her parents) would take the responsibility." This is where his imagination takes over. Instantly, his adoration and love for the young girl turns to utter loathing. He goes on to describe her as a "savage brat."
In his dream state, Williams feels such urgency to diagno...
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...n the bound child, until he reaches victory over her. Leaving her raped of her control and emotionally damaged. He states, "tears of defeat blinded her eyes." Clearly showing how he has emotionally scared her.
As Williams reflects back on these events, his guilt and remorse for his actions shine through. He is able to see clearly for the first time. He is able to recognize his lack of humanity and compassion for his patients, the very core elements of the oath he swore to uphold. He realizes his fault "I should have desisted and come back in an hour or more." Like a harsh, cold wind it cuts right through him. He has spent his life, and his career thinking he was better than everyone and has used that power to neglect the spirit of his patients. He has healed their wound and illnesses; but has inflicted emotional scars, which he realizes is much worse.
For anyone who has ever worked in healthcare, or simply for someone who has watched a popular hit television show such as Grey’s Anatomy, General Hospital, House or ER know that there can be times when a doctor or health care provider is placed in extremely difficult situations. Often times, those situations are something that we watch from the sidelines and hope for the best in the patient’s interest. However, what happens when you place yourself inside the doctors, nurses, or any other of the medical provider’s shoes? What if you were placed in charge of a patient who had an ethically challenging situation? What you would you do then? That is precisely what Lisa Belkin accomplishes in her book “First Do No Harm”. Belkin takes the reader on
...eives nothing from the children. It should be obvious to the reader at this point that the children are obviously in no way doing any wrong and are telling the truth to the best of their knowledge. The continual obsession of the governess over maintaining the protection and innocence of the children gets so severe that it causes Flora to come down with a serious fever and Miles grows seemingly weaker and sicker without his sister there with her.
...was a desperate act of a lonely, insane woman who could not bear to loose him. The structure of this story, however, is such that the important details are delivered in almost random order, without a clear road map that connects events. The ending comes as a morbid shock, until a second reading of the story reveals the carefully hidden details that foreshadow the logical conclusion.
The doctor in William Carlos Williams’ The Use of Force ultimately saves Mathilda’s life but under what motive? His motive to win the battle against her or the motive to actually try to cure her? The fact that Mathilda’s life is on the line brings out the heroic attributes of the doctor in the story. In the end, even though the doctor has malicious thoughts, the doctor is a hero because he ultimately saves Mathilda’s life and continues with helping Mathilda despite her every attempt to deter the doctor and refuse his help.
Delattre discusses discretion in chapter 5, for he writes that judgment and rules, respect for limits, policies and laws, force and deadly force, and anticipation and planning, which shape and or create individual discretion. Delattre says that, discretion is allowed, because there are too many variables in situations and regulations can’t dictate what to do every time. Good policies only set boundaries for discretion, though the chief or commanding officers, also can set boundaries on policies to enforce more or less. Policies can’t be fully enforced, so there needs to be discretion concerning what policies are more enforced based on factors such as, limited resources and manpower. Though policies can make discretion good or bad, depending
"The Use of Force--William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)." Classic Short Stories. B&L Associates, Bangor, Maine, U.S.A., 1995-2007. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. .
Abigail Williams suffered a rough childhood. What kind of effects do you think would have on a young girl witnessing her parents being killed right in front of her? The violence that she saw being done to her own mother and father could lead to feelings
2. Dike (p.77 to 79) Robert Ross shows his perseverance, when he tries to save himself from drowning in the dikes. He fights against Mother Nature, and thinks strategically by pushing himself and not giving up. He was fearful of drowning, mentally motivated himself to get out and avoid dying, and soon eventually breaks free. This shows how strong Robert is when motivated by the will to survive. Although he was fearful, he overcame it and saved himself, since some would just give up. Before entering the war, it was seen that he would run away from his problems (Rowena’s death), but now as he realizes that there is no point of return, he finds a new sense of drive. He shows his willpower, by maintaining an independent, and strong, logical mind when faced with fear, and learns to fight so that was doesn’t get the best of him. “I don’t want to drown, he thought. Please don’t drown. He pushed himself up with his head hanging down,” (Findley 79).
“The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence,” Robert Peel. The use of force for police officers is something I find to be justified and right, because it can possible help save the officers life and any witnesses lives.
The use of force has been around since policing began, although the rules for its use have changed overtime. In a 1964 survey, the majority of police reported they were to use “good judgement” when deciding whether or not to shoot (Walker 1993, 26). Back then, police also used force for any fleeing felon, which basically meant whenever. Now that rules have changed, the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, established in 1962, states that police are to only use force when they feel their life or someone else’s life is in danger (Walker 1993, 27). Later on, the Omaha Police Department policy added to the American Law Institute’s Model Penal Code, by saying police cannot
physical. This is the last step before there is physical contact or use of weapons so it is beneficial to both them and the subject in question if the conflict ends verbally.
War is a hard thing to describe. It has benefits that can only be reaped through its respective means. Means that, while necessary, are harsh and unforgiving. William James, the author of “The Moral Equivalent of War”, speaks only of the benefits to be had and not of the horrors and sacrifices found in the turbulent times of war. James bears the title of a pacifist, but he heralds war as a necessity for society to exist. In the end of his article, James presents a “war against nature” that would, in his opinion, stand in war’s stead in bringing the proper characteristics to our people. However, my stance is that of opposition to James and his views. I believe that war, while beneficial in various ways, is unnecessary and should be avoided at all costs.
It pinpoints out how women were taken as during the 1900’s. The story also highlights the extremes of repression and sexism by viewing the woman as mad by a rest cure. In the view of the Narrators role as a woman, lack of intellectual stimulation in her thought and unjust environment usually led her insane. This points out failure in the society in which sexism and oppression was carried out towards women. An aspect of feminism portrayed by the Narrator in the story is how she tries to dismiss John’s opinions. She repeatedly requests him to relocate her to another room downstairs. This is an aspect of feminism which should be encouraged among women to demand for their freedom. The Narrator takes part in not conquering with John. But as time goes she is less able to feel the usual relief. John rejects the request and replies to her that she must spend in the nursery room which is barred and rings similar to those of dungeon on the walls. She is denied the right to choose what pleases her. Later she comes to like the nursery room where other times she locks herself up to avoid husband’s disturbance upon the story. Also the act of Narrator’s wallpaper routine is a sense of imprisonment. She recognizes that the pattern is so ugly like a cage imprisoning women who are desperately trying to escape. The Narrator figuratively tears the bars and the wallpaper of the cage to clear her way to escape.
He wanted to swim through her blood and climb up and down her spine and drink from her ovaries and press his gums against the firm red muscle of her heart. He wanted to suture their lives together.? This quote can portray Johns disturbed mind set, we see that he is consumed with rage ...
• The Use of Force is about a girl who may have Diphtheria, but refuses to open her mouth to let the doctor look at her throat. After much struggle, emotional and physical, the doctor forces her to open her mouth and it turns out she does indeed have the disease.