The main theme of the story is the conflict between care and violence. It shows how force can become necessary in certain situations, even when the goal is to help someone. The doctor wants to protect the sick child, Mathilda, from a dangerous disease (diphtheria), but she refuses to cooperate. As a result, he has to use physical force to examine her.
The story also explores power struggles between adults and children, and between professionals and families. It shows how emotions like anger, frustration, and fear can affect even a responsible person like a doctor. Although he is trying to help, he becomes angry and almost enjoys overpowering the child.
The story also highlights secrecy and resistance. Mathilda hides her illness because she fears the examination, which shows how people, especially children, may resist help when they feel scared or threatened.
Summary
The story begins with a doctor being called to examine a sick child named Mathilda Olson. Her parents are concerned because she has had a high fever for three days. They have tried home remedies, but nothing has helped. The doctor is greeted by a nervous and apologetic mother and brought to the kitchen, where the child is sitting silently on her father's lap.
Mathilda is described as unusually strong, physically attractive, and silent, but she has flushed cheeks and rapid breathing, suggesting a high fever. The doctor suspects diphtheria, a dangerous and potentially fatal disease, especially since there have been recent cases at the child’s school.
The doctor asks Mathilda to open her mouth so he can examine her throat. She refuses. Despite his kind tone and professional behaviour, the child remains defiant and uncooperative. The parents try to persuade her by calling the doctor a "nice man" and telling her he won’t hurt her. This irritates the doctor because using the word "hurt" implies that pain is expected and undermines his authority.
As he gets closer, Mathilda suddenly lashes out, nearly injuring his eyes and knocking off his glasses. Her parents are embarrassed and scold her, while the doctor remains calm but firm, warning them that if the illness is diphtheria and untreated, it could be fatal.
He gives the parents a choice: either let him examine her or take full responsibility if they refuse. The parents plead with Mathilda, and the father agrees to hold her so the doctor can proceed. However, she screams, kicks, and bites, showing signs of extreme fear and resistance. The father, though large, cannot hold her tightly because of his emotional conflict—his shame, guilt, and fear of hurting his daughter weaken his grip.
The doctor, frustrated and now emotionally involved, becomes increasingly aggressive. He feels a mix of professional duty, personal fury, and even a disturbing sense of enjoyment in overpowering the child. He orders a spoon to be brought when a wooden tongue depressor fails: Mathilda bites it and breaks it.
Despite bleeding and screaming, the doctor continues. He finally forces the heavy silver spoon into her mouth and discovers that both her tonsils are covered with a diphtheritic membrane, confirming his suspicion.
At the end of the struggle, Mathilda, now aware that her secret is exposed, is not just defeated but enraged. She had lied about her sore throat for days to avoid this exact situation. Her fury now turns into a desire to attack the doctor, her eyes filled with tears of anger and shame.
Interpretation
"The Use of Force" is not just a story about a doctor and a sick child. It shows how people sometimes have to use force to do the right thing, even when they don’t want to. The doctor comes to help a girl who might have a serious illness, but she refuses to open her mouth. Her fear and stubbornness put her life in danger.
At first, the doctor tries to be gentle and kind. But when the girl keeps resisting, he becomes angry and forceful, even enjoying the struggle. This shows how even good people can lose control of their emotions when they are under pressure.
The story also shows that children can be strong and clever, and sometimes hide things because they are scared. Mathilda tries to hide her sore throat because she does not want the examination, even though it could save her life.
In short, the story makes us think about the difficult choices people in power (like doctors or parents) must make, and how violence and care can become mixed, especially in moments of crisis.
Understanding
1. What is the nature of the conflict in the story?
The main conflict is between the doctor and the child. The doctor wants to examine the girl's throat to check for diphtheria, but she refuses to open her mouth. It becomes a physical and emotional struggle between them. There is also an inner conflict in the doctor, who feels anger while trying to help.
2. Why does the doctor respect the child but find the parents "contemptible"?
The doctor respects the child because she is strong, brave, and fiercely determined, even though she is sick and scared. In contrast, he finds the parents weak and unhelpful. They are nervous, too polite, and cannot control the situation. He feels they are more worried about how things look than about their daughter’s health.
3. What does the story tell us about the use of force?
The story shows that force can sometimes be necessary to protect someone, especially in emergencies. However, it also shows that using force can bring out anger and even violence in people, including those trying to help. It raises questions about whether using force is right or wrong when it’s used for a good reason.
4. How is the doctor affected by resorting to the use of force?
The doctor becomes emotionally involved and angry. At first, he tries to stay calm and professional, but as the struggle continues, he loses control. He feels a mix of duty and rage, and even finds a strange satisfaction in overpowering the child. He feels ashamed of his emotions afterwards.
5. How is the child affected by being forced to open her mouth against her will?
The child feels angry, humiliated, and defeated. She had tried hard to hide her illness and protect herself. Being forced to open her mouth made her feel helpless and exposed. After the doctor succeeds, she cries in rage and tries to fight back.
6. Describe the relationship of the parents to the child.
The parents love their daughter and are worried about her health, but they are also weak and unsure. They don’t know how to handle the situation. The father hesitates during the struggle, and the mother tries to calm things down with soft words. They are more emotional and less firm compared to the doctor.
7. What was the child's reaction during the crisis?
The child fought fiercely. She refused to open her mouth, scratched at the doctor, bit the tongue depressor into pieces, and screamed in fear and pain. She showed strength and anger, trying her best not to be overpowered.
8. When does the girl lie to her parents in the story?
The girl lies to her parents by saying that her throat does not hurt. She hides her sore throat because she doesn’t want to be examined. She kept this secret for at least three days, even though it put her health at risk.
Rhetoric/Language/Writing
1. What are three reasons for the point of view used in "The Use of Force" by William Carlos Williams?
The story is told from the doctor’s point of view using the first person. This helps readers clearly understand what the doctor is thinking and feeling throughout the story. We see not just what he does but also his emotional struggle, which makes the story more personal and powerful. It also lets us feel the tension of the situation, especially as the doctor tries to stay professional but slowly loses control. Finally, it helps us understand how someone who wants to help can feel anger and even act harshly under pressure.
2. What is the conflict in the story?
The conflict in the story happens in two ways. First, there is the outer conflict between the doctor and the child. She refuses to open her mouth for a throat examination, and the doctor has to fight to check her. Second, there is an inner conflict inside the doctor. He wants to do his job and help the child, but he also feels angry and violent during the struggle. These two types of conflict make the story intense and emotional.
3. What is the setting of the story?
The story takes place in a warm kitchen of a family’s home, where the child is being kept because she has a high fever. It happens during a time when diphtheria is spreading in the community, which adds urgency to the doctor’s visit. The setting feels quiet and simple, but the events that take place make it tense and dramatic.
4. In the final analysis, how and why did the parents, the child, and the doctor use force in the story?
All three, the parents, the child, and the doctor, use force in different ways. The doctor uses physical force to open the girl’s mouth because he fears she might die if she has diphtheria. The child uses her strength to resist him because she is scared and wants to keep her secret. The parents, especially the father, try to help the doctor, but are too emotional and weak to stay firm. In the end, all of them are affected by the struggle, and the situation becomes more than just a medical check-up.
5. What techniques did Williams use in the story?
William Carlos Williams uses several writing techniques in this story. He tells it from the doctor’s point of view, which lets us experience the events personally. He writes in short, simple sentences to keep the action moving quickly. He also does not use quotation marks for dialogue, which blends the characters’ words into the doctor’s thoughts. He uses vivid language and comparisons, like animal metaphors, to show emotions and tension. These techniques make the story realistic and powerful.
6. What are the examples of symbolism in the story?
There are several symbols in the story. The child’s tightly closed mouth stands for her fear and her desire to control the situation. The tools used by the doctor, i.e. the tongue depressor and the spoon, symbolise medical power and force. The entire struggle between the doctor and the girl also symbolises the bigger idea of people fighting against help when they are afraid. These symbols add deeper meaning to the story.
7. Why is the dialogue in "The Use of Force" not put in quotation marks?
The author does not use quotation marks to make the story feel more like the doctor’s personal thoughts. It makes the reading flow naturally, as if we are hearing the doctor think out loud while the events are happening. It also shows how speech and thought are mixed during moments of stress and action. This style keeps the focus on the emotions and reactions rather than formal conversations.
8. What is the tone of the story?
The tone of the story is tense and emotional. At first, the doctor is calm and professional, but as the child refuses to cooperate, the tone becomes more intense and angry. The doctor feels embarrassed, frustrated, and even ashamed of his own emotions. The tone helps show how a simple visit to help a sick child can turn into a serious emotional and physical struggle.
9. Why does the writer use animal metaphors to describe the child?
The writer uses animal metaphors to show the child’s strength and wild behaviour. She is compared to a heifer and a cat to show that, even though she is a little girl, she is powerful and not easily controlled. These comparisons help the reader see that the child is not just weak or sick but also fighting with all her might, just like an animal defending itself when it feels threatened.
Discussion
1. What is power? Why is it important for the doctor as well as the child?
Power means having control, strength, or the ability to influence others. In the story, both the doctor and the child show power in different ways. The doctor has professional power. He is there to help and make decisions for the child’s health. The child, though small and sick, shows emotional and physical power by resisting him strongly. Power is important for the doctor because he needs it to do his job and protect the child’s life. It is important for the child because she wants to protect her body and her secret, even if it’s dangerous for her. The story shows that power can exist on both sides, even between an adult and a child.
2. Is it justified or unjustified for a doctor to use violence on the patient? Why or why not?It depends on the situation. In the story, the doctor uses force because he believes the child might die from diphtheria if not treated. His reason is to protect her health, so the use of force may seem justified. However, the way he gets angry and feels pleasure during the struggle makes it morally questionable. So, while it might be justified medically, it becomes unjustified emotionally when the doctor lets anger take over. A doctor should always try to act with care and control, even in difficult situations.
3. What insight does the story offer on the nature of will?The story shows that will is a strong inner desire to do or resist something. Both the doctor and the child have strong wills. The doctor is determined to examine the girl no matter how hard it is. The child is also determined not to let him do it, even if it hurts her. This shows that willpower can be just as strong in a child as in an adult. The story teaches us that will is not always based on logic. It can come from fear, pride, or instinct, and it can cause serious conflict when two strong wills clash.
4. Is it good to resort to violence for a just cause? Discuss.
Using violence for a good reason is a difficult topic. In some cases, like in the story, force may be necessary to save a life. But violence should always be the last option, not the first. Even if the cause is just, using violence can cause pain, fear, and emotional harm, especially if done in anger. In the story, the doctor’s reason is good. He wants to help the child, but his anger and enjoyment of the struggle show the danger of using too much force. So, while sometimes force may be needed, it must be used carefully and only when truly necessary.
0 Comments