Eel's Conflict In The Outbreak Of The Disease Cholera
920 Words4 Pages
Hundreds of people died, and no one knew why until Eel found the unexpected case. The unexpected case Eel, the main character, found solved the main conflict in the story. The main conflict in the story was a random outbreak of the disease cholera. Deborah Hopkinson, the author, uses conflicts throughout the story. In her use of conflicts through Eel and nature, himself, other people, and the community she develops the plot. The author uses person versus nature as one of the conflicts to develop the plot. One conflict Eel experiences with nature is the epidemic. The epidemic is an outbreak of the bacterial disease cholera. The problem Eel is facing with the outbreak of cholera is that he could become contaminated by the disease, and it would more than likely kill him. “The epidemic has killed 92 people.” (113) The epidemic has hit where he lives so he could be next. This develops the plot because it is the main conflict of the story. Another conflict he experiences with nature is through the…show more content… The main problem is that the community does not agree with Eel. “There ain’t nothin’ wrong with the Broad Street Pump. It’s the bad air makin’ us sick.” (208) People thought the air was spreading the disease when really the water was which causes a huge conflict for Eel. Because the people did not agree with Eel that the water is spreading the disease, they didn’t want to do what he said. “Removing the handle of Broad Street Pump had saved lives.” (219) Eel says this after he solves his conflicts of the community not believing him. Before Eel could even prove that the water spread the disease people in the community began leaving. “Anywhere away from here.” (79) Eel says after one of his friends asked him where everyone was going. People of the community leaving is a conflict because it could make it more challenging for Eel to gather information to prove his case. All of these conflicts move the plot