Use Of Force

798 Words4 Pages
The Use of Force, written by William Carlos Williams is a story about a conflicted unnamed doctor using physical force to determine a diagnosis. The question that is brought up is whether or not the doctor’s use of force was one of ethical duty or unnecessary violence. The doctor makes it his duty to save the patient, Mathilda as she doesn’t cooperate but he makes a choice to go on and use force to open her mouth to determine her diagnosis. The choice of using force isn’t necessarily the questionable part; the reason on using physical force is the big question. The ultimate question that the short story, the Use of Force asks is whether or not the doctor’s motive to use force is right or wrong. I believe that as Williams title indicates, the…show more content…
The story is told from the doctors point of view, however, makes is possible to see the changes that take place in his mind as he goes from a professional to unprofessional stage. The doctor cannot justify to himself his motivation for using force. The doctor is calm and controlled in telling the story. We also see a sexual tone throughout some parts of the story. The doctor acknowledges his physical attractiveness for the child and that he loves her spirit. The depressor is also is very strong symbol to show the assault on the little girl and shows how she becomes helpless. As her fear of the doctor increases it shows the pleasure he feels in attacking her. Later when reaching the climax doctor seems to achieve what he wanted to see. Her parents let the assault take place because they fear her death more than anything. However Mathilda is left with a sense of violation and defeat to…show more content…
It is symbolic of the healing powers for medical professionals but when it splinters into pieces inside the girl’s mouth, it is shown as a tool of destruction. The spoon is a symbol of force to a extension for the doctors control. The image of the spoon going into the girl’s mouth shows us how far the doctor is willing to go inflict his will on the girl. Money is also a symbolic element in the story. The doctor makes it clear that the parents are very eager to cure there child because of the money they are willing to spend. Money symbolizes a sense of power or control that the parents are willing to have over the doctor. The doctor also has a description of the little girls he says “unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as heifer…She had magnificent blonde hair, in profusion. One of those picture children often reproduced in advertising leaflets and the photogravure sections of the Sunday paper.” The girl is being symbolic of the media reflection of what it means to be little girls, as well as the fact that the doctor takes such a strong physical note that leads to use thinking of an assault, showing control of the older man over the younger girl. The sexual side seems to shows us another point of the short

More about Use Of Force

Open Document