The Use of Force

        I really liked William Carlos Williams' short story "The Use of Force"!   His self-aware prose and retelling of his treatment of the little girl with diptheria was very realistic and his portrayal of the power that a doctor has, especially the in terms of license was really riveting.  His lack of quotation marks to signify when other characters were speaking allowed for the narrative to be centered completely, and obviously, in his control.   Since so much of his story is about acknowledging the use of force and the appeal of force, I thought this did a lot to allow the reader to trust him.
    Doctors are really interesting to me and I have really enjoyed hearing everyone's discussion of the other story that dealt with them, Hemingway's "Indian Camp".   By elucidating and being open about the attraction of power, even when it involves violence and a younger patient, "The Use of Force" made me think about how the agenda of characters can lead us to encounter characters that people may not like that much.  By taking the figure of "The Doctor" and then using text such as "But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases...but the worst of it was that I too had got beyond reason.  I could have torn the child apart in my own fury and enjoyed it...In the final unreasoning assault I overpowered the child's neck and jaws" (1592), Williams is creating an interesting dilemma for the reader.  As a reader, which is more important? To have a character who is sympathetic or one who is realistic? Doctors have a professional obligation to heal, to protect people, and this specific doctor is exerting force (though he is enjoying it and is cognizant of that fact) so that he can eventually save her life.   I thought his sympathetic recognition of the girl's character and her desire to protect herself and his respect of that (along with his dismissal of her parents who are trying to persuade her to act a certain way due to a sense of social shame) was so wonderful when coupled when his own sense of power and the necessity of his duty.

This is a little jumbled so I hope it makes sense...