Defense of a Killer
William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) was a Pulitzer Prize winning author whose works included poetry, novels, essays, and plays. In addition, he was also a practicing physician and he sustained his medical practice in Rutherford, New Jersey throughout his life. The short story interpreted here is one based on his medical practice during America’s Great Depression. The story “Use of Force”, published in the 1938 collection Life along the Passaic River, is about the relationship between a doctor and a patient who is terrified of him. The doctor’s frustration over the deaths of at least two children drives his determination beyond reason in his desire to stop the disease and avert an epidemic. The girl’s appearance, in addition to his obvious affection and admiration for her fighting spirit, masks the terrible disease that lies within and its epidemic potential. Being fully aware of the possible dire consequences of not making the correct diagnosis, the doctor resorts to behavior not uncommon when one encounters opposition to what is clearly against what is best for all concerned. One element of the frustration that the doctor feels is that he has prior knowledge of the disease circulating through th
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Passaic River, Pulitzer Prize, Rutherford Jersey, Americas Depression, Carlos Williams, little girl, child doctor, throat culture, medical practice, doctor feels, beyond reason,
Approximate Word count = 901
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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