Death be Not Proud reader log
July 14 2002 2:15pm page 22 The prologue commences with the author, John Gunther, summarizing his son's prolonged battle with a brain tumor. The memoir is written in the first person from Gunther's point of view. It appears that Gunther's son, Johnny, is the main character. The Forward talks not as much of Johnny's death as it dose of his life prior to his battle with cancer. However, Gunther goes on to foreshadow his son's death at the closing of the forward.July 17 2002 10:05pm page 57 The chapter begins at Christmas and despite a stiff neck, Johnny returns from Deerfield in good health. When Johnny returns to Deerfield, he is sent to the infirmary after reporting his stiff neck. There, after being observed by several specialists, it is apparent that Johnny has a brain tumor. After receiving a call from Doctor Tracy Putnam, Gunther and Johnny's mother, Frances, are shocked to learn of Johnny's serious condition. While they are uncertain if the growth is cancerous, it must be removed to prevent blindness. Soon, Johnny undergoes the operation, initially intended to remove the entire tumor. However, once inside Putnam discovers that the tumor was worse than originally thought and is only able to remove half of it. After the o
Johnny's brain is now 1.5 times the size of that of a regular brain. Survival is now scene as an impossibility and Gunther seems to come to agree with this. However as a last effort, the Johnny's family descides to try the previous treatments: mustard, x-rays, the Gerson diet and possibly another operation. Through all this Johnny still maintains his will for Harvard. To comfort him, Gunther lies and tells Johnny that he has be accepted into Harvard. The frail boy grows weary, and Gunther decides to call Tregar. Treager, now knowing that this is the end, decides to transport Johnny to a nearby Hospital. There he lay in his last hour, with his last ounces of life slowly evaporating. Jonathan Gunther takes his last breath at 11:02 PM. July 23 2002 10:26 am page 111 Johnny's blood count drops and doctors predict that he wont make it, however he quickly recovers. A week later he acquires a nosebleed and Gerson permits the use of drugs. Johnny soon needs another operation and doctors are amazed that he is still alive. Frances tries to keep him in high spirits, though she too fears that the end is near. Gunther uses Johnny's wanting to go to Harvard as an illustration to the reader of Johnny's strong will to live. It seems to me that Gunther and Frances were almost comforted to see him suffer no longer. Johnny, in my opinion, is at a stage of his illness where he is torn between to paths: fighting an unstoppable menace, or dying a quick and painless death. Through all this, there is no doubt in my mind that Jonathan Gunther choose to fight the good fig
Some common words found in the essay are:
Soon Johnny, Gerson Diet, John Gunther, Jonathan Gunther, Gunther Johnny, Frances Gunther, Gunther Frances, Gunther Johnny's, Tregar Treager, , gerson diet, johnny returns deerfield, stiff neck, johnny returns, brain tumor, johnny tries, operation johnny, gunther johnny's, mustard gas, returns deerfield, comfort gunther,
Approximate Word count = 1058
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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