Summary of the story The Use of Force BBS Second Year

The Use of Force

                                                    - William Carlos Williams 

Summary:

‘The Use of Force’ is a short story written by an American author William Carlos Williams. This is a first person narrative story by a doctor, who goes to a sick child’s house to cure her problem. In the story, there is conflict between the doctor and the sick child, Mathilda, Mr. Olson’s daughter. The child has been suffering from fever and sore throat for three days. Though her parents give her medicine, the medicine doesn’t work. So, they call the doctor to examine her. After coming there, the doctor comes to know that there are some cases of diphtheria (A bacterial infection that spreads easily and happens quickly and mainly affects the nose and throat/भ्यागुते रोग) in her school. So, he suspects that she may also have diphtheria. For knowing her real problem, he asks her to open her mouth, but she doesn’t want to do so. She is obstinate and aggressive. She is afraid of the doctor and hospital. So, when he comes closer to her, she attacks him and his glasses falls on the floor and breaks. The parents scold their child and beg sorry from the doctor. They also say that the doctor is a nice mind who will not hurt her, and if she doesn’t open her mouth, she will be taken to hospital. Since then, the doctor begins to hate the parents. She tells a lie that her throat is not paining. Then she starts attacking him to be far from him. But he even loves and respects her accepting that it is natural for a child to be stubborn. On the other hand, he finds her parents contemptible and insensitive because they are not careful about the health of their child and without inspecting her they believe on what she says. She is afraid of the doctor because her parents create fear into her. Time and again, they request him not to use any force on her. He tries his every best to make her open her mouth, but his all efforts go in vain. Then the doctor again hates the parents who pretend to love their daughter very much, but they are not aware that she might die of diphtheria. At last, he becomes furious and decides to use force for the benevolence (परोपकार/भलाई) of the child. He knows that if he doesn’t open her mouth, she may die of diphtheria. Then he tells her father to hold her tightly, but when the doctor is about to look into throat, he releases the child. Then he grasps the head of the child and presses a wooden tongue depressor (spatula/घाटी जाच्दा जिब्रो थिच्ने चम्चा जस्तो यन्त्र ) to open her mouth. When he inserts the depressor inside her mouth, she closes her teeth tightly and her molars (दाह्रा) break the depressor. After that, he grasps the head of the child and uses a silver spoon to open her mouth. But it cuts her tongue and her mouth becomes full of blood. But he doesn’t leave her and keeps on inspecting her. Finally, he discovers she has been suffering from diphtheria because her tonsils are covered with membranes. In this way, he uses physical force not to hurt the child but to cure her. With this, he fulfils his social responsibility and proves that his use of force is justifiable. (न्यायोचित)