Use of Force

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 infuriating violence. The doctor makes it his duty to save the patient, Mathilda as she does not cooperate 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 motive on using physical force is debatable. The ultimate question that the short story, the Use of Force asks is whether or not the doctor's motives become one of dutiful compassion or desirable violence.

As the story begins, the unnamed doctor is introduced as one who appears to be strictly professional. "Aas often, in such cases, they weren't telling me more than they had to, it was up to me to tell them; that's why they were spending three dollars on me." (par. 3) The doctor leaves the first impression that he is one that keeps his attention about the job and nothing out of the ordinary besides stating his impressions on the mother, father and the patient, Mathilda. Though he does manage to note that Mathilda has a fever. The doctor takes what he considers a "trial shot" and "point of departure" by inquiring what he suspects is a sore throat (par. 6). This point in the story, nothing remains out of the ordinary or questionable about the doctor's methods, until the story further develops.

The doctor contains his professionalism, but as it goes on, pieces of frustrated irregularities begin to surface. As the doctor learns that the parents say no, that the girl says she doesn't have a sore throat, he pursues the question further. "Have you looked?" (par. 9) The doctor reflects back that he has dealt with many cases of diphtheria in the school that Mathilda was attending and that checking the throat was key to seeing if his assumptions were correct. He first tries to be accommodating by asking the girl for her name in order to get her to cooperate in opening her mouth, but she does not budge. The doctor assures Mathilda that he has nothing in his hands and that she should open up. "Such a nice man, put in the mother. Look how kind he is to you. Come on, do what he tells you to. He won't hurt you." The mother's helpfulness in assuring the girl that the doctor is trying to help enrages the doctor; as he puts it, "At that I ground my teeth in disgust." The doctor then shows frustration, "If only they wouldn't sue use the word 'Hurt' I might be able to get somewhere." (par. 16) Despite this he continues to get his diagnosis. As the doctor reaches again for the girl, she swipes his glasses and the parents light up in embarrassment. They apologize and chastise the girl and assures assure her that he is a nice man. The doctor lashes out to the parents, "For heaven's sake, I broke in. Don't call me a nice man to her." (par. 19) He states to the parents that he is strictly there to check her throat to see if she has diphtheria and that she could die from it. It is apparent at this point that the doctor may not care what the parents and child think of him, just as long as he checks the girls (should it be girl's? I didn't correct you, because I'm not actually sure which is right) (Yes, it should be girl's because the throat belongs to her!) throat. As Mathilda still refuses to cooperate the doctor realizes what he must do.

The doctor's determination becomes clear at this point, but what his motives are became (this might be switching tenses, but again I'm not sure what is or isn't acceptable) questionable. "I had to do it. I had to have a throat culture for her own protection." (par. 20) (I don't think that the opening word "As" is necessary) As the doctor told the parents it was up to them that he would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take responsibility. The mother then tells Mathilda that she will take her to the hospital if she does cooperate. However, this bargaining tool to help the daughter cooperate, spawns contempt from the doctor toward the parents. "I had already fallen in love with eh the savage brat," (par. 22) It is at this point clear that the doctor does not care what the parents think and that he is determined (maybe