The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams

William Carlos Williams September 17, 1883 – March 4, 1963 Rutherford, NJ, United States Nationality:American Occupation:Writer, medical doctor Alma mater: University of Pennsylvania Literary movement: Modernism, imagism Notable work(s):"The Red Wheelbarrow"; Spring and All; Paterson

Life and Career Until 1897, he received primary and secondary education. In 1906, he gratuated from the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1912,he married Florence Herman. In 1915,he was associate with "The Others." In 1920,he was criticized by peers. In his later years,he took on the role of elder statesman. In 1948, he suffered a heart attack. On March 4, 1963, he passed away.

Primary Coverage The story is narrated in first person by a doctor, who is answering a house visit to see a sick girl. Fearing that she may have diphtheria, the doctor decides to check her throat. However, she refuses to open her mouth and the doctor uses force to restrain her and examine her throat with a spoon, which makes the girl very mad. The doctor finds that, against her own self-interest, the girl has hidden the symptoms of diphtheria from her parents and the doctor.

Theme The story is written without the use of quotation marks, and the dialogue is not distinguished from the narrator's comments. The story is rendered from the subjective point of view of the doctor, and explores his subdued enjoyment of forcefully subduing the stubborn child in an attempt to acquire the throat sample. The overall theme of the story revolves around power and submission and the doctor's unnerved feeling following the forceful encounter.

Character Mathilda: obstinate "And I did my best. When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and just the point of it into the mouth cavity,she opened up for an instant but before I could see anything she came down again and gripped the wooden blade between her molars...The childs mouth was already bleeding. Her tongue was cut and she was screaming in wild hysterical shrieks. " （ P125,the third paragraph form the last ）

"I": dutiful "But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases, and feeling that I must get a diagnosis now or never I went at it again." "Others must be protected against her. It is a social necessity. And all these things are true. " hypocritical "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. It was a pleasure to attack her, my face was burning with it. " "But a blind fury, a feeling of adult shame, bred of a longing for muscular release are the operatives. One goes on to the end. " & (P126,the first two paragraphs)

Narrative characteristics 1.The alternate use of Internal and External perspective "When I arrived I was met by the mother, a big startled looking woman, very clean and apologetic who merely said, Is this the doctor? " (External perspective) Then I grasped the child's head with my left hand and tried to get the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth. (Internal perspective) When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and just the point of it into the mouth cavity, she opened up for an instant...(Internal perspective)

2.A great number of free direct speech "... big startled looking woman, very clean and apologetic who merely said, is this the doctor? And let me in. In the back,she added. You must excuse us, doctor, we have her in the kitchen where it is warm. It is very damp here sometimes." (P124, paragraph2 )

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