The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams

Author’s Introduction

William Carlos Williams( 1883- 1963) born in Rutherford, New Jersey,  became an eminent American poet, doctor, novelist, essayist, and playwright. He was a leading figure in the Imagist movement alongside Ezra Pound and H.D. 

His focus was on American subjects and themes, creating uniquely American verse.  Unlike his contemporaries who pursued creativity abroad, Williams spent over 40 years as a practicing physician in his hometown. He always drew inspiration from his patients and surroundings. 

His famous works are The Red Wheelbarrow, This is just to say, Paterson, In the American Grain, Selected  Poems, Doctor Stories, In The Money, and Jean Beicke. His poetry is an expression of its honesty, empathy, and celebration of the everyday, that influenced later poets. Although initially encouraged by his parents to study medicine, Williams turned his college experience as a means of artistic ambitions.

Summary

The Use of Force By William Carlos Williams presents a distinction exploration of the tension between compassion and resistance. A person’s struggle, driven by both professional duty and personal frustration, serves as a reminder of the complexity of human interactions, especially in contexts where power dynamics are at play. 

The story is in the first-person style. It was first published in his short story collection Life Long the Passaic River in 1938. Later it was included in The Doctor Stories.  The story draws inspiration from everyday events and carries autobiographical elements.

When we start the story, we meet a doctor who came to meet the Olson family. He came to examine their child who has been suffering from fever for the last three days. The child was adorable and charming. Physically, she was stout and had golden hair. She had been down with a fever for the last three days. 

She was sitting in the lap of her father with a cold and emotionless expression. She was looking weak and pale due to the illness. Being fully dressed,  with a flushed face, cold eyes, and fast breathing were the signs of her condition. Her face was absolutely expressionless. Apparently, she seemed cool and calm. 

She looked as stout as a heifer in appearance. Her face was flushed and she was breathing speedily. She was a true copy of those children whose pictures were published in newspapers and advertisements. The parents had kept the sick girl in the kitchen so that she might not catch a cold. 

When the doctor came there, he noticed the parents’ anxiety and nervousness. However, the child’s behavior toward the doctor is uncooperative and hostile. When the doctor asked the girl if her throat hurt, she then had no expression on her face. 

She only looked at the doctor with cold eyes. The doctor called the girl by her first name just to show his sympathy and closeness to her. The girl did not give any response to the instruction of the doctor. Rather her response towards the doctor was negative. She was not ready to open her mouth and was trying to claw the doctor’s eyes.

The doctor threatened the girl that he would open her mouth by force. The girl broke the wooden blade because the doctor wanted to force the wooden blade into her mouth to examine her tonsils. Her tonsils were covered with membranes, which was the actual reason for her illness.

However, the story leaves a moral message for us that the use of force is useless. We must treat all lovingly and kindly. Love conquers even the mightiest. However, when there is a risk to life, the use of force then becomes necessary for us.

Characters of the story 

Doctor: He is a first-person narrator, professional, caring, and kind person but becomes aggressive when the child does not cooperate with him.

The child( Mathlida): She is adorable, and innocent and becomes a symbol of resistance.  

Parents of the child: Both the father and mother of the child were anxious, caring, concerned, and afraid of their daughter’s illness.

Theme of the story

The main theme  The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams centers on a conflict between kindness and aggression among people. The doctor, initially compassionate and respectful, becomes forceful as he tries to diagnose the resistant child.

His struggle with his own emotions shows an underlying tension but his intentions are to help. Although his actions become aggressive yet he feels a disturbing satisfaction in overpowering her. This change explains the moral complexity of using force for a good cause.

As the story proceeds, we see a struggle for control. The child, who seems sweet at first, resists the doctor’s attempts to help, which forces the doctor to act furiously. This shows how even innocent people, like children, can react when they feel threatened.

The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes, and no expression to her face whatever.

Finally, the story leaves readers reflecting on the morality of using force and the limits of authority when caring for others. We also learn how easily kindness can turn into something more aggressive, even when the goal is to help or protect someone.

Analysis of the story 

The action of the story spans a very short time but it reflects the message that the use of force becomes mandatory even with small children. With a deep analysis of the story, we find the significant points to discuss.

A Dilemma of Compassion and Force

Initially, the doctor starts with a kind approach but comes to force when the child resists examination and treatment. It raises the moral conflict of when force is acceptable in helping others.

Power Dynamics

Power dynamics between the doctor and the child is clear in this story.  We observe that power always rules as it can control the less powerful persons like innocent children. The story touches on the power imbalance between the doctor (authority) and the child (patient), pointing to a change from care to control.

Moral Struggle

The doctor struggles with his own emotions and wants to help the child but also feels frustration and disturbing satisfaction in using force.

Theme of Autonomy

The child’s resistance shows her autonomy that questions the right to force someone, even a child, into submission for their own well-being. Her outward innocence and sweetness challenge these perceptions. Her refusal of treatment and non-cooperative nature suggest the theme of autonomy and control.

Balance of Compassion and Authority

Compassion is an ideal thing but the implication of force sometimes becomes necessary. It is a great risk to life.  But before applying force, we should consider that it leads to moral and emotional consequences.

The use of literary terms

We find several literary terms and techniques in William Carlos Williams’s short story The Use of Force.

First-Person Narration

The story is written from a first-person point of view, with the doctor as the narrator. The readers experience the events and emotions from the doctor’s perspective.

Conflict

The tension between the doctor and the sick child is the conflict in the story. When the doctor tries to examine the girl, she defies to cooperate, which leads to physical and moral struggle.

Characterization

There is both direct and indirect characterization. The doctor is portrayed as compassionate yet driven by conflict of mind while the child is stubborn and uncooperative. The parents’ anxiety also adds to the tension.

Imagery

Williams uses vivid descriptions of imagery as the girl’s appearance like she looked as stout as a heifer, her face was flushed, and the setting they had kept the sick girl in the kitchen.

Symbolism

The doctor’s applying force to open the child’s mouth presents a symbol for the broader theme of force versus compassion. The girl’s resistance symbolizes the human innate nature to reject intrusion or harm, even for health reasons.

Tone

The tone of the story changes from mild and calm to tense and confrontational. The doctor’s empathy is evident at first, but it escalates as he becomes aggressive with the child’s resistance.

Irony

We find irony in the situation where the doctor, whose job is to heal and comfort, ends up putting force against the child he is trying to help. The story shows a contradiction between his compassionate intentions and the harsh reality of his actions.

Questions and Answers