The Use of Force by William Carlos Williams

The Use of Force William Carlos Williams
Q:1	Why was the doctor called by the woman?
Ans:	The doctor was called on telephone by the woman. She wanted him to examine her daughter who was suffering from some disease.
Q:2	How did the woman receive the doctor at the front door?
Ans:	When the doctor arrived, a big woman received him. She looked worreid because of her daughter's disease. She asked him if he was the doctor, and then let him in.
Q:3	Why was the woman apologetic when she received the doctor?
Ans:	She told the doctor that she was sorry for keeping her daughter in the kitchen. She explained that in the kitchen it was warm while it was damp in other rooms.
Q:4	What was the condition of Mathilda's parents on the arrival of the doctor?
Ans:	When the doctor arrived, he noticed that the girl's parents were worried. Their child had been suffering from high fever for the last few days. So they were disturbed.
Q:5	What was the behavious of the child with the doctor?
Ans:	The child was afraid of the doctor. She, in fact, did not like his arrival. As the time passed, her dislike turned into anger. As a result, she became aggressive very soon.
Q:6	Describe the child as the doctor came across her?
Ans:	The child was fully dressed and sitting on her father's lap. She was attractive and strong like a young cow. She had beautiful thick golder hair. She was eating the doctor up with her cold eyes.
Q:7	Why were the parents eyeing the doctor distrustfully?
Ans:	The parents were extremely worried. They were eyeing the doctor distrustfully because they did not have full confidence in him. They were not sure whether he could find out the cause of the disease or not.
Q:8	What idea did the doctor get about the child's disease before having a regular checkup?
Ans:	The doctor noticed that her face was red and she was breathing rapidly. She seemed inwardly quiet and did not move. He suspected that she might be suffering from some throat problem.
Q:9	What did the father tell the doctor about the child's disease in the beginning?
Ans:	The father said that she had been suffering from fever for three days. He added that his wife had given her something but of no avail. He also said that they were worried because of their child's problem.
Q:10	What was the child's name?
Ans:	Her name was Mathilda.
Q:11	Why did the doctor think that the child might be suffering from the throat disease?
Ans:	He said that he had seen so many children suffering from that disease in the area. Diphtheria was very common among the children in the school. So he thought that she might have it.
Q:12	How did the doctor start examining the child?
Ans:	He smiled in his best professional manner and tried to be very friendly with the child. He showed that he had nothing in his hands and wanted to see her throat only.
Q:13	Did the girl change her expression when the doctor said, "Does your throat hurt you?"
Ans:	No, the expression of the girl did not change. She was actually afraid of the doctor. So she remained as angry as before.
Q:14	Why did the doctor call the sick girl by her first name?
Ans:	The doctor had realized that the girl was afraid of him. As such her proper check up was difficult. He wanted to be friendly to her. This is why he called her by her first name.
Q:15	How did the another spoil the case while the doctor was about to begin his inspection?
Ans:	She foolishly told the child not to worry as the doctor was not going to hurt her. The word "hurt" actually spoiled the situation and the child became afraid.
Q:16	How did the child react when the doctor came close to her?
Ans:	As he went near her, she tried to jump at him like a cat. Both her hands reached his face. In the process, his glasses were knocked of and went flying for several feet.
Q:17	What was the parents' behaviour on the mistake committed by the child?
Ans:	They were quite embarrassed. They were ashamed. They begged pardon again and again. They cursed the child also.
Q:18	What warning did the doctor give to the parents after the child's misbehaviour?
Ans:	The doctor warned the parents that the child might die of the disease if proper care was not taken. He clearly said that he would not take up the case unless they accepted the responsibility.
Q:19	What was the effect of the doctor's warning on Mathilda's parents?
Ans:	The mother admonished the child and the father became very strict. The father held her tight so that the doctor might examine her throat.
Q:20	Why did Mathilda's parents rebuke her?
Ans:	Mathilda misbehaved with the doctor. Her parents felt ashamed of this act. Her proper check up was necessary for her life. She was not co-operating with the doctor. So they rebuked her.
Q:21	What was the threat of the doctor to Mathilda for not showing her throat?
Ans:	The doctor became very angry. He threatened her that he would be very strict. He declared that he would use force.
Q:22	Why did Mathilda break the wooden blade?
Ans:	The child hated the doctor. She had turned against her. She did not like his instruments. So she chewed the wooden blade and broke it into pieces.
Q:23	How did the doctor use force to inspect the child's throat?
Ans:	He seized her head with his left hand and put the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth. When he had got the depressor behind her last teeth, she crushed it to pieces.
Q:24	Why did the doctor ask for a smooth-handled spoon?
Ans:	He asked for a smooth-handled spoon because he needed it to use as a tongue depressor. The child was not co-operating with the doctor and the wooden depressor had already injured her mouth.
Q:25	How did the doctor finally succeed in examining Mathilda's throat?
Ans:	In quite an unreasonable way, he owerpowered Mathilda's neck and jaws. He forced the heavy silver spoon back her teeth. She opened her mouth. Her tonsils were badly infected.
Q:26	What was the condition of the tonsils of the sick girl?
Ans:	Her throat was badly infected. Both tonsils were covered with membrane. From this, it was clear that she was suffering from diphtheria.
Q:27	Why did Mathilda struggle not to have her medical check up?
Ans:	She feared that any inspection of her throat would give her pain. She thought that the doctor might hurt her. Like most of the children she was afraid of the treatment also. This is why she struggled very hard.
Q:28	What was Mathilda's condition after the checkup was over?
Ans:	She was furious. Earlier she was defensive, but now he had become aggressive. She tried to attack the doctor, but the tears of defeat blinded her eyes.
Write down the answer of the following questions in detail:
Q:1	How did the child look by appearance?
Ans:	She was a very attractive little girl, as strong as a young cow. She was suffering from throat infection and high fever. This is why her face was flushed and she was breathing rapidly. She did not move and seemed inwardly quiet. She had beautiful thick hair of golden colour. She looked as beautiful as the pictures in advertising leaflets or the Sunday papers. As she was afraid of the doctor, there was marked dislike in her eyes for the doctor. She was eating him up with her cold eyes.
Q:2	Why did the parents keep the sick child in the kitchen?
Ans:	The kitchen was warm and comfortable while the other rooms were damp. The child felt cold because she had throat infection. She was suffering from high fever and she needed warm atmosphere. This is why she was fully dressed and was sitting on her father's lap.
Q:3	How did the doctor succeed in examining her throat?
Ans:	The doctor thought that the child was suffering fom diphterhria. Her face was red and she was brething rapidly. He wanted to confirm his guess by inspecting her throat. He tried to do it in a friendly way, but the child did not respond properly. So the doctor used his force. He held her head and put a wooden blade between her teeth. The child crushed it to pieces. Then he asked for a smooth-handled spoon. He opened her mouth again with the help of the handle of the spoon. In this way, he succeeded in examining her throat.
Q:4	Describe the feelings of the doctor in his struggle to diagnose the disease?
Ans:	The doctor was very friendly in the beginning. He asked the child's first name and talked to him smilingly. But as the child behaved in a silly way, the doctor also lost self-control. It was a dangerous thing. He wanted to tear the child apart. First he thought of leaving the child as such, but then he remembered that two children had died of neglect. It was then that he decided to use fource to see her throat. Just to do his moral duty, the doctor opened the child's mouth forcefully.
Q:5	Compare and contrast the condudt of a healthy child and a sick child?
Ans:	When a child is healthy, he was boundless energy. Life is a playing for him. He is very friendly with the visitors at home. But a sick child is quite disturbed. He is particularly afraid of the visits of the doctors. He thinks that the doctors will use injections to hurt him. This is why he becomes aggressive. Moreover, inability to move also disturbs a sick child. Children don't like to remain in bed for a long time. So during illness they become unsocial and quick tempered.