The Use of Force

A short story that takes ethics to another level: The Use of Force.

The Use of Force is a short story by William Carlos Williams. At the center of the story is the conflict between a sick child's defiance and a professional doctor's pride, which takes a turn and becomes "hubris," which is a Greek tragedy term that means, in simple terms, arrogance and exaggerated pride that leads to "nemesis," a.k.a., downfall. However, this story has no specific downfall or a breaking point because it provides an open ending with ethical consequences.

So, let's briefly summarize the story. At the break of diphtheria, a disease that has already killed many children, the parents of a little girl called Mathilda welcome the doctor home to cure the little child.

Mathilda gazes at the doctor with her cold, steady eyes and uses self-defense as if she is hiding a secret from the doctor. She is terrified of the doctor; therefore, she insists on not opening her mouth, forcing the doctor to use his use of force. At the end of the story, the secret is revealed, and the use of force wins over Mathilda's persistence. But, at what cost?

Symbolizing the power dynamics, Mathilda scratches the doctor's eyes as if she is trying to control him. Following this, their conflict begins; war is declared. As the doctor is the authority in the room, he starts examining her disease with a sense of enjoyment of dominance. She is hurt, and silenced, and blood comes out of her mouth, but at the end of the process, her secret is revealed, and she is cured.

The doctor's inability to remain professional and rational suggests that anyone with a sense of authority can turn evil, providing an understanding of the banality of evil. In addition to this, situational and moral irony adds depth to the story, as the doctor is meant to be a figure of care, yet he enjoys this ugly process.

Initially driven by his professional concerns, the doctor then succumbs to an unprofessional manner, and his primal instincts emerge. As I said before, the ending is open to discussion: does he cross the boundaries by hurting and taking pleasure out of it, or is his impulse justified as he cured the child?

The main theme, as you can understand, is the primal forces that can take control over ethics and the benefits of power. It tells the banality and simplicity of being evil and how easily morality can be compromised when power is at stake.

William Carlos William's story is not just about a doctor and a child. It is a sick and brutal revelation of how authority figures can slip into evil when challenged. If he didn't insist upon curing her, she was going to die. Yet he did get pleasure out of being in a war with her. So, what do you think? Was the doctor right to use his force, or did he cross unethical boundaries?