How can reading about the illness that others experience help us make sense of the tragedy and injustice in the world
Illness in Literature Final Paper 216-01
In The Language of Kindness, Watson’s mentor Sue recommends that Watson keep a
reflective journal, to help her in “making sense of real events.” Sometimes the real events
that take place around us in hospitals, or in war, or in life in general, just don’t make any
sense. How can reading about the illness that others experience help us make sense of the
tragedy and injustice in the world? How does writing about illness function as persuasive
writing?
Reading literature about illness doesn’t necessarily increase medical knowledge, improve
technical skill, or offer clear medical advice. So why might it be helpful for healthcare
workers, caretakers, patients, or the public to read it? How does literature about illness
help “make sense of real events?”
Explore these ideas in your paper. Choose one of the options below to focus on. Two
scholarly, peer-reviewed sources are required.
Option 1: Contagion— “The Masque of the Red Death” by Poe
Option 2: Race and Medicine— “My Most Humiliating Jim Crow Experience” by Hurston
and “A Summer Tragedy” by Bontemps
Option 3: War— Either Nursing War Story and “The Wound Dresser” by Whitman
Option 4: Doctors— Either “Mercy” or “Imelda” by Selzer (or both)
Option 5: Nurses—The Language of Kindness by Watson and one of the Nursing War
Stories
Option 6: Poetry—Choose any two or three poems that we have read this semester. They
should be thematically linked. See me with your choice and draft thesis for approval.
The Basics:
Due dates: First draft due Wed., November 20″
Length: 6-7 pages, typed. You must include a Works Cited page.
Style: MLA
Sources: a minimum of two scholarly sources
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