JASON. Oh. Jeeze. Clinical. Professor Bearing. How are you feeling today?
VIVIAN. (Very sick) Fine. Just shaking sometimes from the chills.
JASON. IV will kick in anytime now. No problem. Listen, gotta go. Keep pushing the fluids. (47)
"If arsenic and serpents are not damned, then why is he? In asking the question, the speaker turns eternal damnation into an intellectual game. Who would God choose to do what is hard, to condemn, rather than what is easy, and also glorious—to show mercy?" (49-50)
Neutropenia (noo-troe-PEE-nee-uh) is an abnormally low count of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight off infections, particularly those caused by bacteria and fungi. (Mayo Clinic definition)
I've been keeping a dictionary close while reading this. I hope you have too.
So now we know that the tumor "the size of a grapefruit" (47) is not responding to the treatment. Now we now that Vivian is imperiled not by the cancer but by the treatment itself. Now we know that she is in terrible pain. Now we know she suspects she is dying.
1. A Thrower-kind-of-check-in. Your reaction to the play right now? What is it about to you? Quote from the play in your answer, okay?
2. On Friday we continued talking about the attitude of the "health care professionals," as Vivian somewhat sarcastically calls the doctors and staff (though not, arguably, Susie). On the board is the quote "[The doctors'] job is solving the puzzle." Another quote is "Can the doctors have compassion for Vivian without losing themselves?" Respond to one of those quotes: agree, disagree, or answer the explicit or explicit question it poses.Go ahead and quote from the play in your response.
I have a bigger question for tomorrow, one I will ask you to discuss in groups. I hope everyone got the reading schedule I emailed yesterday.
Here's the scene that the last reading covers.
See you all tomorrow.
