Reading Response #3

As I continue reading Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam, I am becoming even more engrossed in his vivid and engaging short stories. The seventh in the set, entitled Eli, heavily explores the theme of deception. At the same time, Lam has also incorporated elements that show the risks doctors face every day while trying to save others. Eli centers around Dr. Fitzgerald as he treats a patient (Eli) who has been brought in by police officers. Though the officers claim Eli simply fell while in custody, the patient argues that it was the police themselves who brutalized him. Regardless, Fitz reluctantly treats Eli. Through this, Lam again demonstrates the conflict of interest doctors face with patients, and how they judge them. In conjunction with the unjust police officers, Fitzgerald is not morally opposed to brutalizing Eli himself, and even goes as far as stapling his wound shut, acknowledging that, “we use the pain of this spot [the forehead] to wake the comatose” (178). Lam has questioned the ethics of doctors. Though they are under oath to treat all patients equally, it is being implied that no physicians do. Again, Lam is forcing the reader to question their own morals, and insinuates the question, ‘Does Eli deserve such treatment?’ This mistreatment also includes the deceit theme, as mentioned above. Fitzgerald, as a doctor, is being deceitful. Though the job of doctors is to heal, Fitz is hurting. The same idea is mirrored when Eli bites Fitz. Immediately, Fitzgerald’s thoughts are of disease, of what could be festering in Eli’s saliva. “Saliva, clear and innocent, but sometimes it carries infections and curses like the words it lubricates” (181). It is here that Lam presents one of the most profound lines of the novel: “Blood bears the curse of human malice. This life fluid may conceal destruction, the way words and thoughts can kill unseen. Within blood the idea of death can flow” (179) Both of these human fluids, blood and salvia, act as innovative metaphors for one of man’s most common traits - duplicity.

Afterwards exhibits the complex idea that even in death, human beings are still able to hurt another. Continuing the theme of deception, this short story tells the tale of a woman whose husband died from a heart attack at an undercover brothel. Only after the man’s death does his wife figure out the circumstances of his passing. Mrs. Wilhelm is heartbroken and enraged to discover that her loved one had been lying to her. The pain of this mistrust stings more than the pain of Mr. Wilhelm’s death, and the shame associated with it will tear away at the family. This creates guilty thoughts for Mrs. Wilhelm. She would wish her husband alive, not to have him back, but to berate him about his adultery. Instead, she takes out her anger on the hooker, Cynthia, and other clients. Ironically, however, while Mrs. Wilhelm is forced to live on in humiliation, Lam shows the contrasting idea that her husband died in ecstasy. It is through this comparison that the reader can fully comprehend Lam’s intention with this piece; for the dead, it’s over, but it is the living that are subjected to continued pain of the heart.

The next story, An Insistent Tide, gives insight into the often taken-for-granted act of childbirth. Lam presents the seemingly simplistic and common act of labour as complicated, challenging, and realistic, contrary to the conceptions of society. Janice’s husband Oliver gets to experience how ‘ignorance is bliss.’ Lam continually places phone calls from Oliver through the passage, where he asks about unimportant things like video cameras, and if he should pick up Janice’s baby books at the house (when he arrives in Toronto, by car, from New York). Oliver has no comprehension of the magnitude of Janice’s prospective caesarian section, and therefore, is joyously content to putter onward to Toronto. Janice on the other hand, is facing some of the most blood-curdling challenges of her life. Janice balances between her real life, and a dream state, where a tide is slowly swallowing her whole. The tide reflects Janice’s contractions, the female’s natural and normal prelude to birth, however in this crucial case they could bring on the death of both mother and child. In the dream world, the drowning of Janice, and in the real world, the suffocation of her baby. Faced with the prospect of losing her child, Janice makes the brave, or somewhat rash, decision to have the caesarian done with no anesthetic. Just as Janice realizes “the waves are going to crash over me, drown me. Why can’t I move?” (232) she is saved by Dr. Ming when the procedure ends, and she “turned, and glimpsed the exultant blood-smeared child” (233). The reader is left with great relief knowing that both Janice and her baby survived. Still, the reader is also haunted by Lam’s gory and evocative description of child birth.

The other interesting point about An Insistent Tide is that it brings Ming back into focus. For some time now, she has been ignored in the novel. Though this story does not give much insight into her character, we see her working well with patients (contrary to her previous tart portrayal), and learn that she is now an obstetrician. This gives me the idea that the last three stories will provide closure on the connected lives of Ming, Fitzgerald and Chen.

Reading Response #2

Code Clock shifts the focus from Ming and Fitzgerald’s relationship to Fitz’s career as a physician, and gives more insight into the life of a doctor. The story begins with Fitz heading towards a code blue in the hospital, and continues with him trying to resuscitate the patient, Mr. Dizon. Fitz continues, in vain, to try to save the patient, knowing it had been far more than ten minutes before the code blue was called. This passage highlights Fitz nervousness about treating Mr. Dizon, as he consistently repeats “I’m comfortable. I am” (94) to himself. However, it also notes how devoted a doctor is to his occupation, and the lengths one will go to save the life of one person. If nothing else, Code Clock presents the daily paradox faced by doctors - when to quit. This idea reflects back to the previous struggles of Ming and Fitz, questioning if they gave up on their relationship at the right time, or if they didn’t try hard enough.

The next short story takes the cynosure from Ming and Fitz and now gives background on Chen, Ming’s lab partner and new romantic interest. In A Long Migration, Chen faces conflict between the wishes of his father, and what he knows is right. This reincarnates the struggle that Ming faced between knowledge and emotion, and thus provides a common character trait between Chen and Ming. Lam presents an interesting idea about doctors, and underlines the struggles a physician faces when treating patients they have a pre-existing relationship with.

Interestingly, Yeh Yeh (Chen’s father) is presented in contrasting ways. In the present, he is portrayed as feeble, ill, struggling man. However, this is intermixed with knowledge of Yeh Yeh during his prime, in which he gambled, drank, slept with hundreds of women and lived a lavish life of excess. This demonstrates strong ideas about gluttony, and subtly implies that karma has a powerful effect on life.

Short story number six, Winston, has most definitely been my favourite thus far. The compelling tale of Sri’s dealings with a patient suffering from psychosis is truly riveting. I can say with great confidence that is one of the best short stories I have read in my life time. The themes of reality and trust are presented so artfully and beautifully, especially for a young author. Winston is clearly insane. He is constantly suspicious of everyone and everything, assuming there is some master plan to destroy him. However, he primarily blames his neighbour, Adrienne, of poisoning him at a party to rape him. This story evidently is ludicrous. However, while treating Winston, Sri has moments in which be believes there could be some sort of drug that could cause Winston’s symptoms. Sri continually questions his supervisor, Dr. Miniadis about this issue. Her responses are often cryptic, yet profound. At first, she tells Sri “You’ve heard that the sound of hoofbeats implies the presence of horses. It is true that we must look carefully for zebras, but for the most part we expect to find horses” (125). When Sri argues that the patient insists of poison tests, she replies “Naturally. Zebras. Always, people are drawn to zebras” (126). This delightful metaphor exposes that for the most part, what is obvious is correct, however, there is the brief chance that it is something unusual. Doctor’s must search for the unusual, even if in vain. Days later, Sri still is unsure about Winston, and again speaks with Miniadis. “Tell me, Dr. Sri, if you woke up one day and saw a purple bird in your room, what would you think? . . . What if you called someone to help you with the bird - to remove it - but then it was gone. What would they think? . . . There are no purple birds native to Toronto” (152-153). Sri continually disputes this, however, he accepts his enigmatic answer and continues on. Later, he goes to check on Winston in his home, where he meets Adrienne. She offers him tea, but Sri is reluctant to drink, still considering the possibility of Winston being poisoned by the woman. After finally sipping the tea, Sri exclaims to Adrienne, “Um... was that a purple bird? Just out the window?” (162).

Reading Response #1

Only a few pages into Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam, I was immediately engrossed into the high-stress, high-stakes novel. Straightaway I found myself captivated and intrigued by Lam’s detailed, yet elegant, imagery and descriptions. I was able to identify with many aspects of the first story, How To Get Into Medical School, Part I, especially the examination that takes place at the very beginning. Lam’s illustration of snow stung noses, buzzing lamps, rummaging for pens, and the “minimum requisite distance” (2) between desks instantly transported me to a tense exam room, which allowed me to emphasize with both the struggling Fitzgerald, and the excelling Ming. The relationship between Ming and Fitz is quickly established as a close, strictly platonic friendship, that longs to become something more. Ming’s rigid education and success based upbringing leads her to resist Fitzgerald, fearing that her parents would reject him for being white. Ming is now faces an internal struggle as she is forced into choosing between the realistic idea of what she should do, and the romantic dream of what she wants. We are presented with what we believe to be Ming’s answer, when she calls Fitz and exclaims, “You’ve been honest, so I should be. I am attracted to you, and now that we both understand this problem, we shouldn’t study together or even see each other” (12). The development of the seemingly, stereotypical female Asian Ming continues, as she balances her medical school interviews and reluctantly tutoring Fitz. Lam however, adds a new and unexpected layer to Ming, by revealing an incestuous relationship she had with her cousin and tutor, Karl, while in high school. Through the description, Lam masterfully inserts allusion and symbolism, culminating with the profound line, “when he slid the condom off, it looked exactly like a snake shedding its skin” (28). Snakes, used in the medical symbol, represent revival, and the shedding of one skin for a new one. This moment triggers the rebirth of Ming, and a drastic change in her characterization. The reader’s and Fitz’s opinion of Ming is fully shattered when she declares, “You thought I was so perfect” (29).

The next story, Take All of Murphy, fast forwards Ming’s life, where she is now in anatomy class at medical school in Toronto, with her partners Sri and Chen. This section is primarily an expansion of Ming’s character. The reader is given insight into her sterile, textbook methods, as she constantly contradicts Sri’s sanctimoniousness. Throughout this passage, the group is dissecting their cadaver - Murphy. This act is paralleled through a reference to the bible, Mark 16, in which Jesus’ body is cleaned and prepared with spices. Sri paraphrases this story, and provides the true meaning to Take All of Murphy when he tells Chen and Ming (while speaking of Mark 16), “Don’t be scared, says the shining angel who’s there. Jesus has rise, so tell the disciples that he will comfort and lead them . . . [Jesus] says that his followers will be healers by putting their hands on people” (51-52) - doctors.

How To Get Into Medical School, Part II contains the break-up of Ming and Fitz. Fitz is unable to let go, and his true devotion and infatuation with Ming is exposed. Ming on the other hand, fully rejects Fitz, ignoring his calls, and letters. Having been accepted to med school at the University of Toronto also, Fitz is desperate to be close to Ming. The two have a dramatic confrontation, and it seems as though their relationship is finished forever, painting the duo as start-crossed lovers. Though Ming seems reluctantly comfortable with never seeing Fitz again, “he felt a lingering temptation to turn around and gaze at Ming, close or distant, just to prove that he could do it and it would be okay, but he decided not to” (88). Evidently, Fitzgerald still cannot let go of Ming, and I suspect their relationship will be highlighted again in future stories.