The book “Mountains Beyond Mountains” was written about Farmer to show what he has achieved in his life.
In his life, he leaves important aspects that make the reader remember. He has a strong belief that he can win and overcome all the impossible odds to save fellow human beings who are poor. He gives up time he can spend with his family and puts away this guilt since he sees it as his job to help the poor and the very ill. These qualities enhance the development of the book since as he puts it, “he is sick and I am a doctor.
” He believes he was born for his work and is therefore obligated to them. His forgiving nature among many other qualities enables him to put aside his anger (Kidder, 2003). He says that this anger is not going to help him do his job of helping the poor and the sick and thus he has no time for anger. Some of his traits that are going to be discussed bellow enable him to believe that he must do his work which also includes lobbying the entire world so as to pay attention on what it wants to forget like the Haiti problems.
Farmer is realistic in his argument that it makes no sense to apply the principles of constitution law to a state that no functioning legal system. He says that those arguing for the principles of constitutions are “rednecks” while those against this idea are championing of human rights since they are advocating for preventive detention. His idea that the poor deserve decent health care and living conditions is a massage that promotes his whole life from that of an individual patient to a point that he was now a great politician. His rational arguments makes him conclude that it is impossible not know the killer of assistant mayor in a smll area (Kidder, 2003).
His argumentative nature makes him involve in a circuitous conversation with Captain Carroll, he expresses his concern of the U.S. trying to fix Haiti. This fixation he says would aid business interest but would not even help the suffering of the poor. Kidder who is also a character is impressed with Farmers enthusiasm about the island nation and how he enjoys living among the poor (Saussy & Kidder, 2009).In addition to being realistic with life, Farmer is devoted since he spend most of his time in Haiti even though he was getting old and was dressing like “big-shot.
” He is devoted to his wok and education to the point that he became a professor of both medicine and medical anthropology at Harvard school of medicine (Saussy & Kidder, 2009). He was also an attending physician on Brigham senior staff. During treatments, he discusses patients and elicits opinions of his staff about whether to continue treatment for any infection. His realistic nature makes him generous with life.
Having received a grant of $220, 000 from MacArthur foundation for the genius grant, Farmer donated the entire sum to partners in Health for research (Kidder, 2003). His generosity makes him stand out in that, other clinics treat patients but none is as equipped as that of Farmer. In Farmer’s clinic, no patient has to pay for the care they are given. Haiti doctors told him that he needs to charge users fee which was about eighty cent a day, but Farmer had his own way and rules.
He allows every patient to pay eighty cents except women and children. Additionally, no one was allowed to be turned away. Despite these qualities, Farmer is foul-mouthed as Kidder came to understand. In his statement,, where he says that he feels ambivalent about selling his services in a world where no one can buy them, he adds that “you can feel ambivalent about that, because you should feel ambivalent. Comma.
” Farmer most often uses the word comma at the end of a sentence to stand for the word “asshole.” In this instance with Kidder, he did not refer to him but referred to a third party who feels comfortable with the distortion of money and medicine in the world (Kidder, 2003). Farmer is impatient because in his book, he is depicted to be a angry physician who shouts out the need for his patients and how the poor are the ones who suffer more. He says that this is because they are poor and they don’t have access to necessary care (Saussy & Kidder, 2009). To kidder, he has split personality where in some circumstances he is calm, caring and laid back doctor who goes an extra mile to manage his patient at his best. On the other hand, he seems to be impatient with the changes that are taking place at a slow pace that necessary.
This makes Kidder disturbed and intrigued about what Farmer will become in future (Kidder, 2003).Finally, Farmer who is the heart of the book is an amazing individual whose work can be emulated but he himself can never be imitated. Farmer devoted his life to what he calls the long life. Despite the challenges in Haiti, farmer sees to it that he must win. He is the protagonist in the book and an amazing doctor who works long to defeat his life.
This means he works tirelessly to defeat poverty and gives decent healthcare. The book shows how Farmer spends his days and how dedicated he is to every patient. On the other hand, these people love him and call him their god.
