CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Paul Farmer

It would be difficult to analyze this great man in just a paragraph when the whole book was written to show what he has achieved in his life. However, there are some important aspects of his character to remember. First, he believes he can win the long defeat, his way of saying that he can overcome impossible odds to save the poor of the world. Second, he believes he can give up time with his family and put the guilt aside, because it's his job to help the poor and the very ill. Third, he believes in the simple mantra: He is sick and I am a doctor. He was born for the work he does and is obligated to do it. Last, he can put aside his anger at a world that isn't doing its job of helping the poor and ill, because he has no time for the anger. He must do his work which also includes lobbying the world and shaking it up in order that it pays attention to what it wants to forget.

Tracy Kidder

He is the author of this book, but he is also one of its main characters, because it is he who must document what he sees by living and working with Paul Farmer. He is a bit of realist and a pessimist who constantly wonders why Farmer continues his work in the face of almost certain defeat. It's only at the end when he finally realizes that Farmer's determination to win over the long defeat is what makes him great. It goes back to the axiom that having tried is just as important as winning.

Ophelia Dahl

Being the daughter of famous people, you might expect Ophelia Dahl to have been perfectly content to live her life among the wealthy. But her family faced a great deal of adversity as well, and so it is not unusual that she found herself in Haiti helping Paul Farmer. She didn't like it there, but she stayed and worked alongside him to achieve the goals he set for himself. They became lovers, but she wise enough to know that she could never be his wife, because his life was so disjointed. She wouldn't be able to stand knowing that she wouldn't see him for long periods of time, so she realized that their relationship would always be characterized as a deep and abiding friendship.

Jim Yong Kim

He is the Korean-American doctor who grew up to be a good athlete, valedictorian of his class, and a more than competent doctor. He falls in love with the work that Farmer is doing in Haiti and like him, devotes much of life working among and caring for the poor. Eventually, he sees how Partners In Health could set up the same model as Cange in Carabayllo in Peru. He finds he has a gift for the bureaucratic side of medical care and eventually gets $45 million to help eradicate TB in Peru. By 2002, he has become the senior assistant to the Director of WHO, a position that will allow him to help steer money to those who need it most.

PLOT STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

The novel is divided into twenty-six chapters beginning with the first time Kidder met Farmer in 1994 when the United States had invaded Haiti to place Aristide back in power. Then, he does some flashback into Paul's life followed by a chronological presentation of Paul's work through 2002.

THEMES - THEME ANALYSIS

The poor deserve decent health care and living conditions

The first theme - the poor deserve decent health care and living conditions - is the very essence of this book. The entire documentation of the work of Paul Farmer reflects this idea, one which will probably never be completely attained, but which is well worth the fight to attain it. Farmer learns in his work that it starts with the individual patient and ends with the wealthy individual who chooses to close his eyes to the misery around him. It is a constant struggle, but if even one person's life is changed as a result, it is worth the struggle and despair.

The Long Defeat

Kidder comes to realize that Farmer has spent his entire life trying to win the long defeat. This means that the doctor knows that his goal of bringing medicine and better living conditions to all the poor is probably not attainable, but trying and wanting to win are everything. Farmer is realistic and idealistic at the same time. That's what makes his determination so worth imitating.

The fortunate of the world turning their backs on the poor and needy

The theme of the fortunate of the world turning their backs on the poor and needy is evident throughout the book. It is the one aspect of life that angers Paul to the point that he has to try to put the anger aside in order to try to overcome this attitude. In his thinking, if everyone just did his job - caring for those less fortunate than he is - then the world would change overnight. Of course, this is a pipe dream, but he still strives to make it come true by lobbying the wealthy and powerful to do their part to at least eradicate the great pandemics like TB and AIDS.

The importance of trying to imitate Paul Farmer even though no one can ever be like him

The final theme, the importance of trying to imitate Paul Farmer even though no one can ever be like him, is not loudly emphasized, but is present, nonetheless. Paul Farmer is such a unique character that being just like him is impossible. However, wanting to at least imitate his work is goodness and a blessing for those who need our help. If more and more would just try, how much better the world would be.