Sherwin Nulands How we die/Spring 2015;HUM 345 Health Care Humanities
Final Essay Assignment: Sherwin Nulands How We Die
Follow the Guidelines for Humanities Essays and write a 4-6 page critical argument responding to one of the topics listed below or to an approved topic of your own choice. The paper is due by midnight on April 25th in turnitin.com via Blackboard. The essay must focus on Sherwin Nulands book of essays How We Die: Reflections on Lifes Final Chapter and it much show familiarity with the text as a whole. However it should keep in mind the broader context of the course and it may incorporate any of the materials studied during the semester.
Choose and refine one of the following topics to suit your purpose or choose a topic that came up in class. If you choose the latter make sure to run your argument by me first.
1. Consider Nulands objectives in writing How We Die and the Lessons Learned he arrives at in the final chapter and Coda. What are the lessons learned and how are they significant? In light of this what do you see as the value of this text to patients families healthcare professionals and readers in general?
2. Nuland comments repeatedly on the importance of clinical wisdom vs. biomedical (laboratory) knowledge in the treatment of dying patients. What is his position on laboratory science and why does he feel the biomedical approach may be misguided under certain circumstances? Consider how Nuland might have responded to Jason and Dr. Kelekian.
3. Think about Nulands style of writing in particular how he balances biomedical realism with literary strategies. How does Nuland supplement his account of clinical facts with other literary devices including narrative examples personal observations imagery and autobiography? How does this contribute to or detract from his message?
4. Is How We Die simply what Nuland claims he intends: an attempt to demythologize dyingto present it in its biological and clinical reality or does he seem to have another agenda? What is it and how does he communicate it?
5. Given the popularity of physician writing recently what impressions of Nuland as a person and physician are communicated and how? How does this particular work argue for the popular appeal of writing by physician authors? What about Nuland may make his text appealing to readers?
