Chosen Passage
It was about two months after she’d last seen Kenny when the nausea had worsened and become overwhelming. As she accompanied a new doctor on his rounds with the other nurses-in-training, the nausea hit again. Lucy knew she could either puke on the floor or run for the closest bathroom. Lucy ran, hand over mouth, gagging. Barely making it, she leaned over the toilet, retching, careful not to splatter her uniform. For the third time that morning, she straightened herself in front of the mirror, checking for any evidence of vomit. She made sure her cap was fastened securely, took a deep breath, and felt the nausea rising again. She pulled the door open, and Mrs. Reynolds, the matron in charge of the trainees, stood in the hall, arms crossed, waiting for her. (Good 115)
Passage Analysis
In the chosen paragraph, Lucy is pregnant, and she experiences nausea. Using the literary theory of new criticism, the text can be analyzed to show how Lucy worries about her job. For instance, she is “careful not to splatter her uniform,” and she cleans herself up in front of the mirror before heading out (Good 115). She also checks her clothing and secures the cap – these words highlight how Lucy is worried about her appearance. In this case, a reader can interpret these concerns as Lucy being serious about her job and wanting to look professional. The repetitions of words that describe cleaning or cleanliness support this implication. Most of the paragraph is focused on describing her stress.
The use of these words can also be interpreted as a sign of fear – these actions may mean that Lucy wants to keep her job and hide that she has medical problems. Her decision to go to the bathroom is an attempt not to show that she feels sick. She runs with her hand over her mouth because she fears being seen as ill, unprepared, or unfit for the job. The detailed description of her worrying demonstrates that Lucy’s job is very important to her. She is a nurse-in-training, and she is helping a doctor for the first time.
These statements show that Lucy is new to the hospital, and her worry may not be connected to her health but to how she presents herself to other trainees and the matron in charge. Mrs. Reynolds’ character is described through her posture at the end of the paragraph. The woman “stood in the hall, arms crossed,” waiting for Lucy outside the bathroom (Good 115). Mrs. Reynolds is likely a serious woman and a responsible and strict matron who is unhappy with Lucy’s behavior.
Work Cited
Good, Michelle. Five Little Indians. HarperCollins, 2020.