Doomsday Book Essay
Uploaded by rentalabuse on Aug 19, 2005 |
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Doomsday Book Essay
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity” – Albert Einstein
In Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, this is certainly evident through various characters and subplots. James Dunworthy, a teacher at Balliol University, shows his indifference towards other people’s needs around him and only thinks of those he cares most about. A student named Kivrin that is sent back through time to the 14th century, disregards her safety and terribly misjudges her greatest ally as her greatest fear. Finally, Mrs. Gaddson, the mother of a student named William, only believes in the best of her son while he seems to be not as innocent as she suspects. All of these characters are either naïve towards other peoples or their own physical and emotional needs.
James Dunworthy is a wonderfully talented teacher at Balliol. His favorite pupil, the one he also feels the most empathy for, is Kivrin. This girl has decided to embark on an expedition to the 14th century. After much anticipation and finally, after the transporting had been finished, a technical operator named Badri Chandhuri comes, shivering and wet, into the restaurant where all of the scientists participating on this project are situated. Dunworthy asks if he has received the fix on the situation, whether or not there had been a mistake in where Kivrin has been dropped. Badri responds “Yes” to successfully receiving the fix and a doctor, Mary, goes to get him a Brandy. When she returns, he looks at the drink as if he has never seen one before. He is dazed, confused, shivering violently, and is brought to a hospital when he finally collapses:
If I could speak to Badri, ask him what he’d meant when he said, “Something wrong,” make certain the drop had gone properly and that there hadn’t been too much slippage, I might be able to stop worrying. (Willis, 94)
Although the man was seriously ill and lying in a hospital bed, all Dunworthy could think of was whether or not Kivrin was okay.
Kivrin longs to travel to the 14th century more than anything else. She even takes more heed in this than her own safety. The Middle Ages were filled with thieves, rapists, murderers, and most of all, disease. Instead of paying attention to details, as she should, and playing by the rules, Kivrin accepts the fact that Gilchrist is rushing the starting date of the journey. Even besides this fact, Kivrin was naïve when she immediately thought that Father Roche was a cutthroat. The first day she had arrived and was delirious from being ill, this kind soul had taken her into his life and helped her without complaints. He read her her last rites, told her not to be afraid, and comforted her. However, when Kivrin meets him again and sees his face for the first time, she immediately thinks the worst of him. He holds out to her, “…A huge hand, dirty and reddened, a cutthroat’s hand.” (240) Kivrin judges him by his appearance instead of taking the time to realize who he is by his actions.
Mrs. Gaddson is the infamous, overprotective mother of William Gaddson, a student. She only believes the best about her boy and always makes sure that he is well taken care of:
My Willy’s always been sickly, and he simply will not take care of himself. He studies far too hard in that drafty room of his. (88)
Although she makes it her business to blame everyone at the university, including James Dunworthy’s assistant Finch, of not taking proper care of William, the employees are not responsible. Finch is blamed merely because he is the one who made the tutor assignments. William’s tutor made him stay up over vacation to read Petrarch. Although Mrs. Gaddson believes that her son can do nothing but good for himself and everyone around him, William really stayed up during his vacation to spend time with his multiple girlfriends.
In this novel, James Dunworthy, Kivrin, and Mrs. Gaddson are naïve about the needs and ways of others. Dunworthy disregards the technician because he is too worried about his precious student. Kivrin neglects her responsibility of keeping herself safe and wrongly judges her friend because of the way he looks. Finally, Mrs. Gaddson carelessly thinks the best of her son while blaming everyone else around her for not keeping him healthy and working him too hard. |
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