The Literature and Illness reading group has concluded its sessions, however, you are welcome to explore the readings below.

Under each tile below, you will be able to access the readings by clicking on a link or by reading the embedded document online. We recommend that you click on the embedded link and download the readings rather than opening it in Google Doc. PDF documents can get scrambled when opening them in Google Doc.

In addition to the short story, you can also access a list of selected vocabulary accompanying each reading for your reference. If the short story is in a PDF format, the vocabulary is included separately in a Word document (you need to download both). If the short story is in a Word format, you can refer to the selected vocabulary in the footnotes of the document.

Reading list:
October 9, 2020 – Gabrielle Roy, “Alicia”
October 16, 2020 – Jack London, “Told in the Drooling Ward”
October 23, 2020 – William Carlos Williams, “The Use of Force”
October 30, 2020 – Mikhail Bulgakov, “The Steel Windpipe”
November 6, 2020 – R.K. Narayan, “The Doctor’s Word”
November 13, 2020 – Karel Capek, “Vertigo”
November 20, 2020 – Richard Selzer, “Mercy”
December 4, 2020 – Alice Walker, “To Hell With Dying”

Additional recommended reading:

Helena Maria Viramontes, “The Moths”

William Carlos Williams, The Use of Force

A doctor is called to the home of a poor, immigrant family to treat their daughter. However, she won't comply. Read more

Richard Selzer, "Mercy"

A terminally ill patient's pain is unbearable. Will his doctor assist in his death? Richard Selzer, Mercy Richard Selzer, Mercy Read more

R. K. Narayan, "The Doctor's Word"

A physician is called to attend to his gravely ill friend. Will he tell his friend the truth? Narayan, The Read more

Pearl Buck, "The Enemy"

An American-trained Japanese doctor working in Japan during World War II encounters a wounded American sailor. Should he save the Read more

Mikhail Bulgakov, The Steel Windpipe

A little girl is brought to a rural hospital by her mother. The doctor recommends tracheotomy, however, he has never Read more

Karel Capek, "Vertigo"

When a wealthy man falls victim to incapacitating attacks of vertigo, a young doctor decides that the problem and solution Read more

Jack London, "Told in the Drooling Ward"

The story is told by a man who has been living in "the drooling ward," a mental institution in California. Read more

Helena M. Viramontes, "The Moths"

The story gives an account of a care provided to a dying grandmother by the narrator when she was a Read more

Gabrielle Roy, "Alicia"

A young girl tells the story of her older sister Alicia’s mental illness. Photograph by Hari Roser Gabrielle Roy, Alicia Read more

Alice Walker, To Hell with Dying

Mr. Sweet's health is failing and he has been at death's door on a few occasions but there is a Read more