Deer of Providencia Essay Example

Deer of Providencia Paper The story â€Å"The Deer at Providencia† begins with four North Americans in the jungle of Ecuador. Three of the other North Americans are metropolitan men; our narrator is the only female in the group. As they made their way from riverside villages to the next, they came across a village called Providencia. There they saw an â€Å"awful† sight, a poor helpless deer tied to a tree. Its limbs caught in the noose around its neck. Its malnutrition body limped on the ground. The deer was caught just earlier that morning, and would be prepared for dinner that night. For fifteen minutes the travelers and village people watched as the â€Å"poor† animal thrashed for its life, trying to free itself, without success, the travelers proceeded to eat lunch. Here they were given a type of stew of meat in shreds and rice. When our narrator asked what kind of deer was tied to the tree, she was answered â€Å"Gama. † They were also told that the stew they were eating was Gama as well. The narrator went on to say that the meat was very good, and was surprised by the tenderness of the meat. The three men were surprised by how our narrator was able to watch the â€Å"awful† event earlier that day without making an expression. We will write a custom essay sample on Deer of Providencia specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Deer of Providencia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Deer of Providencia specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The story then switched, and our narrator is now at home. As she combs her hair in front of the mirror there is a photograph from a newspaper taped to her mirror. It reads â€Å"Alan McDonald in Miami hospital bed. † He was a burn victim, for the second time. He was burnt thirteen years ago by flaming gasoline. Now thirteen years later he is a burnt victim once again from gunpowder this time. Alan McDonald asked from his hospital bed â€Å"Why does God hate me? †(p714) His wife concludes to the piece with â€Å"Man, it just isn’t fair. †(p714) Unfairness happens in life, people and animals alike suffer, and that is just how life is. How you continue living is what matters. At first glance the narrator seems to be emotionally detached because she shows no emotion to the helpless. She has no problem eating the same kind of meat as that of the deer, right after seeing the horrific scene. One man went on to say â€Å"if that had been my wife, she wouldn’t have cared what was going on; she would have dropped everything right at the moment and gone in the village from here to there to there, she would not have stopped until that animal was out of its suffering one way or another. She couldn’t bear to see a creature in agony like that. (p713) Or one may conclude that she just does not understand why these things happen, in the case of the deer and Mr. McDonald. That â€Å"These things are not issues; they are mysteries. †(p713) But as I see it, the narrator is not emotionally detached nor seeking the answer to a question that is impossible to answer. She is a realist. She realizes that these types of things happen. Whether they happen for a reason or not is not the question. She understands that suffering goes on in the world, and worrying about it does not change anything. Why did she not run in to save the deer when it was suffering and was able to eat right after that? It is simple; she realizes that everything needs to eat to survive. The village people hunt to feed themselves. To not eat a meal that has been prepared is disgraceful to your host. Also to eat the meat of an animal that has lost its life to be part of the meal is a disgrace to the animal. I also believe that the reason our narrator tapes a newspaper clipping of Mr. McDonald’s ordeal is to constantly remind herself that whatever may happen to you, you should not lose hope but continue to live. Once I read that people who survive bad burns tend to go crazy; they have a very high suicide rate. †(p714) Mr. McDonald was different, after being burnt the first time thirteen years ago. He did not give up on life and continued to live his life. Was it fair to him that it happened again thirteen years later? Mrs. McDonald said â€Å"Man, it just isn’t fair. †(p714) Wh ether or not it is fair is not the question. The question is will he continue to live his life again now that it has happened again? I would believe he would. He has been through it before once. He was able to live thirteen more years, with his family and friends. Therefore after being through all the pain and suffering once, the second time might be easier for Mr. McDonald. I see no reason for him to end his life now that it has happened again. Like the narrator in the story, I’ve witness my share of unfairness in life, whether it be racially or just for no reason. I am lucky to say I have not witness suffering myself, but I have seen suffering. My uncle just passed away in April of 2008. His courage to endure suffering is what I keep in mind constantly. It drives me to pursue life to the fullest. In his mid 20’s he was diagnosed with having failing kidneys. He had to go through blood transfusions three times a week, as he waited on the donor list for a kidney transplant. As he was lying in his death bed at the hospital awaiting his fate, the doctors got a call a donor has been found. He got the kidney he dearly needed, but in a kidney transplant situation the kidney would only last 10 years. He saw it was God’s way of giving 10 more years. After he was married with one child, and the 10 year mark drew near. The second time was better than the first; he did not have to wait long. After the operation was done, my uncle found out that kidney he got was from a 12 year old boy. The boy died in a car accident. Was it fair for the 12 year old boy who died so my uncle to live? Did my uncle give up on life to run from the suffering? My uncle continued to live life fullest, traveling to his birthplace Vietnam, taking award winning photos, and loving his family. Until the 10 year mark once again creped up. This time was different from the rest; he could not be put on the donor list. So he went back to the ever painful blood transfusions. On April of this year, in Saint Joseph Hospital, my uncle, after a life time of suffering and pain, drew his last breath. Both in the story and my uncle’s suffering, shows that suffering and unfairness happens whether we want it to or not. Whenever something bad happens to you or someone around you, you will most often hear â€Å"Man that just isn’t fair† or â€Å"life isn’t fair. † That is the basic truth behind life, it is not fair. It will happen and does happen. As humans we hope it never happens to us. Unfairness can take many forms, so as can suffering. Whether it takes form in racial profiling, religious discrimination, or simply the difference between rich and poor. Was it fair for the deer that died? Was it fair for Mr. McDonald? The answers to those are simple, no. Why did the deer have to suffer? Why did Mr. McDonald have to suffer? Why did my uncle have to endure all those years of suffering? Why did that 12 year old boy have to die at such a young age? Those questions are not issues, they are more like enigmas. How we stand up, and continue to strive to live which will make the difference. I’ll leave you now with two quotes â€Å"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. † – Confucius. â€Å"It’s not your fault you were born with nothing, but it is your fault if you die with nothing. † – Bill Gates.