Essay Questions

What was the political environment in Haiti during the time when the novel was set?

The action in the novel takes place in the year 1995, a year that marked an important period in the Haitian history. In 1995 and also in 1994, there were efforts to remove the government that ruled the country since 1991 and to introduce a new political regime to help the country grow and develop. The action was supported by the Government of the United States who even provided the Haitians with planes and other materials. The goal was a peaceful action that wanted as a result the reinstatement of Jean-Bertrand Arstide as the president of Haiti. The actions were successful and in 1995 Jean-Bertrand became once more the president of Haiti.

What is TB?

At one point, the narrator points out that one of Farmer’s patients suffered from TB. The illness is also known as tuberculosis and is a disease affecting the lungs of a person. It is an infectious disease and approximately 2 million people die from the disease annually. There are two type of tuberculosis, a latent one and active one and the people who are affected the most by this disease are those who have their immune system compromised. TB was for a long time associated with HIV because those infected with the virus tend to have a much weaker immune system. Thus, for a long time, those who had TB were discriminated because of their disease and because of the connection between TB and sexually transmitted disease.

What is meningitis and what is the role of a spinal tap?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane protecting the brain. Meningitis is usually the result of a bacterial infection and it has various symptoms such as headaches, confusion and fever. Left untreated, meningitis can be fatal to the person infected or it can permanently disabilities a person. Meningitis is diagnosed through the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid gathered during a spinal tap. The procedure implies inserting a needle into the spinal canal to collect the fluid for analysis. While the procedure is considered as having low risks, it is generally extremely painful and the person receiving a spinal tap may experience pain and nausea for days after the procedure.