The Hare and Tortoise as an Allegory for Surgeons
Paul uses the allegory of the hare who is a fast animal and the tortoise who is a slow animal to distinguish slow and fast surgeons. Paul says that the fast surgeon is like a hare who does his work very fast and might make more mistakes than a slow one. The slower surgeon is like a tortoise who goes about his work with minimal mistakes.
Allegory for the Kingman Education System
When Paul was studying at Kingman, the students had a limited vision for their lives. However when they were motivated, they started having greater vision. The narrator uses the following allegory, 'Suddenly there was a feeling in our high school that the two mountain ranges that bounded the town no longer defined the horizon :it was what lay beyond them.' The mountain ranges are allegorical for having no vision and small dreams. Seeing beyond the horizon is allegorical for setting higher goals.
Motif of stories within a story
The narrator interjects the main story which is of his life with stories of other people. These stories include the story of his parents' love where they had to elope to be together for they were not allowed to be together. There are also stories of his patients such as Mathew who was an eight year old child who had brain surgery and Mrs. Lee's story. These stories build other characters in the novel.
Motif of Internal conflict
The narrator has several internal conflicts that shape him as a doctor and a human being. These conflicts are : whether to pursue medicine or not, to pursue neurosurgery or not and to the meaning of life. These conflicts enable him make decisions that build him.
Motif of disease and death
In the biography, since the narrator is a doctor, the occurrence of disease and death is common. These instances include the narrator's cancer, his friend Jeff committing suicide, the death of several of his patients and his father's death. These sad events force the reader to think about life and death and the purpose of human life on earth.
