SPOILER ALERT: only read the question below after you have read chapter eight.
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| Photograph with a view from Saigon's luxury, 5-star Caravelle Hotel rooftop, 1962 |
After Jamie asks Frankie to go with him to a hotel in Saigon that has "soft beds" and "clean sheets," Frankie confronts him with her knowledge that the surgeon is a married man, although he does not wear a wedding ring (86).
Based on what the book has revealed about Jaime so far, how much do you agree with his statement that he is, as he says, "a good guy"? What evidence can you provide to support the case both that he is and that he is not a good guy?
Given that some basically good people make some bad decisions and the fact that at some point almost everyone makes some good decisions, can we ever know who is and who is not a "good guy" and a "good girl"?
Is "goodness" a summation of all the decisions people have made over the course of their lives? Or is there a point in which someone can no longer take credit or blame for past acts?
Question 1 I don't believe anyone is entirely good or entirely bad, but based on the things he has said and done, I can tell that a lot of his motives are selfish. As humans, we are inherently selfish, greedy, and just bad. We don't like to think that, but it's true. Now, I do want to say that he does own up to his mistakes. He did what he was supposed to by supporting his then girlfriend and her pregnancy and getting married. However, he doesn't continue to honor that marriage, which is a problem. He also really does care about saving lives, which means he isn't evil. He's a complicated person who made some poor decisions and got stuck in a big mess. Unfortunately he either needs to deal with it and stay loyal, or respectfully end things.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2 In my experience the best way to know who is or isn't “good” is to just ask yourself, “Are they being deceitful? Are they doing things only for their good? Would me being around them do me harm?” if the answer is yes to all of them it's probably best if I steer clear.
Question 3 I don't believe “goodness” is a summation of all of our past mistakes. Those can be forgiven. We can grow from them. We can always do our best to strive and improve. That's the important part. We need to have a growth mindset when it comes to life. If we don't, that's the point when it becomes harmful. At the same time, this does not mean not taking credit for past actions. Just because you are a better person than you were before, it does not mean your past actions still may not have hurt someone or still affect people to this day. You may still need to seek their forgiveness too.
I definitely agree that the question of Jamie being "good" or "bad" isn't as simple as a yes or no, but I do think that he is making the conscious choice to not wear his ring. He knows for a fact what he's doing is wrong and is trying to hide it which is text book bad behavior. While I agree that he has redeeming qualities, I feel that him choosing to cheat on his wife in a place that has no real consequences for him shows his true character.
DeleteQuestion 1. Based off what I have read so far, I feel that I have more evidence against Jamie’s claim that he is a “good guy.” My first point is the fact that he had premarital sex, I am fully aware that this is heavily influenced by my religion, but it is still my opinion and, be it based in religion or not, is still what I believe. My second point is that he seems to have a reputation as a seducer, especially while being married, almost an incubus in a way. With those points being said, there are some points I have that would make Jamie look like a “good guy.” The first thing that comes to my mind is that he married his wife soon after finding out she was pregnant and that the thought of not marrying her never crossed his mind. This shows that he has a strong sense of responsibility. He also seems to be tender with Frankie as she is in the OR for the first time, showing that he is very patient as well.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2. The concept of “good” and “bad” people is flawed due to how subjective morality is. My example of premarital sex in the previous question is a perfect example of this. I believe that having sex before being married to another is a bad thing to do, but that is simply my opinion, it is completely plausible for another to believe that this is a perfectly fine thing to do. Based on this, there is no definitive way to objectively determine who is “good” and who is “bad” due to different values people have and their stances on certain moral issues.
Question 3. I believe that goodness could be determined based on previous actions, but I also believe that people have the capacity to change, not completely disregarding what they may have done previously, but rather putting it into a new light. The best example of this that I can think of is the apostle Paul in the Bible. Before his radical conversion to Christianity, he mercilessly persecuted Christians, killing them for no reason other than their beliefs. While going to the city of Damascus, it is said that he saw Jesus and heard his voice, marking his conversion, but it took him time to win the trust of other apostles, such as was the case with Ananias, who Jesus spoke to regarding Paul, who was still Saul at this point. Ananias was incredibly skeptical of what Jesus told him, but he still did as he was commanded. That being said, I don’t think the previous actions of a person should be held against them if it is proven that they have truly changed.
Question 1: I do not completely agree with Jamie's statement about himself. Jamie is somewhat selfish but he is also responsible. He did everything right with his girlfriend's pregnancy, but he has started to slack in his duties as a husband. He has not honored his marriage. However, he does care about saving lives so he is not a completely terrible person. Jamie's actions often contradict, he cares about the patients but he does not seem to care much for his marriage. He is a very complicated person and it hard to read.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: I think most of the time you are able to determine if a person is good or not by the reason for their actions. Many good people make mistakes but most of the time they are honest and unintentional. I feel that if you look into the person and their mistakes you will be able to determine if they are good or not.
Question 3: Goodness can be viewed as a sum of a person's actions. If the good outweighs the bad then they are a good person and vice versa. However, people are able to change. A person who did a lot of bad may change and become a good person. The bad actions they've committed may outweigh the good, but they have changed as a person and are a better person. I think goodness is a mix of a person's previous actions and the quality of the actions they consistently commit.
Question one- Jamie seems to be a good person with a weak will. Throughout interactions, Jamie has shown to be supportive and comforting towards Frankie. He also has a gentlemanly character, but this can work against him. It can seem he is being nice in the hopes she will go to bed with him. When switching the perspective to Jamie not being a good guy, a few red flags begin to show. The major one I notice is the pursuit of Frankie while not acknowledging his wife. Even after Frankie brings up his wife, he tries to create a distance by saying, “It… doesn't have to have anything to do with.. This. Us.” This gives a slyness to his character, making him feel more sneaky and less trusting to me.
ReplyDeleteQuestion two- I think everyone is a shade of grey. No one is completely good or bad. The human race is a complicated one with intricate emotions. It's hard to give an individual one label when they have done and experienced so many things. There will be times in life when good people make mistakes in emotional moments that could be seen as “tainting” their character. On the other side, people who have done horrible things, such as murders, have done at least some good. The previously stated fact can be seen in murder documentaries when the loved ones or neighbors of the killer state their confusion, saying that the murderer was a kind and outstanding person.
Question three- A person's “goodness” should be judged on their actions in the present and not solely be judged on a mistake they made in the past. I believe everyone is capable of remorse over their action and a change in their character. However, on the other hand, no one will ever stop taking credit for the wrongdoings of their past, whether that be their actions haunting themselves or someone else who continues to be affected. You can always try to atone for your actions, but no matter how long you try, what you have done has already taken place, and it can never be fully undone.
Given that some basically good people make some bad decisions and the fact that at some point almost everyone makes some good decisions, can we ever know who is and who is not a "good guy" and a "good girl"?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, a person is not "good" or "bad" based solely off of their actions. You have to also consider the intent of those actions and whether or not that person felt guilt and acted on said guilt. Everyone makes mistakes but not everyone takes accountability for their mistakes. Accountability is where you can tell whether or not a person is "good".
Q1 jamie is a complicated character on one hand he does some good things for example hes a skilled surgeon he takes risks to help people and he is kind to frankie in some moments when she is feeling out of place which shows he can be compassionate and professional however he does some very inappropriate things for example inviting frankie into a hotel while he is married he also purposefully doesn't wear his wedding ring. I think he is good at his job but i do think he is a bad guy
ReplyDeleteQ2 as a christian i hold the firm belief we can't decide who is good or bad that is in the end up to god now society can decide what it views as good and bad but what one society thinks is bad another thinks is good in the end i dont think anyone can truly be called good or bad.