Ebola Outbreak
Virus Ravages West African Nations
What is Ebola?
What's Different About This Virus?
This small worm like virus causes harsh symptoms that work together to destroy the human body. The symptoms range from extreme fever to unexplained hemorrhaging. These symptoms can appear anywhere between 2 and 21 days after contact with the virus, however, the average appearance of the symptoms is 8 to 10 days. Recovering from Ebola relies mainly on good clinical care and the patients immune system, as there is no known cure. (Center for Disease Control)
Ebola Response Team
The new aide teams are trained to identify the main symptoms of Ebola, how to properly care for the Ebola patient, and to teach others how to treat the patients (Kime, USA Today)
Aid Workers In Short Supply to Help Sick Patients
As the Ebola epidemic begins to take hold throughout West Africa, more volunteers are needed to keep up with the growing numbers. UNICEF's leading volunteer Sheldon Yett states, "I'm astounded by how difficult it has been to get the partners we need."
How the Disease Progesses
What the United States is Doing to Help Stop the Epidemic
One Nurse's Story
Vinson, although grateful that she survived, still channels her do-good personality. As she said at her discharge celebration, "While this is a day for celebration and gratitude, I ask that we not lose focus on the thousands of families who continue to labor under the burden of this disease in West Africa." Vinson was discharged with confidence by Dr. Craig Spencer as he announces that Amber "has recovered from her infection with Ebola virus, and she can return to ... her community and to her life." (Botehlo, CNN.)
Even though Vinson was discharged with confidence that she had recovered and was no longer contagious, the stigma that often follows Ebola survivors still haunts her. After discovering that Vinson had contracted Ebola, the world reacted harshly and quickly.
They came at her with accusations about her not being careful enough or not following the proper protocol. Vinson was baffled. After she was healthy Vinson responded, "I'm a nurse. I care. I care for me. I would not put myself in danger. First, I would not take Ebola to my family and my best girlfriends. I would not endanger families across the nation, potentially exposing them to anything. I had no symptoms. There was no way, at that time -- I could not transmit it." Her diagnosis of Ebola also plagued her with judgement and ridicule from America. (Shoichet, CNN)
How Does This Relate to The Crucible?
Abigail Williams is found gallivanting through the forest with some other girls practicing witchcraft with their servant, Tituba (Miller, 1034) . A witness discovered their inconspicuous acts of witchcraft in the forest and brought it to the towns attention (Miller, 1030).
Throughout the commotion, we follow the relationship between Elizabeth and John Proctor and how it progresses throughout the play. Their relationship was divided by Williams as she had an affair with John (Miller, 1055).
The town of Salem erupts with fear and accusation as the witch trials began to take the lives of innocent people, people who were unwillingly swept under Abigail's lie (Miller, Act 3). Elizabeth Proctor stayed the most level headed out of the main character as she spoke the truth and what she believed with no hesitation, "I cannot think the Devil may own a woman's soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe it." (Miller, 1065)
This quote relates back to the Ebola crisis because it shows that some do know and speak the truth, just as Vinson did in response to the country's backlash to her diagnoses. John Proctor had the biggest character change throughout the play, as he began to understand himself in relation to others. However the only way he though he could make this right was by trying to fight the stubborn court, when he knew his fate. He directly attacked the court about their irrational prosecution of citizens.
Specifically in the following quote, "And why not, if they must hang for denyin' it? There are them that will swear to anything before they'll hang; have you never thought of that?" (Miller, Act 2) This quote is revealing that this whole uproar about witchcraft and how it was being handled was almost pointless due to the fact that people will do anything out of fear, even confess something they are not or face the consequences of what they deny.
This relates to the new Ebola crisis because many that are infected, or have come into contact with Ebola, are assumed to be contagious or a danger to society. The fear that Ebola has provoked, has caused false cases and over speculation about how to avoid it or what Ebola actually is (Shoichet, CNN).
Throughout The Crucible many innocent people were killed due to a child's game over a crush. One of those people being Elizabeth Proctors husband, John Proctor. John thought that because he had an affair with Abigail that he had caused all of this. In John's mind, the only way to repay the town was to give himself up to the witch trials to try and put an end to it all.
Elizabeth expresses his feelings, along with her own, after he made the final decision to be hanged for witchcraft in the following quote, "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take that from him." (Miller, 1112) This quote exposes that John felt the only way to redeem himself in the community was to confess to something he did not do and that it was the right thing to do. John also felt that if he confessed to something he didn't do he would help save the lives of many, including his wife.
Many volunteers that are helping stop the spread of Ebola are risking their lives to save others (Brown, ThinkProgress), just as John did. Some volunteer did suffer the consequences of helping the crisis. Such as Amber Vinson, who helped try and ave a mans life with a co-worker but soon became infected with the deadly virus (Botehlo, CNN).
As witchcraft was discovered to be haunting Salem, the community quickly was overtaken with fear. Although the culprit tried to play it off, as described in the following quote, "Now look you. All of you. We danced." (Abigail, 1034) The town knew the truth. This quote and feeling of quick fear relates directly back to the Ebola epidemic because once someone is diagnosed with it, or it makes its way to America, everyone is fear stricken and baffled at the concept of the diagnoses. Just as is Vinson's case, once she was diagnosed the community around her instantly felt endangered by her presence because they were afraid of contracting Ebola themselves. (Shoichet, CNN)
Work Cited
"Aid Workers In Short Supply As Ebola Grips Liberia." RSS 20. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Botelho, Greg. "Nurse's Discharge Leaves One Ebola Case in U.S., Though Larger Battle Continues." CNN. N.p., 28 Oct. 2014. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.
"Ebola Virus Disease Information for Clinicians in U.S. Healthcare Settings." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Nov. 2014. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Kime, Patricia. "U.S. Military to Train More Ebola Response Teams." USA Today. N.p., 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.
Shoichet, Catherine E., Greg Botelho, and Jason Hanna. "How Did Nurse Amber Vinson Get Ebola? 'It Is a Mystery to Me,' She Tells CNN." CNN. Cable News Network, 06 Nov. 2014. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
"Signs and Symptoms." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 02 Nov. 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
Somanader, Tanya. "President Obama on America's Response to Ebola: "When Disease or Disaster Strikes, Americans Help"" The White House. N.p., 28 Oct. 2014. Web. 7 Dec. 2014.
"What 3,000 American Troops Will Be Doing To Fight Ebola In Africa." ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.