Answering “The doctor and the hospital” film questions.
The following questions are designed to stimulate student thinking for Forum postings.. Although students should consider all questions, it is not necessary for them to respond in writing to all of these questions. ( any two questions for each films)
Study questions for The Doctor.
(1) What are the glaring limitations of this very capable doctor, professionally and personally? How do viewers know this?
(2) How does the doctor know that he has a medical problem? What is it, and how serious is it? Why does he have such difficulty in believing in its severity?
(3) When he becomes seriously ill, what problems does he have with the way he is treated in the hospital, and how he is treated by his own doctor?
(4) Why is the doctor moved to become so personally connected to June? How does she serve his critical needs at this desperate time? How is the warmth and meaning of their relationship conveyed? Why are the two stories that June tells (one verbally and one in writing) so significant to the doctor?
(5) How and why has June been mistreated by the medical profession and the healthcare system?
(6 ) Why is the doctor’s wife such an appealing character? Why does she have such difficulty communicating with her husband?
(7) How and why is the doctor transformed by his experience? How is this transformation so significant personally and professionally to the doctor?
(8) What critique of the medical profession does the film evoke? How does the film present this damning critique?
Study questions on The Hospital
(1) What are the compound reasons that result in Dr. Bock being in such a distressed state?
(2) What are the extremely troubling and bizarre circumstances with which the hospital is dealing? What are these circumstances originally attributed to?
(3) Why are there protests against the hospital? What are the arguments on both sides of the controversy? What significant factor complicates the issue?
(4) What experience does Dr. Bock have that diminishes his desperation? Why and how does this experience change him?
(5) What is discovered to really be the reason for the bizarre events? How are Dr. Bock’s love interest, Barbara Drummond, and her father involved? What reason does Barbara’s father have for his extreme actions?
(6) How do Barbara and her father deal with the crime that was committed? Why does their tactic work?
(7) How does the departure of the Drummonds affect Dr. Bock? What is the mission that Dr. Bock has now taken upon himself to accomplish? What accounts for the transformation of Dr. Bock?
(8) Why did the filmmakers use exaggeration and farce to make their point? What is that point?
