Journal Response: The Redemption of Human Suffering in Bioethics

This reading response journal, submitted by a student, delves into the theme of the redemptive nature of human suffering, drawing on the readings from the book 'Being Human: Core Readings in the Humanities.' The journal focuses on chapter eight, 'Vulnerability and Suffering,' and references chapter one, exploring the human condition through the lens of bioethics. It examines the portrayal of suffering in literature, including excerpts from short stories like 'People Like That Are the Only People Here,' along with references to the story of Job from the Bible, poems like 'Musée des Beaux Arts,' and other works like 'A Memoire of Mary Ann' and the painting 'Christina's World.' The journal ultimately argues that while human suffering is inevitable, it possesses a redemptive quality, suggesting that even in the face of adversity, there is potential for good and restoration, and that all things ultimately work out for the good of those who persevere.

Running head: THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
(A READING RESPONSE JOURNAL)

1THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Discussion......................................................................................................................3
Chapter Eight: Reading: Excerpt from the Short Story: ‘People Like That Are the
Only People Here: Canonical Babblings in Peed Onk’ By: Lorrie Moore..........................3
Reference to Chapter one: Reading: ‘The Birth-mark’ By: Nathanial Hawthorne....3
Chapter Eight: Introduction: ‘Vulnerability and Suffering’.......................................4
The Book of Job.....................................................................................................4
Musée des Beaux Arts’..........................................................................................4
A Memoire of Mary Ann’......................................................................................4
‘Christina’s World’....................................................................................................5
Conclusion......................................................................................................................5
Works Cited...................................................................................................................6

2THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Executive Summary
Human beings are vulnerable to suffering and are always in quest not only for the reasons
behind suffering but also to find out the cure and the redemptive nature of human suffering.
Readings on bioethics is essential for enriching human understanding on issues related to the
core of humanity. This journal aims at focusing on the redemptive nature of human suffering
and is an entry in response to the reading of chapter eight titled, ‘Vulnerability and Suffering’
along with a brief reference to chapter one titled, Nathanial Hawthorne's ‘The Birth-mark’
from the third section (Living Well) of the book, ‘Being Human: Core Readings in the
Humanities.’ In reference to the introduction section of chapter eight titled, ‘Vulnerability
and Suffering’ this reading response journal also focuses on the Biblical allusion to the story
of Job followed by ‘Musée des Beaux Arts,’ by W.H. Auden and finally, ‘A Memoire of Mary
Ann’ by Flannery O’ Connor. It also mentions about the story behind the famous painting
‘Christina’s world’ By Andrew Wyeth. The Journal finally concludes on the fact that even
though human suffering is inevitable, it is still redemptive by nature as they carry raw
materials of good. All things finally work out for the good of those who refuse to give up in
life.

3THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Introduction
‘Being Human’ is a literary collection dealing with the theme of bioethical
dilemmas (The President's Council on Bioethics: Being Human: The President's Reader on
Bioethics, 2020). This journal is an entry in response to the reading of chapter eight and a
brief reference to chapter one from this book. At the end, this report also mentions about
Wyeth’s painting ‘Christina’s world.’
Discussion
Chapter Eight: Reading: Excerpt from the Short Story: ‘People Like That Are the
Only People Here: Canonical Babblings in Peed Onk’ By: Lorrie Moore
In this excerpt, a couple’s helplessness, especially of the mother at the discovery of
their baby suffering from cancer, brings to light the horrific human conditions and sufferings
which take place at the discovery and treatment of cancer patients and their families.
However, the manner in which the couple fights through the hard times and the way in which
they finally walk out of the Pediatric Oncology Ward, emphasizes on the redemptive truth of
human suffering that one should never give up in life (The President's Council on Bioethics:
Being Human: The President's Reader on Bioethics, 2020).
Reference to Chapter one: Reading: ‘The Birth-mark’ By: Nathanial Hawthorne
In this story ‘The Birth-mark’ a great scientist leaves his wife Georgiana dead while
trying to remove her birthmark which to him was a visible mark of earthly imperfection (The
President's Council on Bioethics: Being Human: The President's Reader on Bioethics, 2020).
Suffering is a direct result of human pursuit of perfection in an imperfect world.

4THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Chapter Eight: Introduction: ‘Vulnerability and Suffering’
The Book of Job
Human beings are described as a product of their struggles (Gilbert). The theme of
redemptive nature of human suffering is portrayed through the life of Job whose story is
mentioned in the Book of Job in the Old Testament of the Bible. Once a rich man, Job had
lost everything and yet continued to keep his faith on God. Ultimately, God restored Job’s
losses by blessing his restoration in double measure.
Musée des Beaux Arts’
In this poem the poet makes an attempt to seek human beings position in life’s
struggles and sufferings. The allusions in this poem like Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,
The Census at Jerusalem, along with the Biblical Allusion to The Massacre of the Innocents
claim to describe the reason behind human suffering. The reference to The Massacre of the
Innocents draws our attention towards the God known hidden meaning of human suffering.
(Sarot). This truth that human suffering leads to redemption, connecting humans to Christ, is
certainly not distressing.
A Memoire of Mary Ann’
Flannery O’ Connor’s ‘A Memoire of Mary Ann’ was composed in memory of a child
whose face was disfigured due to cancer ultimately causing her death. Causing a feeling of
terror initially, it actually describes the discovery of joy in the midst of human suffering
through the pious life of gracious little Mary Ann. Imperfections carry the raw materials of
good. Beauty is in the soul and not in the physique. Deformed children also have an equal
right to live.

5THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
‘Christina’s World’
This famous painting by Andrew Wyeth portrays a picture of a medically challenged
woman named Christina, crawling across the field, leaning upwards facing towards her house
at a distance (Patterson, et al.). The rural setting of England depicting a few neglected
buildings at a distance symbolizes the conditions of undiagnosed patients like Christina
(Radonjic). It is a tempera art work which also portrays Wyeth’s barren world of suffering
after his father N.C. Wyeth’s death.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be stated that suffering, even though is an inevitable part of
human life, can carry raw materials of good, bearing fruits of restoration and blessing. All
things finally work out for the good of those who refuse to give up.

6THE REDEMPTION OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Works Cited
Bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu. 2020. The President's Council On Bioethics: Being Human: The
President's Reader On Bioethics. [online] Available at:
<https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/pcbe/bookshelf/index.html> [Accessed 9 March
2020].
Gilbert, Paul. Human nature and suffering. Routledge, 2016.
Patterson, Marc C., et al. "A Patient as Art: Andrew Wyeth’s Portrayal of Christina Olson’s
Neurologic Disorder in Christina’s World." Journal of child neurology 32.7 (2017):
647-649.
Radonjic, Aleksandar. "The Undiagnosed Patient in Christina's World." The American
Journal of Medicine 133.2 (2020): 253-254.
Sarot, Marcel. "Transformative Poetry. A Case Study of WH Auden’s Musée Des Beaux Arts
and General Conclusions." Perichoresis 14.2 (2016): 81-97.