Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder Essay

Kidder Tracy is a nonfiction writer of American descent. He has received numerous rewards for Mountains Beyond Mountains - his biography as a volunteer medical practitioner - which has been considered as a masterpiece. The writing portrays sentimentality through the persistent and selfless acts of characters - a piece that inspires, informs and engages its audience. Tracy focuses on nonfiction documentations due to the way he initiates actual events as part of his writing technique. The book; Boston, Massachusetts, and Haiti remarked as the main settings in the journal, follows the life of the main protagonist, Paul Farmer, as a phenomenal anthropologist and devoted doctor. Focusing on fundamentals of international health, a health expert ought to offer their service without bias. "Service" might pose as an ambiguous term if it relates, almost entirely, on entities, i.e., military service, hospitality (as a service industry), civil service, and societal service among others. On the contrary, service can be described as the offering of aid or supplying needs without the asking/enquiring for monetary reimbursements.

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The concept of "international health" incorporates elements of service to help envision the metaphorical meaning of the particular entity (Bhutta, 2002). Service, therefore, depicts the following aspects;

• Sustainable livelihood - a commitment to the protection of nature through acknowledgment of existing ecosystems, without compromising the need for futuristic organisms from attaining their needs.
• Social cohesion - encourages close interrelation between societal members. The overall objective is to foster active interaction and communal mentorship (through self-help groups).
• Volunteering - the art of offering one's help without the need for monetary compensation.

Going beyond the boundaries, one may describe service as a motivational demeanor that drives him/her to serve the community at will. Nonetheless, it can be translated as the impact of offering health in a societal setting. Tracy, through his biography, describes Farmer as a selfless person, one who strives to provide health to a population hit by calamity - displacement of people due to flooding. Farmer continues to protest of how independent countries, like the United States, fail to offer adequate support towards the health sector. Furthermore, the states in need are geographically neighboring the sovereign US. Farmer's passion for the poor, especially those he met in Haiti, was a revelation of a society in lack of service. His enthusiasm towards free health for the less fortunate, inclusive of criminals. Kidder was astonished by Farmer's principled mannerism. A man who stood firm to his beliefs, a visible manifestation of a decent man. The life of a "giver," yet steadfast man.

Farmer, as a social and environmental advocate, seeks to lead a life where he offers his maximum output and capacity to give without anything in return. The experience he portrays to the world showcases a man devout to his charitable intentions but putting into practice his liberal attitude. A man who embraced the lifestyle of those in need without feeling irritable or "lost." Health is a fundamental entity necessary for the sustenance of human life. In an evolved world, a world full of euphoria, health ought to be free for all. Life, as an entity, should not be taken for granted. It should be an experience that exposes organisms to a utopic environment. The biography, as described by Tracy, reveals the how Farmer transitions from a medicinal complex in Harvard to a more famished, eroded, diseased, and impoverished region in Haiti.

It might be safe to say that exposure to a particular environment might equip you with a couple of behavioral attributes. Farmer developed his character while in Haiti at a young age whereby, he picked up interest in the migrant Haiti farmers. Additionally, through years of research and after gaining a scholarship to advance his studies on anthropology, he realized the extent maternal mortality has affected Haiti. After a census in Cange, he developed a report showcasing the significant impact tuberculosis had on the population. However, one may say that Farmer developed most of his health techniques through experience. Being trained as an anthropologist, he might have been an excellent counselor rather than one who offers medical care.

The passion for helping, the desire to uplift the social livelihood of a community, and the volunteering attribute are critical constituents needed for selflessness. Being on the frontline to serve and offer maximum help to anyone in need. Always equipped with the energy to give all your power to uplift the "neglected" members of society. The biography captures the act of offering aid for the common good, regardless of any beneficial gains. People need to appreciate life and adopt the art of giving to society. The society should be embraced as a collective entity that sustains life as a whole. Its preservation will notably be essential to the ultimate dream for man, sustainability.

Survival, on the contrary, fails to satisfy viability of organisms. It fails to address the need to preserve attributes for future populations. Instead, it describes a society that lives according to resources available. Health is the social, emotional and physical outlook of a being, in addition to their well-being. Farmer, having been married and blessed with a son, had to move to Haiti due to his calling - offering charity services to affected communities. People should appreciate the willingness to serve. Through the Gates Foundation - offering 45 million dollars - to affected communities in Peru and Haiti - Farmer was still stuck on his mission to help.

The memoir, on the other hand, fails to offer the total happenings during the interaction between Tracy and Farmer. It might be quite apparent that journals tend to appraise the life of a person, a legendary being, instead of also focusing on negative aspect as well. The writer does not incorporate the full analysis of the story, case example the horrific experiences he might have felt while in Haiti. The disturbing images that might have disrupted his thinking for a moment or shattered his conscience. There is need to incorporate the darkest of moments experienced while focusing on the life of a perceived 'god.' Furthermore, the author ought to have included the frustrations that Farmer faced while he fought for the rights of the less fortunate, especially regarding health. The writer would have outlined the sequence of events till the moment Farmer transforms to a writer and international speaker to diverse audiences. Nonetheless, the author does not describe the origin of Farmer and how he became a nobleman - achieving multiple prizes and awards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the biography describes a hardworking man who fights to establish health policies that fend for the needs of the poor. Farmer works within his capacity to deliver all his energy to provide proper health care services to the less fortunate. People need to adopt such a lifestyle and be at the forefront to fight for the justice of the oppressed in society.

References

Bhutta, Z. A. (2002). Ethics in international health research: a perspective from the developing world. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80(2), 114-120.

Kidder, T. (2003). Mountains beyond mountains. Random House Incorporated.