2007 Life of the Mind Awardees

See also: 2006 Winners

Yue Cao, Electrical Engineering, Knoxville from Dalian, China
Daniel Conrad, Material Science, Memphis
Adam Deitz, Communication Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Kingston
Sean DeNeale, Civil Engineering, Knoxville
Parth Deshmukh, Computer Science and Mathematics, Chattanooga
Kelli Dockter, English, Maryville
Amien Essif, Creative Writing, Knoxville
Michael Jungwirth, Biological Sciences
Jennifer May, Pre-Nursing, Franklin
Alexandra Rogers, Architecture, Cincinnati
Travis Tillman, Pre-Professional, Knoxville
Allison Yilling, English, Marietta

Paper on In the Wake of the Plague by Jennifer May

Norman Cantor’s narrative discusses the Black Death in such a way that a student from any discipline can approach the text and apply it to his or her particular area of study.  As a Pre-Nursing student, the possibility of such a widespread outbreak as the Black Death is eminently fascinating and, while frightening, interesting to consider.  Arguably, the medical field is the area of study most closely related to the book because its many thousands of workers would be confronted with the problem first.

Students planning to enter the field of medicine should consider questions such as these:  Is there any way once such an epidemic has begun to stop it or thwart its effects?  Could we prevent the transmission of disease more easily now, having the scientific capability to examine its origins and the ways in which it can be spread?  Or would we be too late by the time we were able to determine a plan of action and take such measures?  Is such an event likely in our own lifetime, and if so, how will it affect healthcare professions?  Naturally, many involved in this career field will become anxious because there would probably be a rather large number of casualties involving doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.  Thinking about whether or not one would want to work in direct contact with victims of such a crisis is something that is extremely important when determining whether or not this particular career is a good fit for a potential doctor or nurse.

Possibly the most fascinating aspect of reading the account is Cantor’s consistent reminders that such a travesty, and “extermination of humanity,” could potentially occur again in our own time.  Considering that possibility, while frightening, is something that Cantor insists upon throughout the book.  He questions our ability, particularly in American society, to deal with such an outbreak.

He even goes so far as to claim that the next President of the United States, by the end of his (or her) term, could be confronted by the threat of infectious disease or biological warfare.  This may well be true; bioterrorism is certainly a notable concern of our government.  The effects of infectious disease on our population, if used in an act of terrorism or brought about naturally, could be catastrophic.

Cantor spends many pages addressing the lives of particular individuals affected by the Black Death, and how their families and societies were affected by their deaths.  This, by far, is the most approachable aspect of the text, as it serves to show the reader more than just general and vague accounts of the effects of the plague.  Understanding the way the epidemic affected society then makes it easier to imagine the potential effects on our own society should we ever have to deal with a massive outbreak of infectious disease.

In our time, we’ve experienced several “scares,” particularly since terrorism has become an elevated threat to Americans.  For some time, anthrax was thought to be a threat—there were several occasions on which news channels warned us that it could be spread through the postal service.  Then, mad cow disease became a concern, though it was more prevalent in the United Kingdom and the suspicion faded away relatively quickly.  Cantor seems to draw a parallel between the Black Death and the AIDS epidemic; clearly AIDS is not quite as widespread in the United States, but it is extremely pernicious in Africa and looms large as a potential threat to our own society.

Cantor’s narrative is, though brief, an approachable and extensive examination of the Black Death and its devastating effects on society and the course of history as we know it today.  Reading it was a very appropriate preface to my education at the University of Tennessee as the issues it addresses are likely to reappear in the future of our generation.

Contact

Michael Modarelli
407F Andy Holt Tower
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865) 974-9289

E-mail: mmodarel@tennessee.edu