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In The Assault, anesthesia represents Anton’s struggle to manage the pain of life, both physical and emotional. Years after the murder of his family, Anton decides to study medicine and focus on anesthesiology. Though he knows another specialty could bring him more money, he chooses anesthesia because he is fascinated by the way that patients under anesthesia occupy a liminal space between life and death. Anton’s desire to allow patients to be in this apparently painless space demonstrates his desire to limit the pain of life in general. This, in turn, reflects his struggle to work through the emotional pain he himself experienced at a young age with the death of his parents and the uncertainty of the events that led to their murder. Anton’s focus on anesthesia also reflects his desire for control in life. Administering anesthesia to a patient gives Anton a direct hand in their fate in a way that he has not in his own life, which has been steered by forces beyond Anton’s ability to control or understand.
Anesthesia Quotes in The Assault
The The Assault quotes below all refer to the symbol of Anesthesia . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Third Episode: 1956, Chapter 1 Quotes
He was fascinated by the delicate equilibrium that must be maintained whenever the butchers planted their knives in someone—this balancing on the edge between life and death, and his responsibility for the poor human being, helpless in unconsciousness.
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After the tragic night in 1945 that killed Anton’s father, mother, and brother, Anton lives out a relatively peaceful adolescence with his aunt and uncle. He chooses to study medicine, setting himself up for a successful career. When it comes time to choose a specialty, Anton chooses anesthesiology. He chooses this because, although it is not the highest-paid specialty, it will afford him lots of free time. Additionally, he is fascinated by the way anesthesia causes patients to briefly occupy a space between life and death. His referral to the surgeons as “butchers” signals his reluctance to participate in the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Re
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Anesthesia Symbol Timeline in The Assault
The timeline below shows where the symbol Anesthesia appears in The Assault. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Third Episode: 1956, Chapter 1
Anton passes his exams in 1956 and begins his internships, having decided to specialize in anesthesia. Though it is not the most lucrative area of medicine, Anton is fascinated by it...
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