Imelda by Richard Selzer (1983): A Review

Title: Imelda (from Letters to a Young Doctor)

Author: Richard Selzer

Publication Year: 1983

Pages: 16

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Short Story, Medicine, Memoir

Source: Book

This is a touching story told by a physician (our narrator) about a renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Franciscus, who is admired and criticized by others. The narrator and a mobile surgical unit in Honduras spend three weeks with him. One particular patient and the events surrounding her profoundly haunt both Dr. Franciscus and our narrator for the rest of their lives.

The story centers on Imelda, a young girl with a deformity, and her mother hopes surgery will grant her beauty. This situation raises a series of questions about arrogance, the ethics of playing God, empathy, and compassion. Even the narrator grapples with conflicting thoughts about what Dr. Franciscus attempted to do for the girl, particularly in light of her tragic death.

Was Dr. Franciscus driven by an obsession with perfection and playing God, or was he genuinely expressing empathy and compassion towards Imelda's mother? The narrative opens a Pandora's box of ethical questions that could spark discussions for days. It goes beyond mere ethics by displaying the long-lasting impact of such actions on the physicians involved. This issue is so complex that one wonders whether there can ever be a definitive answer.