Topic of Cancer

Topic of Cancer is Christopher Hitchens’ autobiographical essay about his experience with esophageal cancer. Though the essay is written about a reality, Hitchens incorporates extended metaphor, likening both his movement into a hospital and his cancer’s movement within his body to being forced into a foreign land. As Hitchens was a renowned intellectual and author who "wrote more than ten books," ("Christopher Hitchens") he was very qualified to write about his own health struggles.

The events of this essay begin just a day after Hitchens launched his best-selling memoir, Hitch-22, at the start of Hitchens’ sickness. As the essay continues, Hitchens remains in the hospital, receiving chemotherapy and contemplating his situation. It seems that Hitchens’ purpose in writing Topic of Cancer was a mixture of a scientific tendency to record observations and a mental exercise in putting words to his newfound emotions and thoughts. These purposes are best revealed in Hitchens’ description of his so-called “land of malady,” noting the way others act, the humor that they employ, and the quality of the cuisine. His intention to observe is revealed in his recording of these comments, and his examination of thoughts and emotions is exemplified by the way he later compares the way he feels to the popular Five Stages of Grief model.

I get the impression that this essay is written for a reader who is familiar with Hitchens and his works. Otherwise, the essay is simply about a writer’s experience with cancer and is not nearly as moving as it is intended to be. As mentioned before, the primary rhetorical device in this essay is the extended metaphor of Hitchens’ sickness being a deportation to a foreign place. This device both allows him to observe the land and to state his feelings regarding it. With the ultimate purpose of this essay being to get the reader to understand Hitchens’ experience with cancer, I say that Hitchens was successful. Hitchens spares little to no detail in describing his thought process and his stay in the hospital, allowing the reader to fully grasp both his mental and physical experiences.

Border between lush rainforest (land of health) and burnt wasteland (land of malady).

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Sources:

Christopher Hitchens." The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.

Image:

Why Is the Rainforest Being Destroyed in Brazil? N.d. Photograph. Your Earth Share. Your Earth Share B.V., 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. <https://www.yourearthshare.com/why-is-the-rainforest-being-destroyed-in-brazil/>.