Dulce Mandujano

Written Analysis

The novel that I picked was Bitter Medicine by Sara Paretsky. The characters we meet

and are throughout the novel was V.I. Warshawski, Consuelo, Fabiano, Sergio, Malcom

Tregiere, Detective Rawlings, Dr. Peter Burgoyne, Alan Humphries, and Lotty Hershel. Vic is the

detective in the novel as a P.I. and also works as an attorney. She tries to help Consuelo and

Fabiano but turns out Consuelo and the baby die in Hospital Friendship. Later in the novel

Tregiere, a black doctor who help Lotty with some of her patience and works at Beth Israel, is

discovered murdered and Vic sees it in the news. However, it is not the only murder that

happens in the book. Vic and Peter start going out more, but Peter is acting weird. We find out

Sergio was a client for Vic and Dick an attorney for Alan was Vics husband for a year and a

half. Going deeper in the book Vic finds that Fabiano is murdered and Rawlings starts to work

with Vic to find what is going on. Getting closer to the end Vic brings Lotty and a couple of

friends to solve the puzzle putting the pieces together so the next day there is a conference at

Friendship. We find out that Consuelo was treated late and was given magnesium sulfate which

lower her heart rate to stop labor but Consuelo had diabetes. Peter kills himself because his

conscience new he didnt wasnt a good doctor and he wished he did what eh knew he could.

Alan goes to jail but is released. Vic follows Alan and when they go to his house she hears

Sergio's voice and they are talking. Sergio wants to hear Alan say he killed Fabiano and he

does but he states that Sergio did kill Tregiere so then Vic goes in the room and shoots down

some of Sergio's gang and hiding Rawlings shoots down Sergio and take both to jail to serve

what they have done for.

 When reading this novel i felt like a traditional detective since she was P.I. and had the

characteristics for it. She was tough and smart and didnt care much of the police or the people

that talk bad about her. With the people around and what she was experience was that racism

and assumption took place. Also the idea of keeping a statues which gives a view on how the

world is corrupt and people just want power. I think because Alan Humphries told Peter to not

treat Consuelo because she was Hispanic and maybe she didnt have insurance then when she

dies he pays of Fabiano to keep his mouth shut. Showing that racism and corruption take place

both at the same time during the novel.

The characterization of Vic shows she wants to find justice and put the pieces together.

She is head strong and local to the people he is very close with, Lotty is one of her closets

friends and knows the struggles she went through and knows that Lotty wants to help everyone

that needs it and because she showed the people in her community she is a good doctor with

innocent. Same goes with Malcom Tregiere he was slowly being recognized because his skin

color people still weren't sure. However, Alan already had power and people came to his

hospital but he didnt care about the people but money so he only helped the people that looked

good standard to pay the bills. Peter even though he was a good doctor he was influenced and

didnt see that being a good doctor comes with consequence even if you tried everything. The

issues that were put in the novel was corruption and racism which I explained and seeing the

things people will do and take advantage of. Th only things that comes out if it is hurting

everyone around and Vic wants to put justice on it to put it to an end. It takes place in Chicago

1987 present time and it at time diversity is happening and people are trying to get a better

living so they try to do things to get money for their family, like Sergio he was in a gang so he

can support this child that is at home but he is always away.

In the novel Bitter Medicine I got to see how the poor got affected with the people that

were corrupt and how they misinterpret because of the race that they are in. Those that are
corrupt will do anything to keep there status and there power. But Vic shows how there are

people who want to help those that are in need even if it just a small portion of there lives, which

she thinks she is doing, but she is doing a lot for finding justice in her community. The story did

give understanding in why they did what they did and how people look at it.