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The Girl in His Shadow


The story of one woman who believed in scientific medicine before the world ...
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Is Nora's motivation to obtain her medical license a truly self-satisfying impulse, or has the influence of Daniel's career arc artificially given her something to prove?

Created: 04/30/21

Replies: 19

Posted Apr. 30, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Is Nora's motivation to obtain her medical license a truly self-satisfying impulse, or has the influence of Daniel's career arc artificially given her something to prove?

Given that Nora initially sets out simply to make herself useful, is her motivation to obtain her medical license a truly self-satisfying impulse, or has the influence of Daniel's career arc artificially given her something to prove? Is it a good idea for her, or is she doing it to satisfy the conditions in which she finds herself due to the influence of others?


Posted Apr. 30, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianac

Join Date: 04/02/13

Posts: 91

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora's motivation to get her medical license would be a motivation even if she had never met Daniel. I did not see Daniel's career arc forcing her hand in any way. She was, for all intents and purposes, a better physician than Daniel. Upon that realization, what other path would she take?


Posted Apr. 30, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Maggie

Join Date: 01/01/16

Posts: 434

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

If she is proving to anyone it is only to herself. That as a woman she can enter the medical field and heal people and teach others.


Posted Apr. 30, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jodyh

Join Date: 04/30/21

Posts: 8

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

She wanted to be a doctor long before she met Daniel, so I didn't think he had any influence on that whatsoever.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
laurap

Join Date: 06/19/12

Posts: 407

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I agree with Jodyh. If anything it seems her relationship with Daniel tempted her to forego her own ambition, but her strong desire for a medical career overcame her hesitation.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melissa c.

Join Date: 01/10/21

Posts: 111

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I don't think Nora's relationship with Daniel gave her something to prove. I do think Daniel's support provided her with even more courage to purse her own medical career. I also think Nora is driven by her own passion and not by the influence of others.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Laura C

Join Date: 04/30/21

Posts: 26

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora is on a mission to learn all she can, and meticulously document it, before she ever meets Daniel. When she observes Daniel’s skills, she realizes that she is just as skilled if not more so than he is. Her initial effort to simply make herself useful is what puts her on the path to realizing what she can eventually achieve.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Jessica F

Join Date: 05/23/20

Posts: 165

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Unlike others, I think it took meeting Daniel for Nora to peruse her medical license. While living and working with Dr. Croft, she certainly became an excellent surgeon, researcher, anatomist, etc. Once Daniel arrived, she really saw how capable (and better) she truly was! The frustrations of the rules of the time period fueled her fire. If the events with Daniel didn't unfold as they had, I think Nora would've been very content saving lives and helping people in the low key environment of the home clinic.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carriem

Join Date: 10/19/20

Posts: 237

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora always was interested in and capable researcher and contributor to the medical practice of Dr. Croft with a desire to continually expand her knowledge. She realized early on that she could not be a typical Victorian women and though she was not perhaps consciously aware that she should study medicine formally the ability was there. Once she met Daniel the realization was seen to meet her life goal and perhaps prove Daniel wrong that women could succeed as full-fledged doctors.


Posted May. 01, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
LWReads

Join Date: 08/09/18

Posts: 41

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Because of the restricted status of women at the time, I don’t think Nora seriously considered pursuing her license until she met Professor Perra. He showed her there was a place where it was possible for a woman to participate openly and fully in the practice of medicine as a doctor. This had never been even remotely an option in her mind before that. She expected to have to keep her medical work secret. Daniel’s arrival did not change this.


Posted May. 02, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulak

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 264

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I think Nora's trajectory was well established before Daniel entered the scene. Perhaps she did not consider licensing itself but as she gained confidence and was exposed to more medical professionals beyond Dr. Croft, it seemed a path that would appeal to her contrary nature.


Posted May. 02, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ssh

Join Date: 02/04/14

Posts: 99

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I think Nora was dedicated to medicine and did this for her own needs. But I think the circumstances of life (and meeting Daniel) did influence her. Maybe he didn't so much give her something to prove, as something to consider. I am thinking of how my own life has been affected by those whom I have met and worked with.


Posted May. 02, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
katherinep

Join Date: 07/16/14

Posts: 374

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora goes to Italy for one reason only--to study and become certified to practice medicine legally. She is never motivated by a need to "prove" anything to anyone. She knows she can do the work and the job--what she needs to do is find a way to get around the barriers set up against women in the field. Going to Italy seems to be the way. Meeting Daniel did not cause this desire in her, nor did it motivate her to find the way to achieve it. As a matter of fact, meeting Daniel might have done just the opposite--she may have decided to drop the whole idea and marry him instead. Thank goodness she didn't do that!


Posted May. 02, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
catherynez

Join Date: 01/27/18

Posts: 98

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I think her motivation to get her medical license was for her own needs. Once she met Professor Perra, she had a way to continue to further her interests in medicine through research and clinical practice in Italy where women are already accepted. She wouldn’t be able to continue to pursue her career and interests in England with their rules. Meeting Daniel made her have to decide which way to go. It would have been easier for her to drop everything and just marry him. I think she would have regretted that decision later.


Posted May. 03, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
MarieA

Join Date: 10/12/11

Posts: 256

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora's motivation is based on her desire to succeed in the medical field despite the obstacles she faces as a woman. Her determination and her intellect will allow her to succeed. Thank goodness she held fast to her goals.


Posted May. 03, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terriej

Join Date: 07/28/11

Posts: 422

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I don't think Nora's motivation had anything to do with Daniel. She had a quest for knowledge from a young age and was successful at medicine. She wanted to continue to pursue her skill.


Posted May. 17, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lefthandedlibrarian

Join Date: 11/19/18

Posts: 4

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I think Nora thought of herself as a doctor before she met Daniel and she never knew that there might be a way for her to formally study medicine. I saw parallels to the coming out process for many people back before computers and social media. Many people who felt "different" than others didn't know they weren't alone until they met or saw a community of people like themselves. Then the possibilities for their lives and ideas of who they can be opened up, much like Nora when she learns she can study in Italy and that there are other women like her.


Posted May. 22, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
christinec

Join Date: 03/09/20

Posts: 25

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

No - didn’t ever think anything but her own passion for the work was her motivation- don’t think his “arc” had anything to do with it - other than to emphasize the unfairness and frustration of not being allowed to fully and freely strive towards her potential


Posted May. 26, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
millicentg

Join Date: 03/10/15

Posts: 47

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

I saw Daniel as a character whose future path as a doctor and a person had been totally written by the expectations and rules of his class and family before he ever met Nora. If he had not staged a small rebellion against his family wishes and come to live and work with Dr. Croft, Daniel would have remained one of many cookie cutter doctors of the time , bored with his work and his family life. I believe it was Nora who inspired Daniel to challenge himself, not the other way around. Nora burned with intellectual curiosity and intrinsic motivation. She would have pursued her passion even if Daniel has not appeared. She just had to.


Posted Jun. 14, 2021 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bill

Join Date: 05/25/17

Posts: 23

RE: Is Nora's motivation to obtain ...

Nora always denied to go as far in the medical field as she could. At first, it looked to be as much as she can do in Dr. Croft's practice and subsequently in Daniel's practice.

However, when Dr. Pena came along, she could pursue her medical education. However, she may have not come to Dr. Pena's attention without the controversy over the surgery, which she performed with Daniel with no credit at first.

Also, it is not clear if she would not have gone to Italy without Daniel being able to look after Dr. Croft.

Also, it was surprising with all of her reading that she was not aware of women practicing abroad and pursuing that avenue. However, it might also have been because of her concerns for Dr, Croft.


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