Guns Germs And Steel Chapter 23 Analysis

1. The major character in chapter twenty six is Phin Calvert. He is a successful framer with three sons. 2. A large trait quality Phin exploits is confidence. When Phin sees his prized Bull in the worst condition in his long farming career, he has tremendous confidence in Herriot’s ability due to previous visits. 3. The first animals involved in the chapter are many calves refusing to eat due to eating paint off the side of a newly repaired hole Phin fixed with an old hen house. Herriot fixes this by removing the paint flaked board and giving the calves Epson salts. The second animal is Phins prized bull. The Bull is running a fever of 110 and cannot be brought down. Herriot asks Phin if the bull had been outside that day and decides
it has a severe case of heat stroke. Herriot remedies this by spraying the bull with cool water for a half an hour. 4. The main conflicts are person vs. nature. This is evident in the calves eating and digesting the paint chips, and the bull obtaining heat stroke. 5. The main idea of this chapter is the use of confidence. During Herriot’s first visit to Phin’s, Phin is somewhat doubtful of a new lad helping his animals, and Herriot is confident he can solve the problem. Later in the chapter when Phin’s bull is dreadfully sick he is confident Herriot can cure him. Lastly when Herriot cures the bull he feels the most confident he ever has on a case prior to his visit.

“On my honor I have neither given nor received any assistance on this assignment”