Comparing Paul Farmer And John Ames In The Handmaid's Tale

Both Paul Farmer and John Ames live lives that bring them happiness as they attempt to live out their vocation. In doing this, they influence others and find meaning in their world. Ames, in preaching his countless sermons and baptizing those within his small town of Gilead, becomes a respected figure in the town, with great meaning to those who know him best. Farmer lives out his vocation in being a doctor for the underprivileged, whether in prisons or in developing nations, such as Haiti. By living out their vocation, they are making their lives significant as they impact the world around them. So, while both Farmer and Ames lead significant lives, Farmer leads a far more significant life as he pushes himself to expand his vocation. Growing up, Ames had a very structured childhood, that lead him down the same path as both his father and grandfather. His whole family had been pastors, and so he believed that his vocation was also to be a preacher. He never explored anything else, however, and never really pursued an education, as his brother had. Ames resents his brother for going off to study abroad, leaving Ames to be the ideal son, despite his parents still favoring his brother. In …show more content…
In going to Duke, Farmer experiences all kinds of people and tries new things until he finds his vocation, and dedicates himself to becoming a doctor. He achieves this as he graduates from Harvard Medical School, and becomes a top doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital. The thing that makes him more significant is the fact that he explored all possible vocations, before deciding on what he was truly called to do. This is very unlike Ames who never considered leaving Gilead, or pursuing another vocation. If Ames has not experienced the world, then he cannot know what is better and may be settling by performing what he falsely believes to be his