Summary of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot - Book Report/Review Example

All Creatures Great and Small Introduction In All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot, a Yorkshire Veterinarian recounts his encounter with the actualities of veterinary practice in Yorkshire. On the word of the author, he eventually realizes that such actualities are completely different from the setting of the veterinary school to which he went earlier (Herriot 5). Of more significance are the easily noticeable aspects of interrelationships between humans and animals throughout James Herriot’s entire piece of work. In actual sense, nearly all the chapters of the book comprehensively refer to the supposed interrelationships. Herriot is, for instance, reported to treat both humans and animals he comes across as he roams through the remote land of Yorkshire with both love and kindness. Chapter One: Summary In this chapter of the book, James Herriot is depicted as a young man struggling to master his people’s most preferred animal husbandry techniques. In one scenario, he is presented struggling to help a cow deliver (Herriot 3). However, the calf seems to be in an inappropriate position for delivery. As a result, Herriot is forced to endure a lot of deductive reasoning from the particular farmer’s uncle and nearly gives up. Luckily enough, he gets a rope around the jaws of the calf and helps deliver a hale and hearty animal. Unfortunately, the farmer’s uncle does not seem ready to appreciate James Herriot’s efforts. Instead, he claims that his own veterinarian could have done a better job (Herriot 5). Nonetheless, this does not dishearten the author, probably due to his strong love for animals. Chapter One: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals This first chapter of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot perfectly addresses the theme of interrelationships between humans and animals. For example, the chapter clearly demonstrates the author’s love for animals and his veterinary profession. Despite the difficulties encountered by Herriot in practicing his profession in Yorkshire, the veterinarian’s strong love for animals keeps him going (Herriot 6). In one scenario, he feels experiences a serious test of career when a calf he tries to help deliver lies in a wrong position in its mother’s abdomen. It becomes even more challenging when the owners of the cow attempt to frustrate his efforts. The farmer’s uncle, for instance, fails to appreciate Herriot’s efforts even after performing a successful delivery of the calf. Chapter Two: Summary In this chapter, the author harks back to the day he visited Siegfried Farnon, his would-be employer, with merely no hopes of getting a paid job position. According to the author, most graduate professionals could only find small jobs to pay their boards due to the hard economic times of the time (Herriot 7). He is, therefore, extremely lucky to secure Siegfried’s job in the English countryside. This chapter also depicts the author’s anxiety to work in the new land, as well as his love for his new job and animals. He particularly shows an exceptional willingness to work with the dwellers of Yorkshire together with their animals. Chapter Two: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals In spite of the fact that this second chapter of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot does not openly address the theme of interrelationships between humans and animals, aspects of the same are presented in a few scenarios (Herriot 9). For example, the author’s willingness to treat the people and animals of Yorkshire alike with love and kindness is majorly articulated in this chapter. He believes that the experience at the countryside would help build his career as a veterinarian. He purposes to walk around Yorkshire with the sole goal of treating and protecting animals. The people of Yorkshire are also depicted to attach much significance to their animals (Herriot 6). This indeed shows the strong interrelationship between humans and animals in the region. Chapter Three: Summary In the third chapter, the author begins to go on farm calls with Siegfried, his new boss. He is very glad to get the opportunity to do real work. He particularly believes it is the best way to show display his skills to his boss (Herriot 14). However, this chapter also recounts the few challenges faced by Herriot on his first day at work. At one point, a draft horse is reported to lean on him for several minutes as he digs for a boil in its hoof. Later, he also survives a kick by one of the clients’ cow. However, this does not dispirit him. He is actually glad to learn enough lessons for the day. Chapter Three: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals This chapter address two fundamental aspects of the interrelationships between humans and animals. The first aspect is the cruelty displayed by the animals towards their human counterparts. For example, James Herriot is reported to experience a number of challenges just on his first day at work. In the first scenario, he is forced to stand the weight of a horse who leans on him for several minutes as he treated him. In their final call for the day, he also gets kicked by a fierce cow (Herriot 15). The other aspect of the theme is the humans’ supposed kindness and love for the animals. Despite the animals’ cruelty, Herriot only displays his joy and satisfaction with his first day at work. Chapter Four: Summary After finishing the rounds, Herriot and his would-be boss stop at a pub. Herriot is extremely lucky to be hired by Siegfried. The author gets into a discussion with a local farmer afterwards. The farmer eventually makes him understand the fact that marshmallow cream is one the most preferred prescriptions for hoof disorders in the region (Herriot 18). He later joins his boss at the Skeldale house where he is supposed to live for the next few months. The author is very glad to have secured a paid job after completing his studies at the veterinary school. He is even happier for getting an opportunity to develop his career and show his undying love for animals. Chapter Four: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals Despite the fact that this chapter only talks about the author’s time out of work on his first day with his new boss, it does not fail to hint at the said interrelationship between humans and animals. Humans’ strong love for animals in Yorkshire is, for instance, comprehensively demonstrated in the discussion between Herriot and the farmer who engages him after work (Herriot 19). The duo are deeply engaged in a discussion about the most suitable treatments for hoof disorders. The farmer, for example, believes that marshmallow cream is one the most preferred prescriptions for such disorders in Yorkshire (Herriot 21). This discussion unquestionably shows that the lives of the people of Yorkshire are more centered on the lives of their animals. It is the welfare of the animals, which occupies their minds and hearts both at and out of work. Chapter Five: Summary This chapter depicts the author’s anxiety to go on a farm call on his own. He eventually manages to grab a chance to attend to Soames’ horse who reportedly has a twisted intestine and must thus be put down. James Herriot is, however, incapable of handling the animal’s complications (Herriot 25). Unfortunately, the horse’s stable manager believes the horse would have been made well especially if Siegfried himself had come to deal with him. As a result, he later makes a call to Herriot’s boss to complain about the new employee’s incompetence. Siegfried, however, defends Herriot. Chapter Five: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals In this chapter, the love for animals by humans is expressed in two ways. The first one is James Herriot’s anxiety to attend to animals on his own. This certainly portrays his strong desire for career growth, as well love for animals. Even though the new veterinarian is aware of the possible challenges of going on a farm call alone, his anxiety fails to die. He eventually grabs a chance for himself and faces the challenges head on. The other aspect of love for animals is depicted in the horse’s stable manager’s concerns about the wellbeing of his horse. He is so disgusted at the fact that his horse could not get on its feet due to the supposed incompetence of James Herriot (Herriot 25). Chapter Six: Summary In this chapter of All Creatures Great and Small, Siegfried is presented performing a necropsy on the horse, which James Herriot had put down in Chapter Five. Surprisingly, he realizes that the new veterinarian had carried out the most appropriate diagnosis (Herriot 34). This definitely gives Herriot more reasons to put more efforts in his practice of veterinary medicine. In the same chapter, the author also comes across his boss’ younger brother, Tristan. He, however, reports that Tristan is not like his older brother, Siegfried. Apparently, Tristan has failed both of his veterinary examinations, for which Siegfried himself is paying. As a result, he faces much criticism from his older brother. Chapter Six: Interrelationship between Humans and Animals This chapter is a culmination of the theme of associations between people and animals in James Herriot’s book, All Creatures Great and Small. Due to the love that humans have for their animals in Yorkshire, Siegfried has to follow up on Soames’ horse. It is also not weird that the horse’s manager is outstandingly happy at the fact that his horse eventually gets on its feet after the intervention of Herriot’s boss. On the other hand, the author is equally happy at the fact that he had performed the most suitable diagnosis on the animal in spite of the unfortunate outcome. Based on this happiness, he becomes more anxious to deal with more veterinary complications. His love and kindness towards animals is a typical representation of the strong bond between humans and animals in Yorkshire and in the book (Herriot 37). Conclusion The book All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot expansively addresses the theme of interrelationships between humans and animals. This is demonstrated in a vast array of scenarios in the entire book. The author himself expresses exceptional kindness and love for the animals he comes across, as well as his profession as a veterinarian. In addition, farmers in the entire land of Yorkshire also show much interest in animal husbandry. Soames, for instance, is very concerned about the wellbeing of his horse and is extremely disgusted at the fact that Herriot could not help him get him on his feet. Works Cited Herriot, James. All Creatures Great and Small. London: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. Print. Read More