Question

thirty years later, i am not known for speed, or daring, or technical genius. call me steady, call me plodding; say i adopt the style and technique that suits the patient and the particular situation and ill consider that high praise. i take heart from my fellow physicians who come to me when they themselves must suffer the knife. they know that marion stone will be as involved after the surgery as before and during. they know i have no use for surgical aphorisms such as \when in doubt, cut it out\ or \why wait when you can operate\ other than for how reliably they reveal the shallowest intellects in our field. my father, for whose skills as a surgeon i have the deepest respect, says, \the operation with the best outcome is the one you decide not to do.\ knowing when not to operate, knowing when i am in over my head, knowing when to call for the assistance of a surgeon of my fathers caliber - that kind of talent, that kind of \brilliance,\ goes unheralded. from abraham verghese, cutting for stone. copyright 2009 by abraham verghese how does the author develop the theme in this passage? by recognizing marions courage in trusting only his own medical judgment and experience, the author conveys that it takes character to stand by ones decisions. by contrasting marions cautious approach with his colleagues attitudes toward efficiency and risk, the author suggests that true excellence in a field lies in humility and restraint. by highlighting how often the sayings and insights of marions fellow surgeons turn out to be correct, the author emphasizes the value of common knowledge. by showing marions desire to match his fathers expertise and decisive approach, the author illustrates that greatness requires consistently challenging ones limitations.

Explanation:

The passage contrasts Marion's cautious approach (knowing when not to operate) with his colleagues' more aggressive - like aphorisms ("When in doubt, cut it out"). This contrast emphasizes that true excellence in surgery lies in humility (acknowledging limits) and restraint (not rushing into operations).

Answer:

By contrasting Marion's cautious approach with his colleagues' attitudes toward efficiency and risk, the author suggests that true excellence in a field lies in humility and restraint.