Illness as Metaphor: words that burden the body
A short note on the harm caused when disease is turned into judgement, punishment, or personal failure.
Sontag separates illness from the moral stories attached to it. Metaphors may appear explanatory, yet they can stigmatise patients, obscure material realities, and make diagnosis feel like a verdict on character.
The enduring lesson is a demand for precise language: describe disease without turning the person who has it into a symbol.
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