Impact of Digital Absence

In Roald Dahl's story, "Man From the South", he shares a tale of a soldier who makes a bet with a perceivably wealthy man. The stakes are high with the potential loss of the wealthy man's vehicle or the loss of the soldier's pinky finger. To the soldier's fortune, the wealthy man's partner walks in and interrupts just before the challenge ends, and the soldier notices that she has lost all but a thumb and one finger on her hand. This could cause her to face potential challenges in her daily life such as self-care and navigating activities outside of herself, such as driving her partner's vehicle. 

Although the hand's digits (i.e. fingers) are small, they are constantly utilized and contribute a great deal to everyday life due to their intricate and delicate nature. The complexity of the digits allows for elaborate actions and manipulation of objects, and they must function in harmony in order to optimize strength, as well as stability. In regards to the woman in the story, she likely experiences difficulties with activities such as driving her partner's due to the absence of most of her digits, causing a deficiency in hand motor function. Grasping and guiding the steering wheel in addition to adjusting the gear could prove to be complicated without the assistance of her digits. In order to amend these circumstances, a steering wheel knob with a textured surface may be implemented. As opposed to grasping the entire steering wheel, a knob will allow her to wrap her two fingers around it, and as she maneuvers the vehicle, the knob will simultaneously rotate to accommodate for her motions. She may also place her palm on top of the knob, and the textured surface will provide extra traction so her hand does not slip. Because our digits are used incessantly, it is easy to dismiss the importance of their function and how impactful they are on our activities of daily living.

~ Pam ♡