The story speaks to the strong (almost religious) beliefs about the power of medicine in American culture. In a culture whose main values are narcissism and materialism, medicine appears to hold the "keys to the kingdom" once held by religion. On a more personal level, the story symbolizes the experience of being a healer at any time or place. The sick are needy, vulnerable, and sometimes demanding; the physician is only human, can only accomplish so much, and is often mistaken. There may be an inevitable tension between professional goals and private life.