Emily Eyberg
Mr. Neuberg
Eng Comp 102-104
14 September 2011
Single Paragraph Essay
A Selfish End
Jack Kevorkian is known as “Doctor Death”; a name created through controversy, tells one of his cases in “A Case of Assisted Suicide”. Kevorkian made one’s time of death a choice, allowing a person to commit a selfish act in a time of fear. Kevorkian created a death machine; he writes which would kill the patient without pain. Kevorkian attempts to justify his actions as much as possible. “More dismaying yet was the refusal of people who are known supporters and active campaigners for euthanasia to allow Janet and me the use of their homes.”(437) In this instance, Kevorkian takes a patient, Janet Adkins, whose Alzheimer’s is progressing slowly. Adkins talks to her family and Kevorkian on almost a daily basis, her family strongly against her assisted suicide, but Janet is determined to go through with it. “There was absolutely no doubt that her mentality was intact.”(439) Janet had another year with her family, at least, in a clear mind, yet chose to end her life early is extremely disheartening. If a person is in extreme pain, and death is within a few hours, then it could be better to let the person go. However, in the case of Janet, she had more time to see her loved ones, and her suicide was a selfish act committed by someone who was afraid of their own demise.
Kevorkian, Jack. “A Case of Assisted Suicide”. Power of language, Language of Power. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009.357-69. Print.
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