Reader's Ink discussion

How did you feel about Truly using the potion on Priscilla Sparrow and Robert Morgan? Was it mercy or murder?

So many ethical and moral dilemmas here.

Ultimately, I'd have to go with mercy on this.

I have a problem with people suffering with no hope of it getting better. It's a terrible thing to have to go through. I really felt, In both cases, that with or without the potion, they would have eventually died. They were at a time and place where there was no further medical treatment, and it seemed there wasn't even any treatment to relieve the symptoms. When the situation is as bad as this, why not allow a person to end the suffering? Both of them knew what they were doing. Both of them chose it- so although Truly made the potion, they still chose to use it. Wouldn't that be suicide over murder? I mean, you can't really blame the manufacturer of te gun if the person holding it chooses to point it at himself. Or the architect of a bridge if a person jumps off.

Anyway- back to my point. I know the physician assisted suicide debate has gone on for years, and it's not a pleasant one. But I hate to see people suffer. In fact, I will admit to being frustrated with God for keeping my grandfather alive those last few years. He was old (90-something) and had lived a great life. And deteriorated to such a confused, painful state, and as much as I loved him, I knew he needed to go. And yet he seemed to linger for so long - and it was awful, seeing him like that. Absolutely awful. And if he had been offered a quicker way out, to not go through all the pain in the end, I would have not blamed him at all for taking it.

I (in a couple cases, we) have a few friends who have lost their parents to cancer. I've watched them fight until the end- but for those that lose the battle, there always seems to come when the doctors no longer try to cure the disease, but try to help the person be as comfortable as possible. Yet still- there is so much pain and suffering. For these cases, when fighting through would be nothing short of a miracle, I think a mercy option might actually be a good one.

Last point- the horses were talked about in the book. They will kill the horse when it is injured or too sick. We do the same with our pets now- if the vet can't do anything more, we have a difficult choice to make, and putting them down is one of the options. We do that because there is no point in letting our pet suffer, and they will not have any quality of life. Its not an easy decision for most pet owners, and one usually made out of love. So why not let people have the same option? Especially when we can actually choose it for ourselves, and our pets cannot?

Ok- that's my rant- would love to read other opinions. Oh, also- opinions in Amelia taking the potion?

Alisha, I had never thought about the pet angle! You make lots of compelling points.

As for Truly, I don't think she acts in mercy OR murder. I think it's an exertion of power. Sure, there's SOME mercy mixed in her action, but she loves having power over bitchy Miss Sparrow and especially Robert Morgan. (And for RM, she ensures there's nothing sweet in the potion to make it easier to take, right?) Revenge and the POWER to give mercy are what make her go forward. And she does, I think, the right thing, so I certainly wouldn't call it murder.

As for Amelia? Amelia showed her true colors earlier in the book when she did the worst possible thing she could do to her only friend for the sake of some property. (Yeah, I know, she inherited debts. But still.) And then drinking the potion was a cowardly act.

Alisha, you and I are again spot on with this topic. I've had loved ones that I would have done anything to help them not suffer any more. When I was having a bad bout with my first cancer round and the chemo was really hard, I kept talking to family and friends begging them to not let me suffer too long. Especially when I don't have control, or if I should become such a burden that nobody wants to help take care of me any more. I said PLEASE, you can shoot me, just don't tell me you are coming, so I don't see you, even if I am three shakes to the wind at that point. We've had the animal dilemna many many times here....we don't let them suffer, so why should we let our loved ones.

Where Ashley and I differ, Bob Bob was never my favorite character any way, but that difference aside, I was quite impressed that Truly worked with him as big of a jerk as he was to her, and she let him make the final decision if he wanted to go or not. On the other hand, Miss Sparrow caused her so much grief as a student, but Mercy played an important role here and I would hope I could have a Truly around if I came to that point. When you look your maker in the eyeball, sometimes we are ready and sometimes we are not. Obviously Miss Sparrow and Bob Morgan were both ready and had a done a lot of suffering before their end. Truly delivered the bottle to her so she could pick the time and place when she was ready. Again, very merciful to me.

I agree with the mercy stance, but probably would have answered differently if the question had been asked of me ten years ago.

There was a big debate in Washington State recently about a Death with Dignity law that would allow terminally ill patients to make the decision to die on their own terms. I think this is an important law, especially after a close friend dealt with the slow, painful, agonizing decline and death of her father in recent years. Carol, this seems to be an issue that is close to your heart since you experienced tremendous suffering with cancer and the subsequent treatment. We are all so thankful that you recovered and we have gotten to know you! I know I hope to never have to be in a position to have to make these decisions for myself or a loved one, but it is not unthinkable that I might have to one day.

My husband and I differ in our feelings on this, and I know some of the main opponents of these types of laws think that it is "playing God." I personally feel that God can work in people's lives in many ways. He can give us doctors to prolong our lives, and He can also give us doctors to bring us peace.

Just my thoughts on what I know can be a divisive topic.

I'll be honest, this part of the book bugged me. An author (whose name escapes me) once commented that an author always needs to be smarter or, at the very least, better informed than his or her characters. I really wish Ms. Baker had done a bit more research into this subject, as I found her attempts to relate this issue teeth-grindingly basic. The discussion here has been much more in depth than anything she attempted to do in the book and a good deal more thoughtful.

With that rant out of the way, I'm going with mercy. I did like Truly's refrain that we can't judge someone else's decisions. Priscilla and Bob Bob were both rational adults capable of making decisions. There was no coercion, no duress - I don't think Truly should feel guilty or responsible.

Here's one thing that I found myself wondering: Robert Morgan has no qualms about destroying people's lives so long as those people go on living. How is that "better" than allowing terminally-ill people the right to decide their own end?