ANSWER
The tension between individual autonomy, familial responsibilities, and parental rights is the moral conundrum at the center of My Sister’s Keeper. An intensely emotional and legal struggle confronts Anna Fitzgerald, a teenager who was conceived via in vitro fertilization to be a genetic match for her elder sister, Kate. In order to prevent her parents from pressuring her to give Kate, who is dying of leukemia, a kidney, Anna files a lawsuit for medical independence. The ethical dilemma is on whether Anna has the right to make decisions regarding her own body, particularly when the request is life-altering and detrimental to her own wellbeing, or whether it is acceptable for parents to make such a decision for their child based on the requirements of the family.
I support Anna’s choice to file a lawsuit against her parents. Treating Anna’s body as a commodity for Kate’s benefit is unethical, even though her parents’ motives are clearly driven by love and a desperate attempt to preserve Kate’s life. The right to bodily autonomy, which includes the capacity to make decisions on one’s own health, should belong to every person, including children. I would have also decided in favor of Anna’s autonomy if I had been the judge. Even well-meaning parents should refrain from coercing their children into undergoing a life-altering medical operation, like kidney donation. Just as much consideration should have been given to Anna’s physical and mental well as to Kate’s.
Regarding the characters, Anna is the one with whom I identify the most because she is in a predicament that no child should ever encounter. Despite her selflessness, her sister’s needs come before her own individuality. Her choice to take charge of her own life is really courageous and shows how confident she is becoming. However, Anna’s mother, Sara, is the character I like the least. Sara is emotionally obsessed by her martyrdom and disregards the emotional needs of her other children, especially Anna, even if I can appreciate that her actions are motivated by her love for Kate and her wish to save her. Anna’s mental and emotional well-being suffers greatly as a result of her fixation with Kate’s condition, which causes her to neglect Anna’s uniqueness and personal preferences.
I disagree with Sara’s opinion that Anna ought to give Kate a kidney. Although saving Kate is the goal, it is wrong to put one child’s health ahead of another’s. Although Sara’s viewpoint is reasonable given her intense desire to cure her ailing child, her plan to sacrifice Anna for the sake of society is wrong. Children shouldn’t have to bear such tremendous loads from their parents, especially if it will permanently affect their physical or mental health.
The entire family is impacted by Sara’s actions in the film, which exhibit a particular form of martyrdom. She loses sight of her emotional bond with Anna and her relationship with Brian because she is so preoccupied with Kate’s condition. Her ability to “save” Kate is central to her sense of self-worth, which hinders her capacity to be a helpful and well-balanced mother to all of her children. In the end, this ongoing emotional sacrifice strains the family dynamic and causes individuals to grow apart. Although I can understand Sara’s emotional attachment to Kate’s illness, I also see how it has terrible effects on the whole family.
The film ends tragically, which surprised me. The extent of Anna’s emotional and psychological distress is demonstrated by her decision to halt the donation process in spite of her mother’s entreaties. Even though her last passing is tragic, it makes the family face the repercussions of their choices and actions. It acts as a reminder that, even while preserving a loved one carries a heavy emotional burden, one’s own autonomy or health should never be sacrificed for the sake of another.
I would want to put Anna’s needs first as her mother and work to save Kate, but I would also understand that no kid should ever have to go through what Anna went through. Even though Kate’s disease is terrible, it would be crucial to protect Anna’s physical and mental health. I would also advise having candid discussions with both of my kids in order to handle the matter with consideration for their individual voices and desires.
Every member of the family handles Kate’s condition in a unique way. While Brian tries to maintain his composure despite his tense relationship with Sara, Sara becomes obsessed by her desire to save Kate. Despite her personal hardships, Kate grows emotionally conscious of the strain she puts on her family, and Anna feels excluded. The dynamics of the family change as a result of Kate’s illness, which shapes each person’s identity. In turn, Kate bears the emotional weight of knowing that she is mostly to blame for her family’s problems.
There are ethical questions raised by the idea of a “designer baby” like Anna, created especially to assist Kate. Although the medical justification for Anna’s birth was to aid Kate, it raises questions regarding the ethicality of employing genetic engineering for such goals. It is obvious that Anna was used as a tool, which is a serious moral transgression.
Lastly, the trial makes the family face difficult emotional problems. As Sara and Brian deal with the impact Kate’s illness has had on their marriage, their relationship deteriorates. Their disrespect for Anna’s independence has permanently harmed her connection with her parents. As they work through their emotional difficulties, Julia and Campbell’s relationship also changes, underscoring the ways in which a catastrophe like this may cause people to reassess their relationships and lives.
In summary, My Sister’s Keeper raises a significant moral conundrum pertaining to autonomy, parental rights, and familial affection. It brings up significant issues like accountability, sacrifice, and the emotional toll that such choices take. The film’s tragic conclusion demonstrates the human cost of giving up one’s independence for what is thought to be the greater good and emphasizes how difficult family dynamics can be when faced with difficult choices.
Citations
J. Picoult (2004). Atria Books, “My Sister’s Keeper.”
QUESTION
My Sisters Keeper Discussion
For this case study, I want you to post your opinions below. This should be at least 500 words. I have some prompts below to get you thinking, but you do not have to use these. I just wanted to help get you thinking. If you utilize a source, please cite it.
-What is the main ethical Dilemma?
-Do you agree with Anna’s decision to sue her parents? If you were the judge, would you have made the same decision?
-Which character do you like the most? Who do you like the least? Why?
-Do you agree with Sara that Anna should give her sister a kidney?
-Do you think Sara is a good mother? Do you sympathize with her? How does her martyrdom affect the rest of the family?
-Did the movie end as you expected?
-What do YOU think YOU would do as the mom of Anna?
-Discuss the ways each family member copes with their situation. How are each of their identities affected by Kate? How does this affect Kate?
-Do you think it is ethical to have a “designer baby” like Anna was?
-Discuss the consequences of the trial other than the ruling. In what ways does it force people to deal with issues in their relationships? Sara and Brian? Anna and her parents? Julia and Campbell?