1.  The protagonist, Ramon, wants to die...what is your view of assisted suicide.  As few of you realize, this is one of the emerging dilemmas that YOU will personally deal with in practice, ie, in Oregon a person may have Rx-scripted OD dosages of barbiturates to assist death (the legality of this was contested by the Federal government and just upheld in the Supreme Court, but quite a few people have used this technique to expedite a 'planned death'). State your view and defend or contest assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is simply suicide with the assist of someone else due to not being able to commit suicide on ones own, usually due to a physical disability like quadriplegia.  I believe this issue is one of moral conviction.  That said I personally believe that suicide is not moral and it would not be a choice I would make.  I believe that it is a selfish way of “getting out” from under whatever it is that has compounded to make someone believe that is their only out.

Although, I think in one respect Ramon thought he would be helping his family be relieved from the task of carrying for him.  It was evident to me that his viewpoint that he was a burden and unproductive member of the family was not the view his family had.  His brother delivered a clear speech that he and his family had completely changed their lifestyles to care for Ramon and that he not only disagreed with Ramon’s decision, but that he felt committing assisted suicide was almost insulting.  He felt that his family had made a huge sacrifice in their lives to care for Ramon and that by Ramon making such a decision he would have rendered their sacrifice to be in vain.

In addition, I would not assist someone to commit suicide.  I feel it would not be my place to be the cause of someone else’s death.  I wondered if some one who did do this would be tried in court on charges of premeditated murder, since most folks would usually ponder this and not do it immediately upon someone’s request if they did it at all.

Unless I missed a scene as I feverishly read the subtitles, Ramon’s sister-in-law, father and nephew never agreed to be the one to help him with assisted suicide.  It never seemed that Ramon had someone committed at least at first to assist him commit suicide.

I have personally never been in a situation as the person wanting assisted suicide, nor have I been asked to assist in someone else’s assisted suicide.  So, I do not know how I would actually react if for instance, my husband or one of my children became so physically debilitated that they were suffering not only mentally and emotionally, but physically and desired death.

In a way, is abiding by someone’s living will that requests in no prolonged mechanical ventilation and allowing withdrawal of this artificial support a form of assisted suicide?  Is a living will simply a premeditated assisted suicide?  I believe this could probably be argued either way.

2.  My doc research was specifically on folks like Ramon; however, none of my patients ever discussed expediting their death with me.  Give three issues that struck you as different about the way Ramon viewed his life in the movie, considering foremost that he wanted his life to end.

Throughout the movie as Ramon’s relationships with Julia and Rosa evolved, he seemed to be more and more the center of these ladies’ affections.  He never seemed to consider his life as it was valued by them.

He also seemed to have a wonderful gift of writing that until Julia got interested, he never viewed as a talent.  As she read and reacted to his work, he never allowed himself to be the positive force that created the writings.

Ramon never really seemed to look at his life and how his disability changed his family’s lives.  He never seemed to identify that they sacrificed for him and therefore ending his life would render their 27 years of effort worthless.  He seemed to have a rather selfish perspective.

Another issue was when he went to court for the judges to hear his case.  As his case was pled and the judges continued to state there would be punishment for anyone who assisted in his suicide he never once uttered a word.  I thought this was strange due to his supposedly wanted to get his assisted suicide essentially authorized by the courts.

There are many more issues but one of utmost importance is the choice Ramon made after his injury to view himself as nothing more than a quadriplegic.  He was portrayed as so much more.  He was the uncle who reminded his nephew to enjoy every moment he had with his aging and demented grandfather.  He was the friend that Rosa came to in her time of need and understanding.

Ramon was basically angry that he did not die the day of his injury.  He let this anger grow and focused solely on his desire to die.

3.  The ladies seemed attracted to Ramon.  State 3 features that made him attractive to the ladies in this film, remember that there are more than three ladies he deals with (be specific and name them in the context of your answer for points). 

I think Rosa was attracted to him for two main reasons.  She saw him as someone who may have actually had a worse hand of cards dealt to him versus what she was dealt.  She identified with him as someone who needed help.  She also was able to allow herself to be the helper and not the “helpless” if she was with him.  Also, she knew that in his physical state he could never “go” out and cheat on her as she stated her previous love interests had.  She felt as she had purpose if she had to become the caregiver of another, although she had two boys that needed her attention.

Julia identified and was drawn to Ramon in that she also had an illness that would ultimately cause her severe debility.  She was married to what appeared to be a very dedicated man, but he could not experience the disability with her as Ramon could.  She also reacted as a person who wanted to give love to some one who really needed it in her mind.  She acted as if her loving him would cause him to have purpose.  Ironically, at the end, her disease caused her to not even be able to recall who Ramon was.

Ramon’s girlfriend at the time of his accident was attracted to him physically, mentally and emotionally.  He was as they say “tall, dark and handsome.”  Her photographers that were kept by Manuela were depictions of her love for Ramon.  She is spoken of as loyal to Ramon after the injury.  She even wanted to marry him and care for him after his accident.

Manuela, his sister-in-law was immediately made into the caregiver because of his brother, her husband, being out at sea.  Even when he returned to help care for Ramon, Manuela remained in the primary care giver role.  Her motherly and womanly instincts lead her to this role.  Caring for Ramon gave her purpose.

Gene saw herself as the mastermind or organizer who helped orchestrate the fight for the assisted suicide.  She was loyal to him in her efforts.  She seemed almost removed from the fact that what she was doing would ultimately be directly related to his death.  She almost seemed as if she were hired to coordinate this event, like a business deal.  It was not until he called her to say he was going with Rosa that her character appeared to be emotionally attached and affected by his decision.

Although his sister and sister-in-law were not portrayed as being what most would see as physically attractive, they were attracted to the idea of their role in his life and death.