Euthanasia In Me Before You, By Jojo Moyes

In the book Me Before You, the author Jojo Moyes chooses to illustrate the importance of euthanasia as an option for ending your life if unable to live it to it’s full potential. Moyes’ character, William Traynor had a perfect life before the accident that left him paralyzed and unwilling to live. Some may see the novel as just another story about troubled love, but it has a deeper, underlying message that Jojo Moyes wishes to express. The author wants to bring up the issue of euthanasia and discuss the different sides that people may have pertaining to this intense subject. She also wants to bring up the fine line between what is right and morally wrong. Moyes wrote this book as an attempt to educate the readers on euthanasia, and does so

Camilla Traynor, Will’s mom is just doing what a loving mother should be, trying to keep her son alive, but Moyes puts her at fault. Camilla is trying to keep Will alive by preventing him from going to the Dignitas and killing himself, but by doing this, is only making Will have to take on the task of ending his life himself. She wants to keep her son alive, but she needs to put herself in his shoes and see that there really isn’t going to be anything like his old life for him and that he just can’t live with that. The only time when Camilla is able to realize this is when Will tries to commit suicide on his own, but survives. She is able to understand that if she doesn’t allow him to go to the Dignitas, then he will persist with his own attempts, “We would have to see the world through his eyes...the inventiveness with which he could finish the job that damned motorcyclist had started” (124). When she realizes that there is no stopping him, she agrees to let him use euthanasia to end it all, but only after six months. Even then, she doesn’t give up her selfish ways and hires Louisa to try to help keep her son alive instead of truly accepting her son’s

People in the book, and in real life deem euthanization morally wrong. Suicide goes against their religion and they may also believe that anyone partaking in assisting the person who wants to die, is committing some sort of murder. One person who believes that euthanasia is wrong is Lou’s mother. She believes that it is so wrong in fact, that she says that if Lou were to help Will follow through with his plans, then she is not allowed back in the house, “‘If you go, Louisa, you needn't come back...I mean it. This is no better than murder’” (390-391). Lou’s mom, and many more believe that this is the case, that euthanasia is murder, but Moyes wants the reader to see that the outcome can outweigh the issues people may have. The decision to commit suicide is a heavy one and the person committing it must truly want to. They feel as if that would be the only thing to make them happy again and to take away that option for them would be selfish. Although it pains Lou that she would have to let Will go, she understands that it is his choice and it would mean that he is finally at peace, “‘I’d sleep at night because I trust Will to know is right for him, and because what has been the worst thing for him has been losing the ability to make a single decision, to do a single thing for