Joan Didion On Abortion

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Abortion: Right or Wrong?
In the essay “On Mortality,” Joan Didion poses the question, “What is “right” and what is “wrong”?” (182) In today’s society, people do not usually consider the question at hand before they take action, because morality has become a topic that can scarcely be defined. For example, Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines mortality as “the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct.” The brings up the fact that everyone has their own opinion of right and wrong. This difference of opinion on what is moral causes many disputes such as in the topic of abortion. Some people believe that it is a woman’s prerogative to choose whether or not to have a child, while many others believe it is “morally” wrong. On the other hand, there are moderates who disagree with the idea or the morality of abortion, but agree that there are certain circumstances that should give the woman the option. Since abortion is essentially the killing of an unborn child, why are women who abort not convicted as murderers; just as women who kill their children f...

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