The beauty of Kate’s death

A critique paper of “My Sister keepers”

In this paper I will look on a different perspectives of considering saviour siblings and
argue that Kate’s death was worth it, a silver lining transformed the life of Fitzgeralds. In the
glimpse of time, Kate captured a detrimental disease, Leukemia. The disease that turns Kate’s
family, especially her mother’s world upside down. They did everything, but it’s just not doing
well as time passes by Kate’s health began to deteriorate. A glimpse of hope emerge, A
miracle formed by genetic engineering where her sister Anna come in the family picture. Anna
was born with a purpose to save her sister’s life but then she filed a lawsuit to her parents
under Kate’s wish to be on her death-bed. Anna with her unwavering love to her sister she
followed her sister’s wish even if she will be despised by her mother. Eventually, Kate died,
Kate let go. After all the tear-jerking scenes I ponder upon one question, was it all worth it?
All of the sacrifices of Kate’s family ending up in shattered pieces when she wishes to let go
and embrace the light. This paper will analyze the events in the movie through the eyes of
consequentialism, virtue ethics and deontological philosophers, to answer my question was
Kate’s death worth it?.
Anna as a symbol of telos, in the eyes of Aristotle Anna, serves as telos before her birth
we already know that she has a specific function and purpose and that is to save her sister’s
life from leukaemia. Anna’s journey of living her life as the hope of her sister give justice in
her being telos for she is living her life with purpose and that is to be the light of the gloomy
life of the Fitzgeralds. She is the instrument of Kate’s Happiness by letting her file a lawsuit
against her parents to stop the surgery and to stop emancipating her organs. Kate is tired of
all the hardcore treatment that just keep making her weak and incompetent to live a life of
joy and happiness. It's like a life of torture seeing herself suffer from the disease, feeling ugly
and seeing her picture-perfect family be shattered in pieces. Knackered with despair the only
hope she sought was to embrace her death. As the instrument of Kate’s Happiness Anna grant
Kate’s condition even if it will leave a scar on her relationship with her mother she has filled
her self with an ample amount of courage to show the whole world that she cares for own
self-promoting selfishness when in fact she is being selfless granting her sister’s freedom and
to continue her purpose as the saviour and hope of Kate which is to set her free from the
pain. She might not have saved her sister’s life but she fulfilled her purpose to be the light of
Kate’s suffering and to make her mother accept the fact that Kate is dying.
The Fitzgeralds exhibit some of the virtues, creating their paths towards eudaimonia.
According to Aristotle, the paths towards achieving happiness in life is through virtue which
the Fitzgeralds flourished within themselves through the sickness and death of Kate they
choose to use it as their exploration towards their self-growth. The main virtue showcased in
the movie was courage. Kate throughout her life exhibits courage, the courage to keep
fighting no matter how hard her disease deteriorate her well-being and the courage to face
death. Anna exhibits courage by being a donor at the same time standing up for her sister
fulfilling her wish even if it will cause chaos in the relationship with her mother. Meanwhile,
Sara embraces too much courage she develops rashness being careless and unwise,
inconsiderate of what Kate would feel neglecting the fact that Kate is suffering and wants to
rest from the harsh treatments.
Anna showcase being magnanimous to provide blood and bone marrow to her sister,
she is generous enough to grant her sister wishes without any conditions she is willing to risk
anything just to make her sister happy. Though they do not exhibit all the virtues to achieve
eudaimonia they strive to become the best version of themselves and to flourish. After Kate’s
death, we have witnessed their eagerness to achieve their magnanimity realizing the beauty
of life as Mr.Fitzgerald has he’s early pension and help the troubled youth. Mrs Fitzgeralds
went back from being a lawyer and Jesse receiving a scholarship on an exclusive art school.
Kate died the characters realized that they have telos they have realized their purpose starting
a new beginning achieving their greatest potential.
As for Aristotle was it worth it? As the dawn of new beginning arose they are creating
towards the path of eudaimonia. As they realize that their world doesn’t only revolve around
Kate they are putting in action their goal, by applying certain virtues having the power to
choose virtue improving oneself. Amidst the dreadful death of Kate the family chose to be
resiliently unravelling their telos putting their ambition with virtue creating their eudaimonia
so If you are going to ask Aristotle if the death of Kate is worth it, it is because they have
realized that their happiness is within themselves. Having the goods of living well by being a
virtuous lawyer, counsellor and an artist where they use their knowledge, skills, and love
towards their career having a stronger bond towards their family.
 Assessing the movie through the view of St. Thomas, his theory was inclined by the
basis of religion, though the movie it didn't showcase any religious affiliation but indeed
embodied certain theories of St. Thomas about humanity and the power of reason, self-love
and self-preservation.
Some of the basic goods, the constituents of natural law was depicted in the movie.
The basic goods were the preservation of life, reproduction, education towards off-spring and
to worship God. Self-preservation, the instinct of saving one's life for me this good was
characterized by Sara for she did everything to preserve Kate’s life which eventually became
a double-edged sword. the second basic good according to St. Thomas is through
reproduction, which according to him was one of the most important goods which were later
criticized by other philosophers. In the movie, the hope to save Kate’s life is towards
reproduction the hope above all. Educating her that she’ll be an instrument in saving her
sister. Though they didn't exhibit to seek God, I know that Kate seeks transcendence with the
hope to see her boyfriend once again.
Even without mentioning God in the movie they tried to be good and avoid evil with
the power of their reason, the main point of the natural law is to use one’s reason but despite
the act being good they tend to be wrong because what they are exhibiting is not the natural
law but a apparent good. I have seen the flaw of St. Thomas natural law where it focuses only
on our basic goods and we all “naturally good” because of a value our lives, therefore, we
shall value the life of others. But it made me realize what if we don't value our life? Does that
mean we won’t value others lives? Or what if we value someone’s life so much we are willing
to bother someone else life sacrificing his or her health just to save the lives of others. That is
the main attribute of Sara risking it all just to save Kate neglecting others risk just to save her
daughter. Applying some concept of St. Thomas Aquinas towards Sara, she was blinded by
her emotion that it overpowers her reason and fails to do the things she ought to do because
of fear, the fear to lose her dear daughter where Sara to fail to do the good and disobey the
natural law.
Therefore St. Thomas Aquinas would probably agree that Kate’s death is worth it
because, after the death of Kate the family finally realize the prohibition and positive junction
of life. After Kate’s death they value their life more than ever they neglect the prohibition to
live their life under the gloom. They sought hope within themselves a hope to uplift their life
once again applying positive junction and having self-care, valuing their own paths without
looking through the dark days of Kate’s death. They all go after transcendence and for me,
that is the main point of St. Thomas Aquinas where he created his theory to fill the empty
glass through God, though religion was not mentioned in the movie the characters filled the
empty glass of their life by finding their value and character once again that was once lost
when Kate caught Leukemia. The Fitzgeralds are transcending and filling their life with love
and passion towards their self and their family and that is why kate’s death was worth it.
Meanwhile looking at the perception of Kant the action of the protagonists violated
some of Kant’s maxims whereas they neglect universality, using other as the means of Kate,
disrespecting the autonomous reasoning and etc. In the eyes of Kant, saviour sibling is terribly
wrong, for it uses the other sibling Anna, to be a mean towards Kate's ends. Sara bypasses
the 2nd formulation of the categorical imperative she didn't consider Anna's well-being she
focuses much more on Kate neglecting the other risks of being a saviour sibling. Treating Anna
as a producer of needs of Kate’s deteriorating body she doesn't listen to anybody she only
listens to herself and her action comprises by her emotions and eagerness to save Kate's life
without even asking Kate to make a choice.
Anna on the other hand also contravene the maxim of the universality of the
categorical imperative I know that is a white lie but for Kant, there is no exception if you lie,
for Kant Anna is just promoting inequality for she doesn't speak the truth. On the contrary,
Anna bypassed the categorical imperative by lying, yet she still embraces goodwill. She
continued to be a good sister, without a thought she agreed on her sister's wish to get medical
emancipation. She agreed not because of her self- interest it is because of her unconditional
love for her sister with just a glimpse she agreed because she wants her sister to be free from
suffering.
Anna and kate rights as humans are trampled upon by their mother. As explained by
Kant we are all individuals endowed by reason we have the autonomy to choose and what
makes us free. We are all arbiter of our own truth, yet Sara mitigates Kate and Anna to choose
for their well-being. Sara keeps on hiding and running from the truth that Kate is near on her
death-bed inhibiting the perspective of her two daughters. She is still in the denial stage
where she reason and will do everything just feed her fantasy that Kate still has the chance to
live. Kate death is worth it according to Kant because the protagonists ascertain their moral
obligation, refurbishing their moral duty within themselves and other people as Mr and Mrs
Fritzgeralds continued their life helping other people.
 In the eyes of Kant, the death of Kate gives the family to know what is their real duty
and that is to be there for each other and to fulfil their moral obligation to help others as well.
They are free from violating the categorical imperative as Jesse and Anna told the truth it
made their mother that is just fooling herself because of her emotions messing her up. Jesse
and Anna made their mother realize that it's not anymore about following her duty as a
mother, she is saving Kate for her self- interest to ease the guilt and pain. In the end, her
mother realizes that kate wants to be free and realize that Anna shouldn't be treated as mean
just to be saved. Kate, she is much worth it as they won the case of medical emancipation. As
for Kant, it is worth it because they have been set free from the hidden motive of Anna’s case
of medical emancipation they turn the lie and Kates’s death as a way of growth. Kate gains
her autonomy to be free of her mother’s desire imploring her to be saved even if she just
wants to rest and be with the light. Before letting go she knows what she ought to do
embracing the right reason and duty to make her family whole again so that they can bury
the burden and let them live their life with their utmost autonomy, governing their life.
The utilitarianism approach focuses on happiness by choosing the majority than the
minority. Sara violates utilitarianism by neglecting her family and diverting her focus on Kate’s
illness. She uses Anna to be a donor even she knows it will harm her health, she neglected her
son dyslexia not having time to give attention when Jesse needs her the most they still focus
on Kate deteriorating health and lastly she had a conflict with her husband because of her
pride and exaggerated fear that Kate’s illness will worsen up when they go to the beach. Stuart
mill one of the major proponents of utilitarianism proposes two consequences of by violating
utilitarianism the external and internal sanction. It is experienced by Sara. where she
experienced the external sanction, losing the case of medical emancipation its a form of
shame as a mother to lose a right for her daughter’s health. On the other hand, she
experienced the internal sanction, which is much worse than the external sanction because it
is inner and it's all about Sara’s conscience leaving her to have grand guilt and despair of
having reckless decision making which she cares about her overwhelmed emotion of fear.
In the eyes of utilitarians, I believe that Kate’s death made Sara realize the value of
her family, her world is not just about but Kate there is more, her relationship with her
children and husband gives her much more happiness and guilt-free life. Sara finally chose to
let go with her. So if you are going to ask utilitarians that if Kate death is worth yes, because
in Kate’s death Sara felt the happiness free from fear and have more appreciation towards
her two children and his husband that was once neglected just because of Kate’s malady.
Justice and fairness, Fighting for Anna’s right is justice, Anna is deserving to have the
right on donating her bone marrow, umbilical cord and blood. No wonder she won the case
because her lawyer gives powerful words “ who stands up for Anna?” towards Sara which
leaves her speechless because she knows she doesn’t fairness exhibit that. With the power of
being fair, the main point and winning piece of Anna’s side is that Sara shall embrace equality
Anna is worth it too just like Kate one Sara’s moral dilemma was being fair she is torn to be
fair with her children's needs and the malady of kate, her children have equal rights same as
Kate. With the veil of ignorance where she shall put away the distinction of her children, she
must input fairness also standing up for the other 2 children.
After Kate’s death, Anna received justice and fairness. As Anna won the case leaving
justice to be with her side. Kate’s death was worth it for it gives justice towards his 2 children
than was once neglected. Sara embrace being just and fair as she became a lawyer where I
believe that she develop growth, applied justice and fairness because she can’t be a good
lawyer without knowing how to be just and fair.
Applying all the things I learn from the moral theory of Aristotle towards justice and
fairness I have realized that they share common ground where all of their theory was applied
upon the journey of Kate's death. Death was the most feared occurrence in our life. But we
should accept the fact that it is inevitable and appreciate the beauty of it. Just like the death
of Kate, where it became the source of new hope of her family members. The main focal point
of the movie is Kate's illness and death that is why I focus on it because after Kate's death
they all embrace the beauty of life as they prosper and grow from the experience. After kate's
death, they have calibrated their grit to live a more ethical life as they apply virtues and
discover their purpose. They all seek transcendence and sought the value of reason than the
use of emotions. They have known their moral obligation and realized to not treat Anna as a
means. After Kate's death, Sara realized that she still has her husband, Anna and Jesse where
she neglected before because she was too focused on Kate's deteriorating well-being. She
realized that her life is still worth living. And lastly, they have valued justice and fairness by
putting the realization that Sara should be fair and stand also toward her 2 children specifically
Anna. looking in the deontological point of view I have put their views about Kate's death
where it gives more emphasis because all of it shares a common arena that Kate's death is
worth it because it is not the end, it's the start of a new beginning of their lives and that's the
beauty of it.
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