David Lawson
Mr. King
Expository Rdng/Wrtng H
1, 2015 February
The Value of Life
My view on the value of a human life is very similar to Roger Ebert’s value of his own life. Ebert believed that his life was priceless. He believed that no matter what happened to him physically he still could smile and love his work. I believe that my life has no price, my life is also priceless and I am grateful and appreciative for the life I live. Unlike Ebert and me, Hamlet’s value of his own life differs. A person’s life cannot be valued in money no matter what the person’s social status or job position, a life is priceless. The value of a life is an infinite currency that no amount of money can compare.
Roger Ebert lived a very fulfilling life before his tragic accident. He loved his job as a movie critic, and he loved his wife. Roger Ebert had surgery to cut out his cancerous thyroid, he lost his lower jaw, ability to eat, and could no longer walk or talk. Ebert was confined to a wheel chair, a breathing tube, and a laptop to speak for him. He even had a visible whole in the back of his mouth. Even through all his physical pain, Ebert still valued his life as priceless. Ebert told a man at a party, “There is no need to pity me, look how happy I am.” Due to the missing muscles in his face he cannot show any emotion but smiles. Roger Ebert took joy from the world in all the ways that he could. He still did his job because he loved it, he said, “When I am
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writing my problems become invisible and I am the same person I always was. All is well. I am as I should be.” Even when Ebert finds out he will soon die because he cannot keep up with his constant need for surgery he tells us that he is not afraid of death because there is nothing on the other side of death to fear, unlike Hamlet’s views on death.
My views versus those of Hamlet’s are of complete contrast. Hamlet is a coward who does not value his life. Hamlet believes that the occurrence of a tragedy is