Ramon Sampedro Essay
A Helping Hand
Ramon Sampedro born January 5th 1943 in North Spain fought for his right to kill himself. At age 25 Ramon unknowingly dove into the shallows of the Atlantic Ocean and became a quadriplegic. Thats where this story begins. The Sea Inside follows Ramon in his few decades long battle with with Spanish courts to legally have someone help him kill himself. In the opening scene of the movie, Roman played by Javier Bardem, is listening to Gene ,his caregiver, lead him into meditation, having him imagine his favorite place, the ocean is pictured on the screen, she tells him to, “allow your whole body to relax”.A woman is introduced Julia, a lawyer in support of Ramon. Her first encounter with Ramon is moving, “I want to die because, I feel that a life in this condition, has no dignity.” Ramon admits, along with the fact that some other quadriplegics do not agree with him but begs that, “I’m not trying to judge anyone. Who am I to judge those who choose life, so why judge me or anyone who wants to help me die.” The next line struck me, and will always …show more content…
However, when the help of another person is needed to die with dignity, the government intervenes and tramples a mans right to decide for himself.” The courts eventually deny his claim.
The story continues with Julia leaving Ramon after publishing his book and a hesitant Rosa offers her help in his suicide. Ramon divided the tasks leading to his suicide into quaint actions, for example, picking up the potassium cyanide from the drugstore, mixing the substance in a glass of water, and placing a the glass next to him in bed with a straw. These actions in themselves are not wrong, all Ramon had to do was willingly drink the fatal mixture to peacefully end his life, which he did, on camera, to prove no one forced him to do it. In 1998 at age 56 Ramon committed
Ramon Sampedro born January 5th 1943 in North Spain fought for his right to kill himself. At age 25 Ramon unknowingly dove into the shallows of the Atlantic Ocean and became a quadriplegic. Thats where this story begins. The Sea Inside follows Ramon in his few decades long battle with with Spanish courts to legally have someone help him kill himself. In the opening scene of the movie, Roman played by Javier Bardem, is listening to Gene ,his caregiver, lead him into meditation, having him imagine his favorite place, the ocean is pictured on the screen, she tells him to, “allow your whole body to relax”.A woman is introduced Julia, a lawyer in support of Ramon. Her first encounter with Ramon is moving, “I want to die because, I feel that a life in this condition, has no dignity.” Ramon admits, along with the fact that some other quadriplegics do not agree with him but begs that, “I’m not trying to judge anyone. Who am I to judge those who choose life, so why judge me or anyone who wants to help me die.” The next line struck me, and will always …show more content…
However, when the help of another person is needed to die with dignity, the government intervenes and tramples a mans right to decide for himself.” The courts eventually deny his claim.
The story continues with Julia leaving Ramon after publishing his book and a hesitant Rosa offers her help in his suicide. Ramon divided the tasks leading to his suicide into quaint actions, for example, picking up the potassium cyanide from the drugstore, mixing the substance in a glass of water, and placing a the glass next to him in bed with a straw. These actions in themselves are not wrong, all Ramon had to do was willingly drink the fatal mixture to peacefully end his life, which he did, on camera, to prove no one forced him to do it. In 1998 at age 56 Ramon committed