Ethical Analytical Essay
Below is a Synopsis of the Movie “My Sister Keeper: Write an Ethical analytical
essay about this movie. My Sister’s Keeper XXXXXXXXXXTold from multiple perspectives,
My Sister's Keeper follows the story of 13-year-old Anna Fitzgerald as she sues he
parents, Brian, and Sara, for medical emancipation. Anna was conceived as an allogeneic
donor for her sister, Kate, who has acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).
Your film analysis should feature the application of Utilitarian and Virtue Ethics
throughout this paper.
Ethical Analysis - Apply one ethical theory to the medical ethical dilemma presented in
the film. First, describe this ethical theory in your own words, using the readings and
course materials as textual evidence for your explanation of the moral view. Next, discuss
how this ethical theory could provide solutions or recommendations for remedying the
ethical dilemma featured in the film. In your analysis, be sure to address the following
questions:
1. What moral values are present in the film (as they relate to the ethical theory
you have chosen)?
2. Are there instances of moral values in conflict with one another?
3. What moral guidance does the ethical theory that you selected provide the
characters in the film?
Reflection - Summarize what you have discussed in the essay and reflect on what you
have learned. Lastly, discuss how what you have learned could be applied to you
professional and personal life.
This essay should be 4 pages long, plagiarism free and APA citation
My Sisters Keeper Film Synopsis
Conceived by means of in vitro fertilization, Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) was
ought into the world to be a genetic match for her older sister, Kate (Sofia
Vassilieva), who suffers from acute promyelocytic leukemia, in order to keep he
alive. Her family members are introduced one by one and each tells about how
Kate's illness has affected them personally and the family. When Kate turns 15, she
goes into renal failure. Eleven-year-old Anna knows that she will be forced by he
parents to donate one of her kidneys. She also realizes that she may not be able to
live the life she will want to lead - she may be unable to cheer-lead, play soccer, o
e a mother. Anna tells her parents that she does not want any of this, and proceeds
to sue them for medical emancipation and the rights to her own body. He
overprotective mother, Sara (Cameron Diaz), who leads an obsessive campaign to
keep Kate alive, is indignant at Anna's decision and even strikes her across the face
when she receives the notice of intended prosecution. Attorney Campbell Alexande
(Alec Baldwin) agrees to work for Anna as her guardian ad litem, suing for partial
termination of parental rights. It is later learned he agreed to take the case not fo
the notoriety, but because he has epilepsy and understands her predicament of not
having control over her own body.
The film is interlaced with flashbacks that detail Kate and Anna's closeness, as well
as how Kate's illness has affected her siblings' lives and their relationships. In a
flashback, Kate also meets a fellow cancer patient, Taylor Am
ose (Thomas Dekker),
whom she begins dating. After a date, they share their first kiss outside Kate's
house, with Sara and Kate's father Brian (Jason Patric) watching from their bedroom
window. After this, he becomes her boyfriend in and out of hospital and supports he
as she undergoes treatment. He then asks her to the hospital's "prom" for teen
patients; there, they slow-dance, then proceed to a vacant hospital room to make
love. A few days later, Kate is crying because Taylor hasn't called her for several
days. Her mother Sara is furious when Kate mentions they did "stuff" after the prom
and storms out to ask the nurse where Taylor is, evidently believing that he had
dated her daughter merely to sleep with her, and learns that he has died.
Kate makes a request to go to the beach one last time, and Brian obtains permission
from her doctor and removes her from the hospital to take her and the kids.
Overprotective as ever, Sara is furious when Brian shows up at the house with Kate
and demands that she be returned to the hospital. Brian angrily refuses and drives
off, threatening Sara with a divorce if she does not join them. Sara later shows up at
the beach, where they enjoy one final family outing. To Sara's dismay, the judge
(Joan Cusack) refuses to grant summary dismissal, and the case goes to a hearing.
During the hearing, Anna and Kate's older
other, Jesse reveal that Anna's actions
are actually under Kate's instruction; Kate, not wanting to live any longer, and
knowing Sara refuses to hear any option other than her desired one, had gently
persuaded Anna to refuse to donate her kidney. Sara is indignant at this discovery,
ut is finally forced by both Jesse and Brian to realize that Kate had been trying to
tell her this for some time. Before the case is decided, Kate dies while sleeping at the
hospital with her mother by her side. After Kate's death, Campbell
ings the court
decision: Anna won the case. The family moves on with their lives, but every year on
Kate's birthday they go to Montana, which was her "most favorite place in the world."
At the end, Anna says that their relationship continues because she will see Kate
again.