Moyes then read about a 23-year-old rugby player who forced his parents to take him to Dignitas after a rugby incident left him quadriplegic-and she began to write the character of Will.Ĭontroversy. Moyes was inspired to write Me Before You because of her experience taking care of a family member struggling with a progressive disease that greatly reduced quality of life. As Dignitas is accused of being pro-death, they have met with profound opposition in the UK and elsewhere, and the issue has become a polarizing political platform in the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Dignitas has also been involved in several court cases regarding assisted suicide and has been a part of multiple documentaries about the right to die. Members must be of sound judgment, able to perform themselves the act of suicide, and must submit a formal report that includes a letter of intent as well as a complete medical history of their illness or condition. Dignitas is a Swiss nonprofit member’s society that provides assisted or accompanied suicide to members who suffer from sever terminal, physical, or mental illnesses. Euthanasia, or assisted suicide, is legal in Switzerland, as Will goes to Dignitas Institute in Zurich rather than ending his life in the UK. The Right to Die has been a controversial issue in many countries around the world, as certain religions or ethical codes recognize a person’s right to have autonomy over their own life while other doctrines are morally against suicide.

The novel centers on Will’s decision to end his own life, bringing to light the Right to Die debates about rational suicide.

Me before you jojo