How does Brian Clark make use of dramatic techniques to make the audience sympathise and empathise with Ken?

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Katie Walters

How does Brian Clark make use of dramatic techniques to make the audience sympathise and empathise with Ken?

The play “Whose Life is it Anyway?” discusses the controversial issue of euthanasia and shows people’s different opinions on the subject. The issue of euthanasia is still very relevant today which makes Ken’s situation all the more realistic and believable. Brian Clark uses many different techniques in order to make the audience feel sympathy for Ken, the main character. The audience is also able to sympathise with Ken due the use of techniques such as shock tactics, sarcasm and persuasive language.

The play is centred around the main character, Ken. He has been involved in an accident, leaving him paralysed from the neck down. The accident has left him powerless to refuse the treatment given to him and he is therefore at the mercy of the doctors. Before the accident he was a sculptor so the accident left him unable to continue with what he loves. This makes the audience sympathise with Ken because they are able to see through his sarcasm and see his sadness that he is unable to live life the way he wants. He wants the doctors to stop his treatment so he can be left to die. For example he says to the judge, “Of course I want to live but as far as I’m concerned, I’m dead already. I merely want the doctors to recognise the fact.” This shows that Ken agrees with euthanasia and believes in choice. He is choosing to be discharged from the hospital, not asking for anyone to kill him.

The other main characters in the story are Dr. Emerson, Dr. Scott and John. Dr. Emerson is the main consultant and doesn’t agree with euthanasia. He believes the hippocratic oath prevents him from allowing Ken to die even though Ken has an opposite view. He is just doing his job and wants the best for his patients. This is shown when he goes to meetings in order to fight for new equipment for his hospital. On the phone he is pushing for a medical machine by saying, “It would save on nursing costs. I’ve got four cardiac cases at the moment. With that unit I could save at least on one nurse a day”. He is trying to save money and do the best for his hospital. He is an excellent doctor and very knowledgeable. However, he lacks the ability to relate to his patients on a personal level. For example he only speaks about facts and figures to Ken.

Brian Clark has made Emerson unsympathetic because it makes the audience find it hard to relate to him. This makes them empathise with Ken, as the audience can see how he must feel, constantly being patronised and talked about as if he’s not in the room. At times, Dr. Emerson’s efficiency and authority over Ken makes him seem like the villain. For example Dr. Emerson injects Ken with a tranquilliser when Ken refuses it. The audience feel sympathy for Ken, as he is completely powerless. They can also feel empathy for the frustration he feels when he says, “I specifically refused permission to stick that needle in me and you didn’t listen. You took no notice.” They also feel sympathy for him because Dr Emerson completely ignored his request. The audience also feels empathy for Ken when Dr. Emerson is patronising. For example after he injected Ken he says, “Of course you’re depressed. I’ll send someone along to have a chat with you”, implying that Ken’s problems can be easily solved with a cheery word.

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Dr. Scott is a female junior registrar in the hospital. Although she is a more junior doctor than Dr Emerson, she is a lot more understanding and takes the patients’ needs into consideration a lot more. For example, when Ken refuses the tranquilliser, she tries to understand his point of view. At the beginning of the play, she is undecided on her opinion of euthanasia and throughout the play Ken and Dr Emerson are trying to persuade her to their beliefs on the subject. The fact that Dr Emerson can convince her a lot easier by intimidating her, creates ...

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