Me Before You

Through her exploration of Will Traynor’s decision to end his life, Jojo Moyes offers a nuanced glimpse into the controversial topic of euthanasia. Defined as the choice to end one’s life through assisted suicide, euthanasia is a topic that draws opposing views based on religion, morality, and law. As Moyes documents Will’s journey toward euthanasia, she presents characters with different perspectives to offer a balanced overview of the topic. Ultimately, through her positive portrayal of Will’s choice, she highlights the possibility of euthanasia bringing peace and empowerment—even if this choice isn’t approved of by all family and friends.

In the Prologue, Moyes introduces Will as a confident businessman before his life-altering accident. As a result, he struggles to adapt to life as a quadriplegic man. When Louisa meets him, he has resigned himself to dying by euthanasia to regain the control he lost over his life. Moyes positions Louisa in direct opposition to Will. While Will is a cultured and educated, albeit pessimistic figure, Louisa is sheltered and optimistic. As opposites, the two come to embody the enemies-to-lovers trope, albeit to a frustrated degree rather a hateful one; they harbor different opinions of a life well lived.