The sculptor Ken Harrison is badly injured in a car accident and finds himself in the middle of life permanently paralyzed below the neck and dependent on others for his care and survival. Ken is a strong-minded, passionate man totally dedicated to his art, and he decides he does not want to go on with the compromised, highly dependent life that his doctors, his girlfriend Pat, and others urge on him. He breaks up with Pat and fights to be released from the hospital, to gain control of his life in order to stop the care that keeps him alive and unhappy. His antagonist is the hospital's medical director Dr. Emerson, who believes in preserving life no matter what, and so tries to get Ken committed as clinically depressed. Ken's attending physician, Dr. Scott, begins with the establishment but gradually moves toward Ken's position. The play ends with the judge at a legal hearing deciding that Ken is not clinically depressed and that he thus has the right to refuse treatment and be discharged. In the last scene, Ken lies in a hospital bed framed by his own sculptural realization of the forearm and hand of God from Michelangelo's Creation of Man.
Woodcock, John
Excerpted, with permission, from the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database at New York University School of Medicine, © New York University.

Euthanasia and the Right to Die
The central theme revolves around Ken Harrison, a sculptor who becomes quadriplegic after a car accident and wishes to end his life rather than continue living in a paralyzed state dependent on medical support systems. The play presents arguments both for and against euthanasia, raising profound questions about bodily autonomy, quality of life, and the extent to which the government should interfere in personal decisions regarding life and death.

Medical Ethics and Patient Autonomy
Clark portrays the conflict between Ken's desire to die with dignity and the medical establishment's determination to preserve his life at all costs, represented by his physician Dr. Scott. This clash highlights the ethical dilemma faced by healthcare professionals in respecting patient autonomy while adhering to the principle of preserving life.

Human Dignity and Quality of Life
By depicting Ken as an intelligent man trapped in a "useless body," the play forces the audience to grapple with the question of what constitutes a life worth living. It challenges the notion that mere biological existence is sufficient, raising questions about the importance of human dignity, self-determination, and the individual's right to define their own quality of life.

Legal and Societal Implications
The play explores the legal and societal implications of euthanasia, with Ken invoking the law of habeas corpus and a judge ultimately deciding his fate. This highlights the complex interplay between individual rights, societal values, and the role of the legal system in adjudicating such sensitive issues.

In summary this play is a sad exploration of euthanasia, medical ethics, human dignity, and the individual's right to self-determination in the face of profound suffering.