24 Hours by Greg Iles A letter to the antagonist, Joe Hickey

Essay by MoSePh8 April 2004

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Joe-

Because I sincerely feel your pain, and I have gone through a similar tragedy, I can sympathize with you in regards to the pain and heartbreak you felt when your mother died. My grandmother died as a direct result of a mistake that the hospital in which she was attending made. However, I do not hold a grudge, for they were trying to do their job as best as they possibly could. Your mother's death was not caused by the hospital, and therefore I feel your anger towards Will unacceptable. Your mother died shortly after going through surgery, true, but it is not fair to say that she could have lived longer. She had throat cancer- an incurable disease. The surgery the hospital performed was successful, and was merely an attempt to keep her living for an extended period of time. You have already murdered the doctor who performed the surgery, but why hurt Will? He was only the anesthesiologist, and he performed his duty correctly.

The point you're trying to prove is that because he participated in the surgery, he is also liable for your mother's death. But that isn't fair. Your mother was already condemned to die, with her throat cancer. The doctors only tried to help her, and they did. Helping her is not equivalent to keeping her alive for as long as you may please, for only God can help you with that.

Also, Joe, you have experienced pain. You have been hurt before. You have felt your heart ache with fear of your mother's death. Why would you ever even imagine putting anyone else through what you were put through? Of course you ask yourself, why my mother? And Will asks himself why my daughter? Why anybody? Why must you inflict pain upon others...