...December 17, 2010 What scene or image from the film stood out to you? Why? The film Dead Man Walking is a very powerful motion picture, one that captures the most natural and deep aspects of the human spirit. Throughout this film there are many powerful scenes. What is most powerful about this film is its ability to evoke thoughts of love and sympathy, for both innocent people and savage killers. Sister Helen exemplifies what it means to be a caring individual throughout this film, and Matthew Poncelet shows why even humans who have done the gravest wrongs are still capable of change, and deserve their dignity. Of all the scenes in Dead Man Walking, the most powerful is the resolution to the film’s conflict, the execution. When preparing for his death in his jail cell, Matthew Poncelet confesses to Sister Helen that he in fact was guilty of rape and murder. The closing scene begins when he is being led by guards into the execution room. Matthew asks for permission for Sister Helen to touch him, and it is granted so. Sister walks with him, reading to him from the Bible. He tells Sister that he is not afraid, and that he knows he is going to be in a better place. Sister tells him that the truth has set him free. At this point, the emotional power this scene carries begin. A man, though about to die, has found comfort in what a nun has preached to him. He has taken faith on the way to his death. The next dramatic part of this scene is when the curtain to the execution room...
Words: 528 - Pages: 3
...Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe Themes 1) clash of cultures / acculturation M. Obi is trapped between two worlds – the British and the African one- neither of which he understands or which really accept him. He is alienated from his tribal roots but not truly British either. 2) failure Obi fails as headmaster and agent of modernization. 3) mimicry He adopts and reproduces the colonizers’ cultural habits and values and becomes himself an agent of European modernization. In short M. Obi tries to be “more British” than the British (which the supervisor criticizes as a “misguided zeal” and) which results in a tribal war situation and Obi’s failure as headmaster. Summary Michael Obi is appointed to headmaster of Ndume Central School, an “unprogressive” school which he wants to modernize according to British standards. He and his wife want to turn the school compound into “a place of beauty” so they grow flowerbeds as is typical of English school compounds. One day an old woman from the village tramples straight through the hedges and flowerbeds they grow. Michael Obi finds out that a path crossing the compound connects the village shrine with the place of burial. However he dismisses this as primitive superstition and closes the path. When the village priest asks for the path to be re-opened, Obi doesn’t cooperate. Two days later a young woman dies in childbed and the next day one of the school buildings is pulled down and the hedges and flowerbeds...
Words: 558 - Pages: 3
...Dead Man Walking Many people have very strong feelings about the use of capital punishment. Some people including myself believe that the death penalty gives murders what they deserve, while others believe killing anyone is wrong. When I first saw Matthew Poncelet I could have sworn that he wasn’t an innocent man, I thought that the movie would be about a nun who freed an innocent man, but I was way off. I grew to realize throughout the duration of the movie that he wasn't as evil that he was made out to be and the movie made me more on the fence on the debate of capital punishment. There are many arguments made in the movie that are against the death penalty. The main argument for against the death penalty would be how Sister Helen is trying to get Matthew Poncelet off of death row. Matthew Poncelet is poor, which is a reason why he is given the death penalty in my eyes. He couldn’t afford to pay for a good lawyer so the court appointed an attorney which only raised one objection in the trail. This shows that Poncelet’s lawyer did nothing at all to help him in his charges. If Matthew would have been able to afford a better lawyer like Carl Vitello then there would have been a higher chance that he would have received life in prison instead of the death penalty. People should not receive the death penalty simply because they grew up in poverty they should be appointed a lawyer that will do everything they can for their defendant. Then again Matthew was also a victim of bad...
Words: 1023 - Pages: 5
...Dead Man Walking Working After watching the film, A Dead Man Walking, I was stunned. The authentic film about a young American lad, who kills a boy, rapes a girl and receives a death sentence, really put my views on death penalty in perspective. The convict begs for a retrial, which is denied, but later on finds God, and inner peace, on the death row. He admits everything, and shows positive psychological progress while time is ticking towards his demise. In the end, the convict is executed by the lethal injections. Now, the big question still remains – is capital punishment the right ethical choice in a modern world? After all, America is the land of opportunity. In the film we are faced with many opinions and decision made on hatred and vengeance by the victims’ families. Most of them link to Exodus 21:24, “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”. The convict killed their son, and therefore he must also die - very plebeian mind-set if you ask me. I understand the grief and sorrow connected to their son’s death, and the impact it has on their mentality, and I agree, that the killer must get the right punishment. I am, however, disgusted by execution and the course of action taken in the court. Now, correct me if I’m wrong. But I believe that we are in the 21st century. The 21st century… – and yet we still have the guts to not just blindly, but also callously obey to the outrageously ancient law of Talion? No matter...
Words: 688 - Pages: 3
...Dead Man Walking Death is a very final state and the punishment including death can often be a very hard thing to comprehend for some people. The film Dead Man Walking by Tim Robbins is all about this death penalty, and why the view on this penalty can change from person to person, and also from time to time. However, why do the view from some people change, when it comes to the death penalty and how can Sister Helen love this very hard criminal? The story takes place mainly on death row, where Sister Helen visits Matthew Poncelet. During this time they talk about different things, to calm Matthew down before he is to be executed. They also try to get the execution postponed or cancelled, because Poncelet claims that he did not kill the two people. They talk about the Bible, because Sister Helen means that religion could give him the final peace he needs, before he leaves the earth. She tells him a quote from the Bible, saying that the truth will set him free, and he also confesses to killing the people, and repent his sins to the parents, which show that he know that he has done terrible things, and shows he has his dignity still. Sister Helen is a very religious woman and she quotes the bible several time throughout the movie. In addition, whenever things seem hopeless and she needs help, she prays to Jesus to give her power, or to help her overcome the situation. She also prays for him to help Poncelet overcome the situation he is in. All in all Sister Helen is a great...
Words: 628 - Pages: 3
...Name: Professor: Course: Date: Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean has for years travelled the world and her country to speak against capital punishment – the Death Penalty. On these talks, she discusses her experiences of being a spiritual advisor to inmates sentenced to death row, and explains what it really means to accompany men to their death, meeting the family of a man doomed to die by the state as well as the families of the victims. She’s a fervent critic of politicians and the legal system, discussing how and when the court system works and when it doesn’t. She also speaks on and of forgiveness. She also writes about her beliefs, latest is a book “the Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions” that came out in 2004. It is a book that delves into her experience of witnessing two men that she believes were wrongfully executed, revealing evidence that the juries did not see. It is the second book after her famous novel “Dead Man Walking”, that was adapted into a hit film by the same name, telling the story of Sister Prejean as she establishes a special relationship with Matthew Poncelet, an inmate on death row. While each story might be of slightly different dynamics and different characters, the message remains that before you make up your mind about the death penalty, learn all that you can about it. She believes that many of the people who are for the death penalty may have never actually reflected on it. In this paper, I will analyze...
Words: 1193 - Pages: 5
...I should have expected her when I saw the headline that morning. “Man Found Dead In Desert” wasn’t much information but his picture was plastered across the front page. I thought Olivia would be too busy, or too depressed, to stop by but there was banging on my door around eleven in the morning. I got up and let her in, I wasn’t prepared for the fury of her entrance. “He’s dead!” She came in, took the door from my grip to slam it shut and emphasize her words. “I told you something was wrong and now he’s gone!” She was in my face but I didn’t move, I just watched her as her voice got higher and higher. “You said he was just on vacation but I told you something was wrong and you didn’t do anything! Why didn’t you do something?” “I’m sorry...
Words: 465 - Pages: 2
...I think Dead Man Walking was definitely an anti-death penalty movie because Sister Prejean was one of the main characters and she was unequivocally against the death penalty. In addition, she believed that there are several factors for why someone commits crime and that they’re actually victims of social injustice and inequality. Moreover, she didn’t think that executing someone was the right thing to do. She believed that it was morally wrong and unjust. Sister Prejean also said in the movie that she “did not glorify Matthew or condone his crime.” However, she believed that he was “worthy of dignity and had the right not to be tortured or...
Words: 580 - Pages: 3
...Good Student Dr. Grogan Literary Methodology 17 February 2012 Mistaking Awkwardness for Arrogance: A Reexamination of Gabriel in James Joyce’s “The Dead” A figure as complex and multifaceted as the rich narrative from which he is taken, Gabriel Conroy has long interested readers seeking meaning in James Joyce’s “The Dead.” Initially regarded as “a painfully ordinary man” by Melissa Free, subsequent critics have more harshly accused Gabriel of arrogance and classism, based on his “Three Encounters” with the characters Lily, Molly Ivors, and Gretta (280, 283). However, though many sound arguments can be made in support of Gabriel’s arrogance, one might see this position as a failure to recognize two important factors: First, the nervous insecurity with which he often conducts himself, and second, the disparity between his inner thoughts and outer actions. Indeed, an ethical examination of the story’s “Three Encounters” reveals a highly self-conscious, socially clumsy Gabriel, whose sometimes-condescending thoughts rarely manifest in intentionally hostile behavior. One can first see this display of self-consciousness when examining Gabriel’s discourse with the character Lily, the first in the series of encounters by which he is often judged. For those critics who interpret Gabriel negatively, this might seem a reasonable place to start, for his amusement with the girl’s low accent – “[smiling] at the three syllables she had given his surname,” – is a clear indication that Gabriel...
Words: 1066 - Pages: 5
...The Dead: A Psychological Perspective James Joyce’s “The Dead” can be interpreted form a psychological perspective that focuses on the impact of the cognitive and subconscious influences that impacted the content of Joyce’s work. In analyzing “The Dead” from this psychological perspective, there are insights that reveal how confused, disturbed, insecure, and troubled Joyce was in his personal life. The first article is by Coen and is entitled “What Will Become of Epiphanies? A Psychoanalytic Reading of James Joyce’s ‘The Dead.’” One of the more interesting points that was made in this article was that Coen describes how there are elements being juxtaposed against one another in Joyce’s story. These contrasting elements represent death and life. One example of this contrast between life and death was where Joyce wrote, “The morning was still dark. A dull yellow light brooded over the houses and the river and the sky seemed to be descending” (Joyce). This description uses all dark and dull matter to symbolize death. The morning sky, which could be described as brilliant specks of color trying to break through the early morning dark sky, were instead simply referred to as dark. Then, right after this description, Joyce’s entire mood and writing style changed. He wrote, “…Gabriel’s eyes were…bright with happiness. The blood went bounding along his veins and the thoughts were rioting through his brain, proud, joyful, tender, valorour…” (Joyce). This excerpt is full of...
Words: 1382 - Pages: 6
...“The Dead” In James Joyce’s short story “The Dead” we notice how not living life to its fullest potential can be detrimental to a persons self esteem. The title contributes to this revelation by setting a strong focus on death and mortality, which serves as a constant reminder throughout the story. Joyce chooses to reveal this to us in forms of motifs of music to structure the story, and with this use of musical references the meaning of the story comes out in so many different ways creating a melody, thereby binding the music, and story together. Joyce uses the main character Gabriel to reveal to us the overall reoccurring theme, and how emotionally dead these characters are which leads up to Gabriel’s epiphany at the end of the story. With a title like “The Dead” we imagine that it is going to take place in some gloomy place, like a graveyard. However, to our surprise the story opens up to a Christmas party in which Mr. & Mrs. Conroy, Gabriel and Gretta, are invited to attend. We do not get the feeling of gloom or death, but more of a warm inviting environment. However, with the progression of the story the focus shifts towards the isolation and insecurities that Gabriel is exemplifying. We first see this taking place when he is questioning himself about his speech that he is planning on giving later on in the night. Gabriel is wondering whether or not to quote Robert Browning because he “fears they would be above the heads of his hearers.” (2174) He feels...
Words: 1062 - Pages: 5
...Bhagyesh Patel The Dead by James Joyce James Joyce (February 2, 1882 - January 13, 1941) was one of the most preeminent Irish authors of the twentieth century. He is known for his literary innovation such as a strictly focused narrative and indirect style. Although not strictly originally, James Joyce brought the aforementioned writing methods were to an unparalleled height. James Joyce considered being one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century. The genre of the dead by James Joyce is short story or a novella. The story is Characters * Gabriel Conroy - The main character of the story. (Developed character because he’s the main character of the story and his aunts are Kate and Julia who trust him to keep an eye on things and his thoughts are revealed to the readers.) * Kate Morkan and Julia Morkan - Gabriel's aunts, elderly sisters who throw a party every year during Christmas time. (Developed characters because they through the party so James tell the readers about how they set up the party and stuff.) * Mary Jane Morkan - Niece of Kate and Julia Morkan. (Flat character because the author doesn’t really let us that much about them.) * Lily - Maid. (Flat character because she’s just A young woman who does the housework for the Morkans but lily seems to be acting differently recently because of a problem with her lover.) * Gretta Conroy - Gabriel's wife.(developed character because in the story they...
Words: 1215 - Pages: 5
...It can be said that every story in the collection Dubliners by James Joyce has a tale of its own where “paralysis” is a central theme in all the stories. The idea of “paralysis” can mean a number of different things to different people depending upon their interpretation of a certain text. In general, what “paralysis” does is inhibit a character from doing what they want to do or know they should do, as if there is a kind of shadow in their life, just lurking and haunting them in the darkness. These shadows especially play an important role in two stories from the collection, “The Sisters” and “The Dead”; they act as a sort of imprisonment for the main character. In “The Sisters”, the narrator and main character is a nameless boy. The boy says at the beginning of the story, “Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly to myself the word paralysis. It had always sounded strangely in my ears…like the name of some maleficent and sinful being. It filled me with fear” (“The Sisters”, 2). From this, the reader sees that the boy does not really know how to respond to the priest’s inevitable death. What kind of relationship exists between the boy and Father Flynn is hard to determine because the reader only sees their relationship through the eyes of the boy. As the reader is introduced to other characters in the story, they start to learn bits of information about the nature of their relationship, but the reader is still somewhat left in the dark. Throughout the story...
Words: 1081 - Pages: 5
...“The Dead” by Joyce was written as a part of his collection, “The Dubliners”. James Joyce was greatly influenced by writing the short story reflecting what was all around him, which was a movement by the Irish in Dublin, Ireland. Ireland greatly influenced Joyce’s inspiration for writing. Consequently, he decided that he wanted to attempt to create an original portrayal of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, in his short story, “The Dead.” This short story by James Joyce, the author, is using the main character, Gabriel Conroy, to portray him slightly. This story takes place in the 20th century, in Dublin, Ireland. The main character, Gabriel Conroy, is a part-time book reviewer and a professor. He attended a party that was hosted by two of his aunts. While there he talked to a woman names Mrs. Ivors. Mrs. Ivors is a woman who is involved in a movement dealing with the Irish. Her job is to try to bring awareness and bring back the Irish language and culture. She talked to him about some of the views he had referring to the Irish and the English. This was one topic that they both disagreed on. While she tried to talk to...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...stories in Dubliners that lead up to it, “The Dead” dramatizes a moment of self-realization. The story portrays the gradual awakening of Gabriel Conroy, whose vision of his wife, Gretta, at the end of the story is at once a frustrating disappointment and a touching movement toward understanding and love. Robert Adams voices the view of more than one critic when he writes of “The Dead” that this “greatest of the stories in Dubliners stands apart from the rest, being warmer in tonality, richer in the writing, and more intimate in its subject matter” (83). Florence Walzl agrees when she writes that “’The Dead’ is markedly different from the earlier stories. . . .It is not only a longer, more fully developed narrative, but it presents a more kindly view of Ireland” (428). In one sense the “dead” of the title are all those who have lived and died, those who have gone before the festive inhabitants of Dublin who celebrate the Christmas season, Gabriel Conroy and Gretta among them. In another sense the dead are all those who, though alive and breathing, have lost their naturalness, their spontaneity, and most importantly, their passion. Gabriel, one of these, has lost touch with his past and with traditional Irish values. He looks instead toward continental Europe, toward the future, and toward change for an escape from the outmoded and restrictive attitudes of the past (Ellmann 395). We glimpse Gabriel arriving at the party as a man coming in from the dark, here the symbolic...
Words: 1783 - Pages: 8
