Just Mercy Analysis

1260 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on injustices

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson flawlessly captures the reality of a common, yet somewhat unknown theme in today’s justice system, injustice. While reading this memoir, I was extremely inspired by Stevenson’s devotion to fighting for justice for his clients. In particular, the heart wrenching story of the young black man, Walter McMillan, made a lasting impression on me and my ideas of justice and mercy. I learned that we all must learn to have compassion and warmth in a world that can be so cold. Stevenson states, “We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer …show more content…

On July 10th, my family and I were on our way to Charleston, West Virginia when we got hit by a heavily intoxicated driver on I-77 and became involved in a multi-vehicle car collision. The fatal accident has given me a different input on life in general. The moment we crawled out of the car, and nearby drivers stopped to tell us the driver who initially hit us was driving at over 100 mph and weaving in and outside lanes, I felt angry. I was confused and felt helpless. A witness rushed to me and said “I have no compassion for people like that…no compassion.” Still in shock, I had seen my mother lying on the floor with a bleeding wound on her face. My sadness and anger built. You can’t help but ask questions like “Why us?” and “What did I do to deserve this?” There was a moment when I thought I would lose my family, and it would all be at the fault of a reckless criminal who had no mercy for others. Thankfully, we are all blessed to be alive and well. However, in the moment of my loss of hope, I was becoming like the witness who had no

Show More
Related

  • Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson Summary

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is a memoir where Bryan Stevenson guides us through his life as a lawyer for those who are death sentence. From 1983 when he was student at Harvard Law to 2013 where he lost a client he was defending for years , he takes us through several cases he has taken over the years and showed how they personally impacted him as not only as a lawyer , but a person as well.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Bryan Stevenson book Just Mercy, Stevenson exposed many things about the justice system. He explain to his audience that the justice system are treated minorities wrong. Bryan Stevenson influences on the readers’ thoughts about the justice system. He makes the readers question if we are being treated right. Stevenson does this by using logos effectively by providing the readers with the cases he dealt with. There are four cases that stuck out to readers are the Walter, Charlie, Horace, and Joe.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Jim Crow And Just Mercy

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    There were many innocent people that were punished for crimes they did not commit because they could not afford adequate counsel. Being poor and black can become a life or death situation. I believe that both books makes very valid points when it comes to mass incarceration and racial biases. The injustices have become so engrained in the system that many are blind to what is actually going on. More and more black men are becoming incarcerated and this is not because more blacks commit crime, so why then are so many being institutionalized? I believe it is to try to regain that power that was lost from the abolishment of slavery. The New Jim Crow highlighted the creation of the new racial caste system by revealing that the conception of this permanent segregation was implanted well before the Civil Rights Movement ended (Stevenson, 2014). While Just Mercy pinpoints the aftermath of a preconceived idea. It showed that America operated off of fear and anger, rather than truth and

    Read More

  • to kill a mockingbird

    655 Words  | 2 Pages

    Harper Lee sheds light upon the controversy of racism and justice in his classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The notion of equality in accordance to the law and the pursuit of justice are hindered by racial discrimination. The essential essence of human nature is pondered. Are we inclined to be good or in the wrath of evil? The novel reflects on the contrasting nature of appearance versus reality.

    Read More

  • The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    As Elie Wiesel once stated, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented” (“Elie Wiesel Quote”). Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow, which discusses criminal justice and its role in mass incarceration, promotes a similar idea regarding silence when America’s racial caste system needs to be ended; however, Alexander promotes times when silence would actually be better for “the tormented.” The role of silence and lack of silence in the criminal justice system both contribute to wrongly accused individuals and growing populations behind bars.

    Read More

  • Our Lady Of Mercy Analysis

    468 Words  | 1 Pages

    In modern society, the rules for school are simple and straightforward. To do well in school means to do well later in all aspects of life and guaranteed success will come. Sadly however, this is not the case for Ken Harvey or Mike Rose. Author Mike Rose goes to Our Lady of Mercy, a small school located deep in Southern Los Angeles where he meets other troubled students. Being accidentally placed in the vocational track for the school, Rose scuttles the deep pond with other troubled youths. Dealt with incompetent, lazy and often uninvolved teachers, the mix of different students ‘s attention and imagination run wild. Rose then describes his classmates, most of them trying to gasp for air in the dead school environment. On a normal day in religion

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Criminological Theories In Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson

    2281 Words  | 5 Pages

    The novel, Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson is an incredible read. In this book, Mr.

    Read More

  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving

    1991 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the year 2001 more then 800,000 injuries occurred in the United States from alcohol related accidents, while more than 40% of automobile crashes were due to the abuse of alcohol (MADD homepage). These overwhelming statistics are just a small piece of the very large puzzle that stuns the nation with deaths every year. For some people, these statistics are more than just phrases on paper they are words that are haunting reminders of the tragedies and losses they have experienced in their lifetime. One such mother was so distraught by the loss of her thirteen year old daughter Carrie Lightner, who was killed by a drunk driver, began the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). On the other side of the country another mother was feeling the same pain as her five and a half month old daughter, Laura Lamb, took her last breath after a drunk driver struck their car. Together these women joined forces to share their sufferings with others in the same situation, while striving to prevent future accidents and conditions such as the ones they had just experienced.

    Read More

  • Justice and Prejudice: A Study of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    Justice is a translation of the law by an individual’s ideals. Although it can be defined by many, justice is confidently placed in the hands of individuals that understand and interpret the law to the fullest extent, in regards to their integrity and morality. While the law coincides with justice, tension arises when a conflict of ethics comes into play. The subversion of justice is portrayed in, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee as a result of racism, stereotyping, and preconceived notions (bias).

    Read More

  • My Mommys Been In A Car Accident

    1646 Words  | 4 Pages

    At Ten P.m on September 23, 2006, my mother Kelli Elizabeth Dicks was hit by a car on Route 146 southbound trying to cross the high speed lane. She was being picked up by a friend. Instead of taking the exit and coming to the other side of the highway, her ride suggested she run across the street. The impact of the car caused her to be thrown 87 feet away from the original impact zone and land in a grassy patch of land, her shoes stayed where she was hit. She was immediately rushed to Rhode Island Hospital where she was treated for serious injuries. When she arrived at the hospital she was rushed into the operating room for an emergency surgery. The amount of injuries she sustained were unbelievable. She broke 18 different bones, lacerated her liver and her spleen, ruptured her bladder, and she collapsed both lungs. When she went in for her emergency operation, and had her

    Read More

  • Critical Race Theory Of Just Mercy

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    As one grows older, certain trends begin to appear that are difficult not to notice. Naivety begins to fade and the harsh realities people are faced with every day present themselves. These realities shape how people perceive and treat others. A certain theme, or rather lack of theme, that is extremely pertinent in today’s society is the notion of humanity. Humanity is defined, by Merriam-Webster, as the quality or state of being humane or having a compassionate disposition. Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson, is a book that perfectly embodies the theme of humanity. In this book, the reader follows the author throughout his journey from an idealistic, young lawyer to a revered attorney in his quest for justice for those deemed unfavorable by our

    Read More

  • Bryan Stevenson's Identity: The Power Of Identity

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bryan Stevenson states that in the U.S one out of three black men are either in prison or on probation/parole. Within the criminal justice system, it has been brought up that there is still racial and wealth inequality. Stevenson argues that one is likely to be treated better if they are rich and guilty opposed to being poor and innocent. Identity becomes a factor in this controversial issue when it is clear that no one is fighting for the equality. Stevenson brings up the point of the issue not being personal. If the problem is not personal, then it’s not the problem of the community. However, he argues that if no one will address problem, then the problem will never get solved. Similarly, Bryan Stevenson proclaims that within the nation, identity is based solely on how the poor is treated. People in poverty have a lack of opportunity, and they are often blamed and mistreated for this unfortunate way of life. Stevenson goes on to say that “the opposite of poverty is not wealth, it is justice.” What he means by this statement is that poverty is unjust. The fact that one is less fortunate the most should never be the reason to be mistreated. Recognizing that poverty is injustice is a positive way of improving one’s identity because may be the start of dealing with one of the nation’s many

    Read More

  • Use Of Gothic Language In Bryan Stevenson's 'Just Mercy'

    1269 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, he uses methods of gothic language, partial language, biased facts and repetition to portray prisons in a negative light, allowing him to subtly persuade the reader, he often times does this through the negativity of prisons focusing on: prison guards, the structures themselves and the mistreatment of the prisoners. This method is a vital form in storytelling, but often times detracts from the overall message of Just Mercy and the injustices of the prison system.

    Read More

  • Mass Incarceration In The Criminal Justice System

    1150 Words  | 3 Pages

    If we had actually learned to show love, care, compassion, and concern across racial lines during the Civil Rights movement – rather than go colorblind—mass incarceration would not exist today (Alexander, 2012, p.177). Nowadays, that would be considered police discretion. In J101, police discretion was one of the main topics discussed. Police have the right to decide whom they want to arrest. In most cases, if the victim is white, then there is a greater likelihood that a black person, or other minority will be

    Read More

  • Inequality In Just Mercy

    1441 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women, for example, who could not afford health care suffered intensely in bad situations; for instance, when their children died unexpectedly (Stevenson 233). It is awful enough to lose a child after giving birth, but like the woman described in this book, many poor women often have huge obstacles to overcome in addition to their birth. Within Just Mercy, there was a story about a family who lost their home and jobs to a storm, causing a number of different issues. During these series of events, the mother discovered she was pregnant. With the lack of prenatal care over the course of her pregnancy, she delivered a stillborn child. Since they had no money for medical costs they decided to keep the death of the child amongst family members. Unfortunately, after police found out about the buried child, the mother was arrested for murder and it took months of testing to prove that the mother did not if fact kill her own child. It is saddening to see these type of situations happen all over the United States. Government money is being put into places such as prisons, and taking away from funding for things such as medical insurance. Many people, including these women, are suffering because they are unable to receive the proper medical attention they

    Read More

More about Just Mercy Analysis

Open Document