Analysis Of Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson

Words: 903
Pages: 4
Open Document
Throughout Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, author Bryan Stevenson has created a honest, raw, and optimistic tone. In his memoir, Stevenson speaks about his experiences with inequality, abusive power, injustice, poverty, and oppression. While talking about this, he says, “We are all broken by something. We have all hurt someone and have been hurt. We all share the condition of brokenness even if our brokenness is not equivalent” (289). Here he is being honest with himself, and to the readers. Even though there are people who deny being hurt or broken by something, no one is perfect. This statement he makes, can connect to the readers on another level and help them relate to his text. When Bryan writes about his encounter with …show more content…
However, the underlying purpose of his text is to challenge racial stereotypes, encourage racial equality, as well as provide inspiration. During a phone call with Robert E. Lee Key, Robert asks Bryan, “Why in the hell would you want to represent someone like Walter McMillian? Do you know he’s reputed to be one of the biggest drug dealers in all of South Alabama? I got your notice entering an appearance, but you don’t want anything to do with this case” (20). Based on just this one phone call, it shows the corruption, and racism in the United States justice system. The one person in the courtroom that is suppose to not be biased is trying to stop the case from being completed. Not only was Stevenson shocked by what Robert E. Lee Key was saying but he himself had experienced what it was like to be judged by a stereotype. One day when he was sitting in his car at night, an older officer walked up to his window and said, “Someone called about a suspected burglary. There have been a lot of burglaries in this neighborhood...We’re going to let you go. You should be happy” (42). This incident Bryan writes about showcases how even though he was just sitting peacefully in his car, he was still stereotyped.To build off of that, in the begining, Bryan writes, “The more I reflected on the experience, the more I recognized that I had been struggling my whole life with the …show more content…
This composition became one of my favorites, and I would definitely recommend it. There was not one part of this memoir I disliked, and the text was very effective. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, was written in great structure. Since it was written in chronological order, it made it an easy read as well as to understand. It discussed a topic that is not spoken often enough which is the corruption in the U.S. justice system. Bryan Stevenson was effective in getting his point across. Towards the end he talks about what an influence Walter had made on him. He says, “Walter made me understand why we have to reform a system of criminal justice that continues to treat people better if they are rich and guilty than if they are poor and innocent” (313). This statement basically sums up what the purpose of the memoir and the motivation that gave Bryan Stevenson to write it. Another interesting thing about this memoir is that since it is not written from just one period of time, the readers are able to get an idea of how the justice system was versus present day through the glimpse of flashback Stevenson provides and how it has changed or not changed over the course of time. Overall it is a fantastic read that brought awareness to a subject that should be discussed more often. Therefore the text was not ineffective, and written really
Show More

Related Documents: Analysis Of Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson

Analysis Of Just Mercy A Story Of Justice And Redemption By Bryan Stevenson

evidence presented in Bryan Stevenson “Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption”. Because of that our citizens are faced with a serious threat with the people we have in authority, such as the police, lawyers, judges, juries even our governors and president. In this essay we will explore the topics used in Stevenson's book to explain the problems with the criminal justice system in America, the racial bias that continues to be a grave problem and finally the examples Stevenson used to support these…

Words 316 - Pages 2

Cather Guenther Criminal Justice Analysis

The Criminal Justice system is often criticized, critiqued, and interpreted in many various ways. In 1976, Guenther presented his early analysis into the state of the Criminal Justice System, in which he expressed that it is “unfair, harsh, and biased”. He expresses that instead of this “unfair, harsh, and biased” Criminal Justice System, we have a Criminal Processing System. There was a comment made by Heather McDonald that opposes that view, in which she said that the Criminal Justice System is…

Words 1722 - Pages 7