DMW: A Rhetorical Approach
Human life is the most sacred phenomenon man-kind possesses, for centuries humans have pondered their existence, and its meaning. Every person’s life has an intrinsic value which should never be taken by anyone, including governmental systems. Capital punishment dates back as far as 17th century B.C. During that time the Draconian Code of Athens, the death sentence, was the only punishment for all crimes. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, “Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement” (DPIC Part I: History of the Death Penalty). It may seem outrageous that anyone would be horrendously beaten to death by their own governmental …show more content…
Prejean’s pages 88-95 in Dead Man Walking, published in 1993 and again in 2013, is a first-person subjective narration of her experience as the spiritual advisor of Patrick Sonnier, a death row inmate. Prejean skillfully illustrates the cruelty and corruption of capital punishment in the United States through her involvement with Patrick. Sister Prejean is a nun, who agreed to become spiritual companion for Patrick, at first she was wary of the task, because of Sonnier’s reason of conviction for the rape and murder of 18 year old Loretta Ann Bourque and the murder of David LeBlanc age 17. Prejean readily jumps into the action on pages 88-95 of her book where she grabs her reader and pulls them into the execution. She paints the walls of the hallway as her, Sonnier, and participants of the execution make their way to the leather chair. Sonnier looks “like a bird without feathers” (Prejean 90) a simile to represent his flying departure. Looking out into the crowd Prejean points out the presence of the fathers of the victims Sonnier illegibly murdered. Sonnier stands before the people witnessing his dismissal from life and apologizes to Lloyd Leblanc for his act against his family, but does not apologize to Mr. Bourque. As Prejean holds the audiences’ hand in the execution chamber deep inside the heart of the prison “a cap is placed on his head and an electrode is screwed in at the top” (Prejean 93). This man was electrocuted with an initial nineteen hundred volts, then five hundred, and nineteen hundred once more. Despite all of her efforts the nun was left sitting in the execution room staring blankly at the man she had grown such love, and compassion for. Prejean was so disturbed by this act by the state that shortly after she had to
Human life is the most sacred phenomenon man-kind possesses, for centuries humans have pondered their existence, and its meaning. Every person’s life has an intrinsic value which should never be taken by anyone, including governmental systems. Capital punishment dates back as far as 17th century B.C. During that time the Draconian Code of Athens, the death sentence, was the only punishment for all crimes. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, “Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement” (DPIC Part I: History of the Death Penalty). It may seem outrageous that anyone would be horrendously beaten to death by their own governmental …show more content…
Prejean’s pages 88-95 in Dead Man Walking, published in 1993 and again in 2013, is a first-person subjective narration of her experience as the spiritual advisor of Patrick Sonnier, a death row inmate. Prejean skillfully illustrates the cruelty and corruption of capital punishment in the United States through her involvement with Patrick. Sister Prejean is a nun, who agreed to become spiritual companion for Patrick, at first she was wary of the task, because of Sonnier’s reason of conviction for the rape and murder of 18 year old Loretta Ann Bourque and the murder of David LeBlanc age 17. Prejean readily jumps into the action on pages 88-95 of her book where she grabs her reader and pulls them into the execution. She paints the walls of the hallway as her, Sonnier, and participants of the execution make their way to the leather chair. Sonnier looks “like a bird without feathers” (Prejean 90) a simile to represent his flying departure. Looking out into the crowd Prejean points out the presence of the fathers of the victims Sonnier illegibly murdered. Sonnier stands before the people witnessing his dismissal from life and apologizes to Lloyd Leblanc for his act against his family, but does not apologize to Mr. Bourque. As Prejean holds the audiences’ hand in the execution chamber deep inside the heart of the prison “a cap is placed on his head and an electrode is screwed in at the top” (Prejean 93). This man was electrocuted with an initial nineteen hundred volts, then five hundred, and nineteen hundred once more. Despite all of her efforts the nun was left sitting in the execution room staring blankly at the man she had grown such love, and compassion for. Prejean was so disturbed by this act by the state that shortly after she had to