Just Mercy is not set in one location, it varies throughout the book. The majority of the book is set in the Deep South in the 80’s and 90’s. Bryan Stevenson begins his journey with the justice system in Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout the rest of the book, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana are referenced. Though northern and “more liberal” states are not completely innocent of wrongful punishments, states such as California and Pennsylvania are included in Mr. Stevenson’s book, each with it’s own case. The location of Just Mercy is important to consider because the setting shows that in the Deep South the poor and minorities are especially discriminated against and unfortunately this bias is spread throughout the nation (Stevenson). This bias can
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While there are many minor themes within the book, the major theme is combating the flaws of the justice system with tolerance and understanding. Bryan Stevenson exemplifies this theme by fighting for his clients who have been wronged by the judicial system. Some of his clients were innocent and others were guilty of the accused crime, but in the delivery of “justice” there was a failure to take into account socioeconomic, mental, and emotional issues. The failure is perfectly illustrated by the case of a young woman named Trina Garnett. Trina lived in Chester, Pennsylvania and at the time had “high rates of poverty, crime, and unemployment” (148). Alongside this social situation, Trina lived with her abusive father, seemed to be intellectually disabled, and grew to have many mental health problems. Trina accidentally killed two boys; she was then sentenced to life of imprisonment without the possibility of parole. For Trina, her “age [fourteen years old] mental illness, poverty, the abuse she had suffered, or … circumstances around the fire” could not help her receive a lesser punishment (149-150). The delivery of justice is accompanied by racial and class biases. The injustice shown within the book is not just a lack of justice, but it is also the lack of appropriate …show more content…
These elements combined within Just Mercy artfully expresses the injustice within the American justice system. As all books similar to Just Mercy, books with a social message, one question remains; what should happen to the information given? In the author’s point of view, every reader should first let the impact settle. This book is core-ripping and eye-opening. Once the reader has an idea of what this book makes them feel, they need to share. The worst act a human can commit is to stay ignorant, purposefully ignorant. Ignorance is not bliss, it undermines the progress we as Americans have made and need to make. Reading Just Mercy will not solve all of the problems in American, society but it will raise awareness. Where there is awareness, there is
While there are many minor themes within the book, the major theme is combating the flaws of the justice system with tolerance and understanding. Bryan Stevenson exemplifies this theme by fighting for his clients who have been wronged by the judicial system. Some of his clients were innocent and others were guilty of the accused crime, but in the delivery of “justice” there was a failure to take into account socioeconomic, mental, and emotional issues. The failure is perfectly illustrated by the case of a young woman named Trina Garnett. Trina lived in Chester, Pennsylvania and at the time had “high rates of poverty, crime, and unemployment” (148). Alongside this social situation, Trina lived with her abusive father, seemed to be intellectually disabled, and grew to have many mental health problems. Trina accidentally killed two boys; she was then sentenced to life of imprisonment without the possibility of parole. For Trina, her “age [fourteen years old] mental illness, poverty, the abuse she had suffered, or … circumstances around the fire” could not help her receive a lesser punishment (149-150). The delivery of justice is accompanied by racial and class biases. The injustice shown within the book is not just a lack of justice, but it is also the lack of appropriate …show more content…
These elements combined within Just Mercy artfully expresses the injustice within the American justice system. As all books similar to Just Mercy, books with a social message, one question remains; what should happen to the information given? In the author’s point of view, every reader should first let the impact settle. This book is core-ripping and eye-opening. Once the reader has an idea of what this book makes them feel, they need to share. The worst act a human can commit is to stay ignorant, purposefully ignorant. Ignorance is not bliss, it undermines the progress we as Americans have made and need to make. Reading Just Mercy will not solve all of the problems in American, society but it will raise awareness. Where there is awareness, there is