Dead Man Walking Death Penalty Analysis

A Look Into the Modern Death Penalty: Dead Man Walking Courage, faith, and passion: what more could one need to be a convicted killer’s spiritual advisor? Sister Helen Prejean possesses all of these characteristics as she faces the criticism, doubts, and hardships of being a spiritual advisor for a prisoner. In a society where the government kills killers for killing, Sister Helen Prejean teaches her audience about the wrongs and inequities of capital punishment by recounting the story of her life-changing and spiritual journey. Dead Man Walking is an eye-opening novel that powerfully and successfully encourages society to consider the faults of the death penalty. In 1982, located in the floodlands of Louisiana where crime rates are at an
Prejean’s fervent speech presents constitutional morality and creates an effective style that promotes social justice. Lastly, Sister Helen Prejean proves it was morally correct to publish this novel by thoroughly providing a large amount of ethical criteria. She includes this ethical criteria by sharing her moral values on such a controversial topic as the death penalty. “And I end by challenging people to ask themselves whether we can continue to allow the government, subject as it is to every imaginable form of inefficiency and corruption, to have such power to kill” (Prejean 130). By denouncing the faulty power of the government to kill criminals, Prejean encourages society to uphold the humanitarian rights of fellow citizens, thus being morally correct. Through providing practical, aesthetic, and ethical criteria, Sister Helen Prejean shares a deeply moving story with fantastic style, diction, religious vocation, and moral clarity. A spiritually touching story, Dead Man Walking by Sister Helen Prejean offers a voice for humanity and a life-changing reflection. This novel challenges mankind to respect all human life-- no matter the sin