Introduction and Analysis of Chapters 1-3
Hello and welcome to my blog about Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. As I read this book over the next few weeks, I will be sharing my thoughts through blog posts. The book Just Mercy is about the broken criminal justice system in the United States, and Bryan Stevensons' first-hand look at it. So far, I really enjoy this book and am looking forward to reading further.
Stevenson starts off with a story, already making his book easy to read. He delves into his background: he was a Harvard University law student, working on an internship. He didn't even know if he wanted to be a lawyer at the time, and was in search of a post-graduate profession after studying philosophy at Eastern University. Bryan says,
"I was uncertain about what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew it would have something to do with the lives of the poor, America's history of racial inequality, and the struggle to be equitable and fair with one another" (4).
Bryan's background sets the tone that he has an interest in the people, especially those who are not privileged and under-represented. Within reading these first few pages, I could tell I was going to like the book.
So far Stevenson mainly focuses on Walter McMillian. Walter has been accused of killing Ronda Morrison, who was shot and killed with no one to blame for months. While the police weren't making any arrests, the white residents of Monroeville, Alabama remained wary and angry. When Bill Hooks, a black prisoner known as a jailhouse snitch joined the conversation of Walter McMillian, McMillian had nothing left to defend himself.
I think the fact that Stevenson took on such a tough case to begin his career as a lawyer really shows his determination and dedication to helping those who need it when it comes to the criminal justice system. He was warned by Judge Key to not take the case, but he did anyway. This factor makes me even more interested in the rest of the book and learning more about Bryan Stevenson and how far his determination will take him.
A passage that stood out to me was when Stevenson recalled a night when he was approached by policemen on his way home.
"I noticed people up the block turning on their lights and peering out of their front doors. The house next to ours came to life, and a middle-aged white man and woman walked outside and stared at me as I was leaned over the vehicle" (41).
This passage stood out to me because it highlighted the fact that while Stevenson was being interrogated and pushed up against his car for no practical reason, neighbors just watched as if it was a form of entertainment. This moment in the book helps readers understand the environment of the town and what the outlook on Black people was like during that time. I think this passage also helps readers understand why Stevenson has a drive for his work-being a Black man in Alabama in 1989, he dealt with a lot himself, like this incident.
Overall, I'm really excited to continue reading this book and learning more about Stevenson's cases. I think the way he writes the book doesn't make it boring, as I have a hard time reading non-fiction in most cases. Thank you for reading my first blog post of Just Mercy!
Works Cited
Bryan Stevenson at TED2012. Wikipedia, 1 Mar. 2012, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Stevenson. Accessed 17 Mar. 2021.
Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. 2019 ed., New York, Spiegel & Grau, 2019.
Hey Anna,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your introduction to this book, and it sounds really interesting. I had a similar reaction to the passage you wrote about. It's sort of mind-blowing that no one stepped in or seemed concerned about the situation where he was interrogated by the police. I also really liked how you recapped the beginning of the book, because it gave me a good idea of who Bryan Stevenson is. Overall I'm excited to continue reading your blog posts!
Good style and structure for your blog, though the main image for the blog could match a little better. Don't forget the required components for the later posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your first blog post. I think you touched on great ideas and I like how you discussed the part in the novel where Stevenson was interrogated by the police when he was just casually sitting in his car listening to the radio. It brought the idea of racial profiling to the reader's attention. I was eager when I read that you were interested in Walter's case. His case is so complex and I finally reached the part in the novel where I find out what happens to him. I am excited for you to read that part! Do you think Stevenson will end up getting Walter free? What are your predictions?
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI think your had a great analysis for your first blog post. I like how you shared some stories provided in the text, as well as the law side of things. It was very shocking to read about how no one had stepped into help Stevenson while he was being violated, and people just sat and stared. Where do you think Stevenson's case will end up?