Just Mercy Rhetorical Analysis

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Life’s Appraisal
The systematic killing of those who our government deems worthy has been legal in the United States since it’s reinstatement in 1976. Brian Stevenson shows us in his book, Just Mercy, how often those who have been condemned are innocent or wrongfully sent to death row. Stevenson recounts how he acquired his passion for helping those on death row and the tribulations they had to endure. The book mainly is centered on one man’s case, Walter McMillian, however, in order to give to connect the reader to the story and give more background details Stevenson often interjects with shorter cases. Stevenson effectively uses the rhetorical appeal pathos to connect his readers to the person’s story to make the reader feel sadness and despair. …show more content…
Herbert’s backstory is riddled with words such as “perilous”, “killed”, “blood”, and “trauma” to show the reader how truly awful Herbert’s situation was. Once the reader is connected to Herbert, Stevenson creates a feeling of despair during Herbert’s court session by using words such as “panicked”, “vexed”, “shackled”, and “distraught”. (80) However, it is Stevenson use of words like “hug”, “pride”, “smile”, and “gracious” while Herbert is about to be executed that moves the reader the most. He shows the reader that even through the toughest time in a person’s life, there are still kind people who do everything in their power to help those around …show more content…
This is most prevalent while Herbert is sitting with his family just hours before his scheduled execution. As Stevenson arrived, he could instantly tell that tonight’s execution was different. The prison entrance was being protected by “state troopers, local police officers, deputy sheriffs, and what appeared to be part of the National Guard,” as if someone thought “there might be some violent, armed resistance to the scheduled execution of an indignant black man.” (84-85) However, when he arrived inside he instantly noticed the “unusual warmth and familiarity” he was receiving from the correctional officer. (85) And once he entered the visiting area where Herbert and his family where he saw that Herbert “was calmer than I had ever seen him.” (84) Herbert was taking it upon his self to “keep things light” and make sure everyone was happy. (84) This is all occurring in the middle of a cold prison just down the hall from where Herbert is about to strapped to a chair and executed. The hard contrast between the way Herbert is acting and the situation he is in leads the reader to believe that he doesn’t belong in that situation. Herbert ‘sticks-out’ and does not deserve to be executed. And it is not just the reader, “everyone [Stevenson] saw at the prison seemed
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