Thoughts I Have

Mercy and Gothic Literature

Last year in English class, we had a Gothic literature unit. When many people imagine this genre, Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' comes to mind. Unfortunately, the popularity of this particular book has caused it to become almost cliche in the world of Gothic literature and horror. But Frankenstein isn't a horror story, or even just a story about a monster, as it is a tale full of insight into human relationships, and how things like justice, mercy, love, prejudice, and fear play into how we make our decisions and interact with those around us. 

Personally, I do not like reading Gothic literature very much. Although I do appreciate its unusual ability to provide insight into our humanity, I find it to be very depressing. I know I must face the evil that exists in the world, and not ignore or hide from it, but this knowledge makes the genre no easier for me to read.

In my English class last year, we were given a choice of several Gothic books. One of them was written to recreate a real murder mystery, a murder that happened for no apparent reason. I chose that one because it was based on real life, and I figured I would at least be educating myself on real evils in the world. I chose the book 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote. 

Reading that book was rather disturbing. It was the story of two men, just released from a penitentiary, who decided they wanted to go to Mexico and have a never-ending holiday. But they needed money. One man had heard from a cellmate of a man who always payed all his bills in cash, and the cellmate had assumed this man had a safe in his living room in which he kept all his money. So the two men headed there, taking all sorts of precautions. When they arrived at the house, they couldn't find the safe, so they tied up and shot the man, his wife, and his two children, after threatening to rape the man's daughter and cutting the man's throat. Then, with no money, they left the house and crossed the border to Mexico. When the police surveyed the scene, however, they noticed something interesting. It was clear the murderers had gone out of their way to make their prisoners comfortable before killing them. 

They had no motivation. When they were finally caught, it became clear they had never met the family before, and only killed them 'to keep them from telling the police who robbed them.' They were both sentenced to death.

Even after reading the graphic descriptions of the murders, and knowing how much the victims had suffered, I was bothered by the sentence they received. I couldn't believe what they had done, and I can't understand why anyone would kill another person for any reason. But I don't see how killing the killers solved anything. Yes, it may have given someone a sense of justice, or perhaps vengeance. But that book caused me to question something I hadn't really cared about before- the death sentence. 

Then, yesterday, I began researching juvenile detention alternatives. I've thought many times about becoming a foster parent when I am old enough to do so, and I wondered if maybe one alternative to juvenile detention would be foster care. I think placing a child charged by the law in a healthy home with a healthy family temporarily, with resources and the chance to make better choices, and then helping the child's family to provide these same chances for their children, is a much better option than child jail. 

I didn't find any definite answers to my question, but I did learn something awful. Some children are sentenced to prison for life. Some of these children are as young as twelve. 

Even if a child commits murder, they should not grow up and live their life in prison. Yes, they are fully responsible for their actions, but rather than hurt them, it is society's job to help them. 

This led me to think about adults sentenced to life with no chance for parole. Imagine knowing you would die in prison, knowing you would never get the chance to change. I read the story of a young man who received this sentence, and then was refused an education or occupational training because such services were reserved for prisoners preparing for release. But he taught himself using a cellmate's books, and then began tutoring the other prisoners. He ended up becoming a role model for them, and doing much good in the prison. But society refused to show him mercy.