People in society today have changed their feelings towards
humanity and religious practises. This change is seen clearly in the
movie "Dead Man Walking." The characters go through changes in their
view of religion and their feelings about human morality and humanity
towards each other. The characters of Sister Helen, Matthew, and the
victims parents all went through these changes during the movie for
different reasons. These emotional changes that the characters went
through are very common. Everyone changes their ideals and morals
depending on their situation. Matthew's ideals changed because he
feared that he was going to die alone. Sister Helen's feelings changed
because she saw a side of Matthew that no one else was able to see.
The parents of the victim "Hope" were filled with revenge because of what
Matthew did, not why he did it. The father of the victim "Walter" was very
sympathetic, he understanding of what Matthew was going
through.SISTER HELEN Sister Helen was very unsure about
what she was doing in life. She became a nun to give back to the
community which gave her good Christian morals and values. By
becoming a nun she was able to teach others to respect life and become
more like Jesus (A Son of God). As a child Sister Helen was taught to be
very supportive and to give this support to those who needed her help.
When confronted with Matthew, Sister Helen tries to see the
good in him and show him the respect she believes he deserves. She
believes that there is good in all man and that every person deserves
respect. Sister Helen understands that what Matthew did was wrong, but
she also knows that every person is worth more than their worst act, and
that ,"No man deserves to die . . .". In Sister Helen's mind every man
deserves a chance. From insight into her background and Christian
upbringing Sister Helen is able to see and feel for Matthew as a person
and not as an object of " scum or as a monster ". The media's
understanding and the victims parents understanding is that Sister Helen
believes that Matthew was wronged by the system. They feel like they
have been betrayed by a God's messenger (Sister Helen). To them
Sister Helen is on Matthew's side by helping him find God. Sister Helen
is being torn apart because she does no want to hurt anyone's feelings.
She is compassionate and sympathetic to everyone's feelings, but does
not mean to hurt any by her actions of helping a murderer find God.At the
end of the movie Sister Helen wants Matthew to see a face of love (Hers)
not one of hate and resentment (The Victims Parents). This means a lot
to her because she has seen Matthew the person no longer Matthew the
monster. Sister Helen felt compassionate towards Matthew because of
the person he had become through getting to know her and understand
what she believed and wanted.MATTHEW At the beginning of
the movie Matthew is rude and abrupt to Sister Helen that's what
happens on death row, " you start to hate and resent everyone."
Matthew never thought that he would be visiting with a nun. Soon
Matthew trusts Sister Helen and persuades her to help him by filing a
petition not to kill him by lethal injection. This was a turning point in his
attitude in understanding right and wrong. Matthew thinks that he got
screwed by the system that's why he's going to die, not because he did
something wrong. Matthew never had anyone that really cared about him
except Sister Helen. Matthew was always lonely and only cared about
number one ( Himself ). By talking and sharing with Sister Helen he
starts to understand what he did was wrong. Matthew's mother was
asked to pled for his life. This allowed the media and the parents of the
victims to see him as someone's child much like their own, and to explain
that he was good boy not a monster. She explained in court that he had,
" had a hard life but he was a good boy." Matthew wanted to protect his
mother and not let her see him on trial for what he did. Matthew wanted
to keep his pride by not seeing his mother crying for him. He wanted her
to be happy and to not worry about him. This compassion is crucial to the
total change in ideals and morals that Matthew has now (After knowing
Sister Helen). Matthew was going through a lot of changes
now that he was going to die within a week. His understanding of life and
humanity changed drastically from being a racist, saying that all the Black
are victims and keep having slavery, to feeling compassion to everyone.
Many of these feelings are because of his understanding of human life,
as his life nears the end. This changes are all caused by the situation he
is in. At the end Matthew hopes that the father of Walter (the
victim) can forgive him and accept that he knows what he was wrong and
should be punished for it, but not punished to death. Hope's farther does
forgive him at the vary end of the movie. As for the parents of Hope,
Matthew hopes that his death makes them happy even after the death of
their son. Matthew also accepts responsibility for what he did and Sister
Helen explains to him that by doing that he is now a son of God and can
die with dignity. This is what was needed for Matthew, as a person.
. changed their feelings towards
humanity and religious practises. This change is seen clearly in the
movie " ;Dead Man Walking. " The characters go. through changes in their
view of religion and their feelings about human morality and humanity
towards each other. The characters of Sister Helen, Matthew,