Drama as Literature (EL 250)


21 Sep 2005

Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script

The assignment asks you to read the movie script.

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http://blogs.setonhill.edu/KatieAikins/010812.html
Excerpt: Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
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Tracked: September 19, 2005 03:32 PM
stronger than me
Excerpt: Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
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Tracked: September 20, 2005 07:55 AM
Do we rape the rapist?
Excerpt: Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
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Preordained Cruelty
Excerpt: Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script -- Drama as Literature (EL 250) [The cold, preordained cruelty of it all hits her. Prejean puts both hands against the tiled wall, puts her head down and prays.] This screenplay's...
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How respectable!
Excerpt: Robbins and Prejean, Dead Man Walking: The Shooting Script -- Drama as Literature (EL 250)...
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http://blogs.setonhill.edu/GinaBurgese/010850.html
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Supportive Characters
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Clever Sister
Excerpt: Prejean Stop blaming him. You blame him, you blame the government, you blame the drugs, you blame blacks. You blame the Percys. You blame the kids for being there. What about Matthew Poncelet? Where is he in this story? Just...
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“There's a pale horse comin'
I'm gonna ride it
I'll rise in the mornin
With my fate decided
I'm a dead man walkin'
I'm a dead man walkin'

In St James Parish
I was born and christened
Now I've got my story
Mister no need for you to listen
It's just a dead man talkin'

Once I had a job, I had a girl
But between our dreams and actions
Lies this world

In the deep forest
Their blood and tears rushed over me
All I could feel was the drugs and shotgun
And my fear up inside me
Like a dead man talkin'

'Neath the summer sky my eyes went black
Sister I won't ask for forgiveness
My sins are all I have

Now the clouds above my prison
Move slowly across the sky
There's a new day comin'
And my dreams are full tonight”
-Bruce Springsteen
A brief, though insightful synopsis according to http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Apr1996/feature1.asp,

“A dying man is alone, except for the love of a Catholic sister. He is a castaway, considered untouchable and worthy of death by his society. The nun comforts him and says, "I can't bear the thought that you would die without seeing one loving face. I will be the face of Christ for you." She is Sister Helen Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille. He is one of four convicted of murder whom she has accompanied to the death chamber in Louisiana.
You could call her the Mother Teresa of Death Row. She would argue the point. "I kind of speed a lot and get tickets," Sister Helen admits, and she is an outspoken critic of politicians and the legal system. She likes to argue. She cracks jokes. She doesn't wear a habit. But she has a heart big enough for everyone: She counsels and prays the rosary with victims' families. She looks after the needs of convicts' families. And she never knew what she was getting into when she made a simple decision, in her 40's, to dedicate her life to the poor.
When Sister Helen wrote her life experiences into a book a few years ago, she could scarcely imagine that it would be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and become the basis of a major motion picture. But now Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States has risen to number one on The New York Times Best-Seller List and is being translated into other languages. Dead Man Walking, the film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, is a contender at the Academy Awards. As this issue went to press, it was nominated for Oscars in four categories: best leading actor (Penn), best leading actress (Sarandon), best directing (Tim Robbins) and best original song ("Dead Man Walking," written and performed by Bruce Springsteen). Songs from the soundtrack are reaching the record charts.”
Dead Man Walking leaves the viewer with serious questions:
In the face of such brutality in the world, where can one find the face of unconditional love?
How does one punish a killer? Despite the fact a person is a murderer, is it humane to take their human life?
How does one stop the violence that is part of life on the street?
How does one quash racism and intolerance?
Is it possible to teach love and acceptance? What is a method of taking this dogma to the masses?
How far does racial tension extend in certain communities? Blacks versus whites? Blacks versus whites?

How can one show love, stop the violence, yet not seem to be empathizing with the common criminal?

Dead Man Walking raises important questions about the nature of humanity and how to address issues that deal with life and death consequences. Ultimately, it is important that as humans, we show love to all – despite their shortcomings and wrong doings. We can not carry on the cycle of vengeance.

Posted by: Katie Aikins at August 17, 2005 06:33 PM

Hey guys, my MT QuickPost wasnt working. So go to my blog http://blogs.setonhill.edu/DenamarieErcolani

Posted by: Denamarie at September 19, 2005 11:33 PM

Once again, when I go to blog it says "THIS PAGE CANNOT BE DISPALYED" so I'm going to post it here instead.

Posted by: Andy LoNigro at September 20, 2005 01:43 AM

Andy, can you stop by during my office hours so I can watch what you're doing, and we can figure out what the problem is? Thanks.

Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at September 20, 2005 12:49 PM

Wait a minute, Andy... your "stronger than me" entry appears on this page just fine. Were you trying to post something else?

Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at September 20, 2005 12:50 PM

No, for some reason last night my blog wouldn't work , but when I went back thismorning it posted fine. I'm not sure what the problem was but it seems to be fixed now. Thanks.

Posted by: Andy LoNigro at September 20, 2005 03:49 PM

I hate blogging!!!!! I did an MT quickpost last night and the link showed up on this page afterwards and it is in my blog still, but the link is gone now. I seriously think this whole blogging thing hates me. I'm going to try it again.

Posted by: Lorin Schumacher at September 20, 2005 04:20 PM

Lorin, I think the problem is that you recently added categories to your site.

There are a few steps you need to take if you want the categories to work properly. Click on "Weblog Config," "Archive Files" and tick the box that says "Category". Then, rebuild your site.

That's explained under #4, "Optional Personalizing" in the original blogging instrutions I gave you. I realize that it's not intutitive, and it's unfortunate that the error message that results isn't more informative.

Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at September 20, 2005 05:26 PM
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