Key Word Map

Help, V.

1. to preform work for another who is unable (red)

“capital punishment means ‘them without the capital get the punishment.’ We can’t help people on death row without help from people like you.” (pg. 10)

2. To make a task easier for another (blue)

“We’re working on getting you a lawyer, a real lawyer, and we
hope the lawyer will be down to see you in the next few months. I’m
just a law student. I’m really happy to help, I mean, if there’s
something I can do.” (pg. 13)

3. To carry out a minor action for another deserving of little gratitude (green)

“All day long people have been asking me, ‘What can I do to help
you?’ When I woke up this morning, they kept coming to me, ‘Can
we get you some breakfast?’ At midday they came to me, ‘Can we
get you some lunch?’ All day long, ‘What can we do to help you?’

This evening, ‘What do you want for your meal, how can we help
you?’ ‘Do you need stamps for your letters?’ ‘Do you want water?’
‘Do you want coffee?’ ‘Can we get you the phone?’ ‘How can we
help you?’ ” (pg. 93)

These three different definitions of “help” quantifies the levels of how the word can be used in the context of the book. In Herbert’s case, the guards treat him horribly right up to the day of his death penalty, when all of a sudden, they begin to feel guilty and shameful for their actions. But it’s too late for apologies or closure, so instead they simply ask to help him in the smallest most meaningless ways possible. This contrasts with the help Stevenson gives, as he takes on multiple death row cases, working all day long to give his clients the best opportunities he can, with little pay.

citations:

“Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption.” Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption.Pdf, https://www.cardozohigh.com/, 1 June 2022, www.cardozohigh.com/ourpages/auto/2022/6/1/46834297/Title – Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption.pdf.
used to find each use of the word “help” in the novel. (Pages cited from pdf)

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