The documentary we viewed in class was brutally honest. These women in prison fulfilling long, grueling sentences feel remorse and regret for their actions, and they write about this among other topics in their writ ting group. It gave me a view into the minds of the people I thought were hardened criminals. When the prisoners spoke of their crimes it was a very deep, strong confession. Unlike those in PostSecret these confessions share the story behind the action. You get to see the emotions these memories evoke in the detainees and understand the events that led up to the action. I had a strong sense or pity for these women after they shared their crimes and how they felt about them.
It was distressing when the woman said she believed she only stabbed that old man 3 times, yet it was really 28 and she had to face that fact and his entire family in court. I felt sympathy for her and the other inmates, which is something I never expected to feel about a woman in jail.
It was distressing when the woman said she believed she only stabbed that old man 3 times, yet it was really 28 and she had to face that fact and his entire family in court. I felt sympathy for her and the other inmates, which is something I never expected to feel about a woman in jail.
2 comments:
Yes, some of these women really do feel remorseful but some of that is the humiliation that they got caught. If no one knew what they had done they probably wouldn't feel that bad. Everytime my step-brother goes into jail, he writes these confessional letters about how he wants to change and how he has changed. When he gets out he goes back to the same old same old. I've seen it happen many times to similar people.
I too was surprised at my capacity for sympathy in viewing the documentary, mainly because I didn't expect to be moved so easily by the women's stories. I don't really find myself excusing their actions or thinking they shouldn't be in prison; it's not really that kind of pity. I just feel how human they are, how painful the memories of their crimes are for them. Like you, I just can't forget Cynthia Berry's story about stabbing the old man. What touches me most is her refusing the possibility of forgiveness for herself, deciding instead to leave each day for her victim.
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