Family. Squee, right? Yeah, well, in Dead Man Walking, not so much. This book is totally about families coping with the violent death of a loved one. Murder victims and condemned men alike have families, and you get to see all of these families crushed and miserable and broken as their loved ones and children are taken from them. Maybe we've failed to point this out before, but in case you missed it, Dead Man Walking is not a cheery book.
Questions About Family
- Prejean eventually sees herself as part of Pat's family. Could she be considered a member of a victim's family in that case? Why or why not?
- Is Prejean part of Vernon and Elizabeth's family? Or does her opposition to the death penalty mean she cannot really be family to them?
- Is capital punishment built on sympathy for victims' families? Explain your answer based on information from the book.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The portrayal of family grief tends to support arguments for the death penalty.
The portrayal of family grief tends to support arguments against the death penalty.