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Character Role Analysis

Vernon Harvey

Prejean has devoted herself to fighting against the death penalty; Vernon Harvey has devoted himself to fighting for it. You'd think they'd be enemies, but in fact they're friends, and they become better friends as time goes on. Vernon seems bloodthirsty at times: he's eager to see Robert Lee Willie dead, for example.

But in fact, Vernon's motivation is much the same as Prejean's. She's horrified by murder, and so is he. He cries when he first talks to Prejean about his daughter's murder (6.122), and he cries whenever he talks about it again, throughout the book. He's inspired by compassion—and Prejean's ability to see that about him, and to befriend him even though they disagree, is a testament to her compassion, as well.