Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Mercy

The (In)justice System

“‘I feel like they done put me on death row, too. What do we tell these children about how to stay out of harm’s way when you can be at your own house, minding your own business, surrounded by your entire family, and they still put some murder on you that you ain’t do and send you to death row?’”(Stevenson 93). In the memoir Just Mercy, we follow the life story of Bryan Stevenson who we see start out as a young Harvard law student and as the novel progresses transforms into a lawyer helping those on death row who do not have any help. He has many experiences where he sees people change, statistics that prove injustice, and where he experiences injustice. All of these are examples of rhetorical strategies, which are

He realizes that not all death row prisoners are vicious and evil and starts to think in a new light. The reader feels empathy for Henry and can also imagine themselves in Stevenson's shoes. Many people build these stereotypes without realizing and these preconceived notions are almost always incorrect or off in some aspect. Henry is a person who did a terrible thing but he is just as human as anyone else. Just as human as Stevenson and just as human as the reader. Countless people have also been put to death unjustifiably. For instance, in Just Mercy, there is the story of Walter Mcmillian a man falsely accused and placed on death row: “Walter’s experience taught me how our system traumatizes and victimizes people when we exercise our power to convict and condemn irresponsibly–not just the accused but also their families, their communities, and even the victims of crime”(Stevenson 17). Stevenson uses pathos to display that innocent people are being put to death, and thus the system is deeply flawed. Stevenson also mentions how families and communities are affected when someone is put to death or accused falsely. Families are traumatized and communities are forever changed making the reader feel downhearted. The death penalty is a corrupted system and nothing will fix the trauma experienced when one's family member is brought to death or falsely

Stevenson experiences injustice himself in Just Mercy. In the encounter, Stevenson was stopped by a police cruiser for no lawful reason. The officers then proceeded to point their guns at Stevenson although he was cooperating with the officers. They eventually let him go after illegally searching him: “‘We’re going to let you go. You should be happy’ he said”(Stevenson 42). Stevenson experiencing his injustice himself justifies his speaking out against it. This was a very dangerous and intense situation with Stevenson cooperating, yet he was still treated as if he was resisting. Stevenson also eventually opened up his law firm. This firm was specifically for people on death row and it was a nonprofit: “In February 1989, Eva Ansley and I opened our nonprofit law center in Tuscaloosa, dedicated to providing free, quality legal services to condmeend men and women on death row in Alabama''(Stevenson 67). Stevenson opening up his firm shows how far he has come. Opening up a firm is no easy task and this shows how dedicated Stevenson is to his work. It is also a nonprofit organization which shows how much he cares about the people on death row. In conclusion, Stevenson shows credibility in Just Mercy with the use of