If people don’t have a sense of hope, or something to believe in, their life falls apart. This is proven in the novel Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson which is a story about an African American man named Walter McMillian, a death row inmate, who was falsely accused by a white man of a federal crime but still paid the price. Walter’s lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, didn't stop working until Walter, and over 2,000 other falsely accused death row inmates were released. In Just Mercy hope is a necessity for the overall success in the case, because it reduces the feeling of worthlessness, improves the quality of life, and provides a sense of happiness. If people don’t have something to believe in you’ll never get anywhere. This doesn’t always mean believing in a higher power, sometimes it’s just simply believing in yourself. Fighting for whether you are going to live or die at the hand of court is no easy thing. Spending minutes upon hours upon days wondering when you are going to die is not only depressing, it’s terrifying. Walter stayed hopeful throughout it all. He never lost faith in God and he even said he prayed at night while in prison. Praying gives Walter something to look forward to at the end of the day. It keeps him going when he’s quite literally at his lowest point. …show more content…
Many people in prison, including death row, feel this way as well. Except for the select few that have a better outlook on life. These people find something to hope for and they hold onto it. They hold onto it until it becomes reality. Their lives are going to end up better or at least they will be happier because they don’t think they have nothing to live for. Their hope for whatever it is they want pushes them to be their best selves and in the end it improves their lives and their well