John Coffey
the Green Mile's tragic hero
Six Qualities of a Tragic Hero
2. The hero is imperfect
3.His downfall is cased by some error in judgement like his tragic flaw or hamartia.
4. The hero's misfortune/ punishment is not fully deserved
5. His fall is not a pure loss
6.Though the ending is sad,the tragedy of the hero is not so depressing for the audience at the end
So Why is John a Tragic Hero?
2. John Coffey's imperfections was his inability to express himself fully (he was very shy) and the color of his skin since he was black.
3. John was sentenced to death mostly because of the color of his skin, his tragic flaw.
4. John didn't deserve to be on death row or be executed at the end because he didn't commit the murder of the two girls.
5. Even though John dies, his death is not a pure loss since Paul Edgecomb gains a little of John's powers as does John's pet mouse, Mr. Jingles, causing them to live very long lives. Also his death (or prior) he had revealed to Paul the true killer.
6. Though John's death was very depressing, the ending of his story brightened a little as the audience comes to accept that the officers who knew John, like Paul, knew that John was innocent;and that as Paul lives on to be a very old man, the memory of John being the good, innocent person he was still survived after he was gone and that he would never be forgotten.
John showing Paul through his psychic ability what he saw of the crime
John waiting in his cell on death row
John in his final moments on the electric chair
Quote Showing Proof that John was Indeed a Tragic Hero
John: You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. I know you hurtin' and worryin', I can feel it on you, but you oughta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time. Can you understand?
Paul: Yes, John. I think I can.
Citations and Other stuff
Website: http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002947/quotes
Location: Louisiana, United States
Phone: 0.0
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