30 Second Answer
The inmates on The Green Mile were all convicted of different crimes, ranging from murder to rape.
The Green Mile is a novel by Stephen King that tells the story of a group of inmates on death row in a Louisiana prison. The story focuses on John Coffey, a giant of a man who is convicted of rape and murder, and the guards who watch over him.
The guards on death row are tasked with ensuring that the inmates are comfortable in their final days, and they do their best to make sure that Coffey is as comfortable as possible. However, they are also aware of the fact that he is a convicted murderer and rapist, and they have to walk a fine line between compassion and safety.
Coffey is an intriguing character; despite his size and strength, he is gentle and sensitive. He is also illiterate, which makes him even more childlike in the eyes of the guards. They come to see him as a sort of innocent, despite the horrific crimes he has been convicted of.
The other inmates on death row are Eduard Delacroix, William Wharton, and Arlen Bitterbuck. Delacroix is a young man who was convicted of murder and rape; he also set fire to a building, leading to the deaths of six other people. Wharton is an inmate who believes himself to be “Billy the Kid” but is known as “Wild Bill” by the guards due to his violent nature. Bitterbuck is an elder in his tribal group and a member of the Cherokee Council; he was convicted of drinking and murdering a man during an argument.
All of these men are awaiting their executions, which are carried out by electrocution. The novel follows them through their final days, as they come to terms with their crimes and their impending deaths.
The Green Mile is an exploration of human nature at its best and worst. It asks difficult questions about morality, justice, and redemption. It is ultimately a story about hope, compassion, and second chances.
Deeper Look At Green Miles Characters
Not every book by Stephen King is full of ghosts, zombies, or scary clowns. One of my favorite books by Stephen King is “The Green Mile.” The Green Mile is the story of a wrongly-accused man on Death Row. The book was also made into an excellent movie. This story describes the experiences of a Maine prison ward superintendent named Paul Edgecomb, who leads a team of men caring for men convicted of murder.
The book was first released in 1996 as a serial novel. King used six separate books to tell the story; one was released monthly for six months. Each book told its own spellbinding story; at one time, all six books were on the New York Times bestseller list. A In 1999, when the blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clark Duncan was released, the books were returned as one large book. – which hit the bestseller list once again.
In the movie, superintendent Paul Edgecomb is played with Tom Hank’s usual talent, compassion, and integrity. The story gives us details about the lives of only four prisoners. Each of the prisoners was convicted of murder. But, although we get to know three of those men in more detail, the story is centered on the captivating tale of prisoner John Coffey.
Coffey is so large that he dwarfs the cell he is confined to. His massive shoulders, broad chest, and strong legs overflow the cot in the cell. His voice is low and booming. Michael Clark Duncan portrays him perfectly, not just because of Duncan’s imposing physical attributes. Duncan also lets us see the true nature of Coffey, which is the true gist of this tale.
John Coffey was convicted of raping and killing nine-year-old twin girls. When the police found Coffey after the girls were reported missing, he wept and was covered by the girls’ blood. He kept saying, “I couldn’t help it,” when the police closed in, and he was quickly convicted of the crime.
This story takes these convicted murderers and makes the audience care about their fate. Through the eyes of Hanks’ Paul, the audience is introduced to men who may have been murderers but are shown to us as human beings. The book’s first execution is not eventful, so we don’t get details of Arlen’s story, but as the other prisoners become the focus of the story, we begin to root for sweet Eduard Delacroix and his talented mouse, Mr. Jingles, and we find out the true nature of the wrongly-accused John Coffey.
John Coffey isn’t just wrongly accused. He has a special gift. When “Boss Edgecomb” has a severe urine infection, Coffey reaches out and touches him – and the infection is almost immediately cured. Coffey takes the infection inside himself; then releases it by coughing up a storm of black flying bugs (one of the disturbing scenes in the movie). Later on, Coffey also heals the mouse, Mr. Jingles, and, in a spellbinding scene, he also heals the head warden’s wife of a large brain tumor.
Paul Edgecomb’s job as a supervisor on Death Row is shown throughout the movie as a way for him to deliver justice compassionately. So, when he learns through a vision Coffey is genuinely innocent of the murders, he wonders if he should set Coffey free. Paul eventually doesn’t care how Coffey’s freedom will affect his career and reputation because the power of Coffey’s gift has transcended the need to preserve his position.
But John Coffey has had enough of life. He has had enough of how the world treats him and how his gift has made him both a benefit and a menace to those he meets. So, he tells Paul to go through with his execution and let his troubled life end.
Final Thoughts
The Green Mile is an interesting book/movie because it makes the audience care about the fate of convicted murderers. The story takes these convicted murderers and makes the audience care about their fate. Through the eyes of Hanks’ Paul, the audience is introduced to men who may have been murderers but are shown to us as human beings. John Coffey isn’t just wrongly accused.
He has a special gift. When “Boss Edgecomb” has a severe urine infection, Coffey reaches out and touches him – and the infection is almost immediately cured. So, when he learns through a vision Coffey is genuinely innocent of the murders, he wonders if he should set Coffey free. But John Coffey has had enough of life. He has had enough of how the world treats him and how his gift has made him both a benefit and a menace to those he meets.