 | Bible
 | Guard: "You know how the Bible
says, ‘an eye for an eye’..."
Prejean: "The Bible also calls for death as punishment for
adultery, prostitution, homosexuality, profaning the Sabbath,
trespassing upon sacred ground, and contempt of parents."
Guard: "I ain’t gonna get into no Bible quotin’ with no
nun, ‘cuz I’m gonna lose." |
|
| Confession
| Poncelet confesses his responsibility in the
murders, and finds freedom through admitting the truth and accepting
the reconciliation offered. |
|
| Crucifixion
| Poncelet is in shape of a cross when he dies,
representing his ultimate redemption, and his attempt at a
redemptive death. |
|
| Freedom
| Poncelet finds freedom when he accepts and admits
the truth about his responsibility for the murders. |
|
| Grace
| Grace only becomes real for Poncelet after he
confesses and admits his responsibility for his actions and
understands himself as a child of God even in the midst of that
reality. Merely giving verbal assent to the blood of Jesus is not
sufficient. |
|
| Healing
| Many characters experience healing in the story,
while others refuse to be healed. |
|
| Institutional Evil/Sin
| An interesting exploration of the relationship
between corporate and individual sin and evil. |
|
| Judgment |
| Love
| Love as action & commitment rather than
emotion. (submitted by Alix Pridgen) |
| Sister Helen: "I want the last face you see in
this world to be the face of love, so you look at me when they do
this thing. I'll be the face of love for you." |
|
| Prayer
| Sister Helen prays with and for Matthew Poncelet. |
|
| Redemption
| Poncelet wants to quickly claim
that Jesus has taken care of any sins he may have. Prejean
encourages him to take responsibility for what he has done in order
to die a noble death as a child of God. |
|
| Repentance
| Scene between Sister Prejean and Poncelet near end
of movie where he admits his responsibility for the murders. |
|
| Truth
| Poncelet finds freedom when he accepts and admits
the truth about his responsibility for the murders. |
|
