Character Analysis Of The Green Mile

The Green Mile starts off with cotton fields which ironically represents what Coffey was treated as. Coffey comes into the prison as a man with not a whole lot of money as a sharecropper or a migrant worker. Coffey’s black male stereotype represents what slaves were taught to be uneducated, dumb, but strong to do all the labor work. Coffey appears to never wear shoes and has jean overalls with holes in it. He also has markings that look like whip marks on his arm. Coffey suffers and is in a constant state of torment just like slaves did. Feeling the pain of the world, He looks up to heaven, angels, and Saint Christopher as his way out of this violent and hellish place just like slaves prayed for a better world in heaven.

6. The Green Mile shows stereotypes and moral messages in a white dominated society. Many victims of racism were mistreated just like John Coffey. Coffey is a black harmless character who helps white people, however, he finds nobility in his suffering. Even though Coffey is a magical character who is regarded as a positive figure, he is still subordinate to white characters. While white people admire and promote them to suffer. The prison system represents a different nationality

Coffey says “I’m sorry for what I am” because him helping others is never good enough for the people. He believes his healing powers is a curse because not a lot of people show him appreciation for his kindness. He is looked at as a gentle giant in jail who has a supernatural powers to heal others. People who do not know of his power, automatically believe that because Coffey is a big black man that he committed the crime. His size and color make people jump to conclusions. Coffey only meant to help but in other people’s eyes, they can’t see past the color of his skin. Coffey is filled with honesty, emotions, and care but not a lot of people can see that. However, even the prison guards who see it, still execute him. If he was white, they would of seen him as a