The Green Mile

1. Reaction

1.1. I think that emotionally the book version was a lot more intense than the movie version. Because of that fact that it takes longer to read the entire book than watch the movie, it creates more intense feelings. Ever word connected to my brain and caused intense emotions; mostly fits of crying. When it came to the characters the descriptions really stood true and real during the entire story. There was an overall bond between the characters and the way they joked around with one another inside the Penitentiary.

1.2. The movie version is very well portrayed. There were a couple moments differing from the book that took away some of those intense emotions. However in the movie when you witness John Coffey crying with the two Detterick girls in both arms it is overwhelming. That was one of the moments that no book could ever describe. The actors stayed true to their characters and they formed those bonds that were extremely evident throughout the book.

2. Paul never sees anyone going by the name of Brad Dolan.

2.1. Paul is talking to his resident nursing home friend Elaine, he starts to tell the story while it rains outside.

3. Central Idea

3.1. Bravery

3.1.1. Despite the fact that John Coffey was innocent from the alleged murder and rape, he was not afraid of being executed. This was the main thing that goes to show that bad things happen to even the best of people. John was innocent, but still went through with the execution because he did not want to cause a hassle among other people. He thought of others before he thought of himself. John overcame obstacles and was a fighter through everything that happened.

3.2. Friendship

3.2.1. Friendship plays a very large role in both book and movie. Percy along with others tried to portray John as the murderer, even with no real evidence against him. They were cruel jerks to someone who actually cared about the twins more than anyone actually thought. Paul befriends John because he is so different than any other inmate. He was never rude or did anything to make any guards mad. In the book Paul pieces together the facts and with little research is able to figure out how innocent John is. In the movie it is the same concept except John shows Paul through visions. Paul tries to help John so much but John goes on with his sentence on death-row. When John saves Melinda and Paul all the guards start to respect him and treat him better because that is what he really deserved. They were compassionate and considerate towards him as he was to them. The author, King, I think wanted to show the audience how friendship does come in many surprising ways and how it really is easy to judge a book by its cover so to speak.

3.3. Pain

3.3.1. The main action that comes out of the beginning is that you have to keep moving forward. It goes along with the pain, suffering, agony, and deception that occurs. When John first arrives at the beginning and goes into the back story of why he is at the Penitentiary it reveals a lot of his pain. Right off the bat it gives this emotional connection to the readers/viewers about how serious his alleged murder/rape needs to be taken. That pain rubs off on Paul as he figures out more and more about what had really happened with "Wild Bill." This is a really good strategy by Stephen King because if you get the readers hooked in right off the bat and make it easy to relate with the audience ends up enjoying it more.

4. Percy plays the main antagonist as Paul Edgecombe's enemy. Percy is very sadistic and homophobic attacking inmate Delacroix for "touching him" although it was really an accident. Paul along with the other guards really hate him but can't really do anything because he is the nephew of the governor's wife. Percy pees his pants after "Wild Bill" comes after him, causing Delacroix to tease him relentlessly. Due to that, during Delacroix's execution Percy deliberately does not wet the sponge that ensures a quick death. After John Coffey cures Melinda of her brain tumor he ends up giving it back to Wetmore because of all the horrid things he had done to everyone. That of which results in Percy killing Wharton aka "Wild Bill"

4.1. Percy Wetmore

5. The Green Mile in both book and movie take place in Louisiana.

6. The Green Mile's main area of Cold Mountain State Penitentiary was created after the Louisiana State Penitentiary. This was later found contradicting however. The Green Mile including the use of the electric chair set in 1932 for the book and 1935 with the movie. Lousiana only started using the electric chair in 1938, making it slightly inaccurate.

7. John is an African-American convict currently waiting on death-row when taken to Mountain State Penitentiary. He was put there due to supposedly raping and killing the two Detterick twin girls. John is very shy causing most people to feel for him in many ways. He is able to cure many things like Paul Edgecombe's urinary tract infection, Mr. Jingles after being stomped on, and Melinda Moore's brain tumor. Even after Paul realizes John is innocent he still faces the charges to get electrocuted. During the end he asks for the black mask not to be put over his eyes at the electric chair because he is, "scared of the dark."

7.1. John Coffey

8. Paul is the protagonist in The Green Mile. He is a death-row supervisor at Cold Mountain State Penitentiary, Louisiana. Coffey cures his urinary tract infection shortly after arriving. He is very caring to John throughout book and movie making him extremely likable. Paul is enemies with Percy and both go out of there way to bully one another. Paul is also the one who learns the truth about what really happened, and how John was actually innocent. Edgecombe is also the mastermind behind there plan to sneak John out to cure Moore's wife Melinda!

8.1. Paul Edgecombe

9. Characters

10. Setting

11. Mr. Jingles it still alive and Paul visits him daily feeding him toast. He takes Elaine there to show her the story was true.

12. Paul Edgecombe is 104 while telling the story.

13. John tells Paul that he can show him what really happened and that he is innocent. John and Paul hold hands giving Edgecombe an entire replay of what had really happened through Wild Bill's point-of-view.

14. The movie only shows that John was convicted after found with the Detterick twins, that of which did have clothes on. There is no mentioning of a bandanna or any gnats.

15. John Coffey only stands to be around 6'3 or 6'4.

15.1. There are also two inmates residing when Coffey moves in. They are Delacroix along with Bitterbuck.

16. Movie

16.1. Ends up going in chronological order during the main sections.

17. The main character Paul sees a mean Brad Dolan in the nursing home he resides in. This reminds Paul of Percy Whetmore.

17.1. Paul Edgecombe begins to write his story of 'The Green Mile' as a novel.

18. Doing little research and thinking logically Edgecombe realizes that John is innocent and that "Wild Bill" is the one responsible for the twins murder.

19. Mr. Jingles dies around 1999; 64 years after John brought him back to life. Elaine meets him shortly before he ends up dying.

20. Paul Edgecombe is 108 while writing the story.

21. The book explains why John was convicted. Coffey was found with the Detterick twin girls who were naked while wearing a bandanna with gnats swarming all around.

22. John Coffey is brought in, a man standing at around seven foot.

22.1. The only other inmate along with John is Delacroix

23. Book

23.1. Jumps around a lot throughout the chapters; therefore not in order.