Allie Stough - Paper

Coffey’s crucifixion is the electric chair. He exudes Love, forgiveness, good counsel, and miracles. Coffey, however, unlike Christ, does not shower his blessings on Percy or ‘Wild bill’, but only to those who are already virtuous. John Coffey actually becomes the instrument of their punishment by pouring his evil from the brain cancer cells into Percy’s mouth. Percy in a fit of craziness then kills ‘Wild Bill’. Coffey then reveals that ‘Wild Bill’ actually killed the two girls he is accused of killing. Alleva feels that Coffey is less of a Christ figure and more of the ideal Black man white liberal’s would like him to be – someone who suffers for the white man’s errors. Alleva actually describes the movie as ‘anti-capital punishment with a vigilante sensibility’.