Reading Guide:
The Honors College encourages readers to engage the text critically and suggests the following questions to consider:
1. How does the question of capital punishment relate to other social issues? (Examples: poverty, race, education, intelligence, geography, mental health, etc.)
2. What moments of transformation do you see in this book? More importantly, were there any moments that transformed your thinking on these ethical issues?
3. Sister Helen often speaks about how the way you tell a story changes people’s understanding of your argument. What is effective about how Sister Helen tells this story, and how do her arguments differ from others you have heard concerning crime and capital punishment? Is her story fair to the various sides of the argument?
4. Which story was the most meaningful for you? Why?
5. How has your opinion about criminal justice and capital punishment changed?
6. In her essay, “Living My Prayer,” Sister Helen wrote “I watch what I do to see what I really believe.” Where do you see this idea in The Death of Innocents? How does this idea speak to you?
7. If you had the chance to talk with Sister Helen (which you will in October), what would you want to ask her?
Comment Guide:
The Honors College recognizes that The Death of Innocents deals with sensitive issues which some may hesitate to address within the internet’s public forum. Yet intellectual relationships grow only when participants take ownership of their opinions. Therefore we encourage you to identify yourself when posting comments just as you would when contributing to the classroom discussions which will characterize your Honors College education. However, if you are concerned with privacy, you may enter a shortened name or nickname when prompted for your user name, but please use your uoregon email address.
When posting a comment, be sure to read previous posts and check back periodically to engage with your peers’ responses in the spirit of discussion.