Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Canino - Essay Example

Please analyze at least three ways Ronald Cotton was stereotyped in this story. How did Thompson, as a white female college student, strengthen and weaken Cotton's criminal profile? Was he subject to stereotyping based on race alone, or were there other factors involved, such as gender and socioeconomic class?

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The book Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Canino, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo describes events of the real-life story of a rape case that happened to Jennifer Thompson-Canino. The book gives the main shows the characters Jeniffer and Cotton and explains the facts from the day Jennifer s raped until Cotton was pardoned . The activities are well planned to show how the two-faced a hard time in their life until they came to know each other. The two characters face similar experiences that required redemption and forgiveness and continues to live a happy life. Their journey to recovery is a good picture for most people in the world, facing difficult times.

Due to his resemblance to what Jennifer described, Cotton was stereotyped and ended up in jail because he looked just like Poole. Jennifer was more than sure that Cotton raped her and stood in front of the court of law and bear witness that she remembered him. Resembling a criminal just made him one even after the first DNA did not resemble him. Jennifer's claim that he raped her was enough for the court to make their ruling. Believe in good things ahead and always have a bright future as Cotton had in his mind. Many people thought Cotton had no prospect of seen outside the prison compound since he had two life sentences. The faith that he always had and the goodwill to other people gave him his redemption. He finally got his freedom from all the hard times and mental torture he had gone through. His kind heart made him continue fighting until it was the final day to leave the prison. Even though he believed that this would not be easy, he had to be determined and never lose hope of moving away from the prison.

I believe that Cotton's life in prison was stereotyped, and he thought that he would someday regain his freedom. According to Luther Jr, “I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.” (Luther 7)All the suffering and psychological pain that Cotton went through made Him stronger, and as Luther said, one day, he believed that he would gain all he had lost. All the years behind bars, a place where he did not deserve to be, it was was hard for him to bear for all the years.

The third instant, where Cotton was stereotyped because of his race. Being black, a black guy made him look more guilty than it could have been for a white guy. Jennifer believed that he did rape her because he saw him look very similar to Poole. Even after so many years of fighting against Racism in America, black people had not earned their redemption or all the rights (Oden 327). Being a black human-made, Cotton did not have a say in the court of law even though there was enough evidence that he was not in the rape scene when Jennifer was raped. The judge did not give him time to explain what was going on or did not want to believe that he was innocent. His reaction while making the final judgment, showing that he would not consider any claim that Cotton was going to give in the court. The dream that Martin Luther had had not yet been fulfilled since the blacks were stilled being molested because of their color. Even after appealing, which was very difficult to get a chance, Cotton was given another life sentence, although the case had no substantial evidence that he had committed the crime.

After the two had a talk and Cotton had served more than ten years in prison, it changed Jennifer’s heart (Transcript of Jennifer 251). It brought a new beginning in how she handled things and removed the burden that she always carried in her heart. She forgives herself and the man that raped her after she knew that she had made an innocent guy face a sentence that he was not supposed to meet. Therefore, redemption may tart from within and show the world that you have changed and ready to accept new challenges in life. She learned that judging someone from their looks is not enough to mean that they are guilty. Even though she was in psychological pain, she should have at least give the authority time to conduct their investigation and come up with answers.

Please choose at least three items on the list above to discuss ways you may have been stereotyped in your life. How are these profiles of you correct or incorrect? How are you "seen" and how do you want to be "seen"? What strategies do you employ to ensure that people judge you by "the content of your character" and not by any other factors? Please specify at least three specific examples.

In my life, I have experienced stereotypes because of my age, race, and social, economic class. In the world, we are living it is easy to move from one location to another and start a new life. Different people have different ways of viewing thing and therefore ends up making the wrong conclusion regarding people. According to the age issue, I was stereotyped because I was the youngest guy in the group guy there, and they had no time to listen to my opinion. With my friends, some of the time we are stereotyped because of our income and economic class in the society. Most people believe that we are involved in illegal activities just because we are lower in the socioeconomic state than them. We are not included in many events because we are viewed as less fortunate even though this is very opposite. To ensure that I am not stereotyped, I always try to be original and work to better than I was yesterday. These include being an excellent example to many and proving that we are all the same, and we can offer any help.

Believing in good things ahead and always have a bright future as Cotton had in his mind. Many people thought Cotton had no prospect of seen outside the prison compound since he had two life sentences. The faith that he always had and the goodwill to other people gave him his redemption. He finally got his freedom from all the hard times and mental torture he had gone through. His kind heart made him continue fighting until it was the final day to leave the prison. Even though he believed that this would not be easy, he had to be determined and never lose hope of moving away from the prison. It always keeps me the best and improves who I am and not what people think I should be treated.

Please describe someone in your life who is often stereotyped by 3 of the items above and imagine yourself in his/her shoes for a day. Interview him/her and ask them what it feels like to be profiled in ways you may not have any experience. How does your friend/family member cope with stereotyping? How does he/she often get stereotyped, and how does he/she manage it?

I have some African origin friend who faces a lot of a hard time accepting some groups because of his race. He is also a Muslim, which most of the people are not associated with in my location, leaving him with a hard time. His body complexion also brings some extent of stereotype from the people around him because he is seen as unique by many. Some people do not always bias most of the people; they are biased because some people are new to them, and they don't understand them fully.

In conclusion, redemption is one of the best things that can happen to the life of a human being and offered a new beginning. Jennifer went through a hard time and tried to get her justice by imprisoning the guy she thought had raped her. She felt that she would have a good life after winning the case were not as planned since she continued to suffer. The suffering that she went through took decades until she came to realize that she had imprisoned the wrong guy. These made here feel lost until she had a chance to talk to the guy that she imprisoned. They started a new life together ever happily and shared their stories to many people worldwide to touch different souls by providing their experience.

Work cited

Oden, Samantha L. "Limiting First-Time in-Court Eyewitness Identifications: An Analysis of State v. Dickson." Quinnipiac L. Rev. 36 (2017): 327.

Thompson, Jennifer. "Transcript of Jennifer Thompson Canino's Speech at Reforming Eyewitness Identification Symposium." Cardozo Pub. L. Poly & Ethics J. 4 (2006): 251.

Thompson-Canino, Jennifer, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo. Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of injustice and redemption. Macmillan, 2009. 1-320