The Executioner's Song

The debate continues…. In The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer, the reader is provided a real life story of Gary Gilmore and his impending execution, which raises the debate for capital punishment or not.  The book is divided into the story from his early juvenile delinquencies to his release from prison and first murders that he committed.  The story is based on all first-hand accounts from family and witnesses.  It gets the emotional real life feelings from those directly involved in the events up to and including the murder.  The second half is the compelling story of Gary’s decision to accept his death and his lawyer fighting to save him.  In the end, Gilmore is shot to death after a few appeals kept a “stay” on his execution.  The book was awarded a Pulitzer Prize after its release.  For me, the book did bring to the forefront the debate on c.p., but I wasn’t a huge fan of it.  While I think the issue is a central issue in our society as to how we view human life (both the deceased and the murderer), I was less interested in the first half of the story of Gilmore and his, I would say, tragic upbringing.  Clearly anger, rage, and hate, are “cultivated” in large part by how a child is exposed or even the victim, as was Gilmore, in this senseless but cyclical treatment.  Child abuse is at the core of this story and more should be done to help teach parents and adults the significant impact of such behavior.  When I think of the various books I have read on the issue, it is interesting to note how some, such as Uzodinma Iweala, were able to LEAVE that behavior behind, yet someone like Gilmore only continues the cycle of aggression.  What makes one not behave like that and another person “do on to others” as they have done on to him?  While it earned high marks, a “not so much read” for me.