1. Please listen to this story with headphones. After you are finished, post a response on this website. Your response could be something that stood out to you in the story, new insight on forgiveness, how it relates to the book we are reading, or something new you learned. Be sure to post your name with your comment.
2. If you have not done so, please join my wiki as a member.
3. Go over research and wiki page. Time to work on research.
4. Discuss book in groups.
I think it was interesting that the person that killed her son has replaced him. Thats how much she has forgiven him even though he said he hasn't forgiven himself.
ReplyDeleteMax Carr
I thought it was very interesting how the mom of the dead son treated the man who killed him as her son.
ReplyDeleteSam W
I think that this is a very interesting story, and I think its very unusual that they have developed the relationship that they have considering their history. I don't think that this is a bad thing but I think its good that they've forgiven each other. I don't think I could be in Mary's place, it takes a lot of strength for someone to forgive someone for killing their child. People could learn from this for sure.
ReplyDelete-Laura M
This story relates to the book, because it's about the victim learning to forgive, and the attacker changing and forgiving as well. It is a healing process and both have to work together to overcome hatred and anger. There is a lot of work to be done to do this, and most of the work is mental. Both sides must be willing to change and help one another.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Higgins Pelkey
It stood out to me that she forgave the man that killed her only son and how they said they loved each other. That shows how much she forgave him, by saying she loved him.
ReplyDelete-Aimee
A part of the story that stood out to me was that the mother forgave the man that killed her son, then replaced the killer as her own son. I just don't get how you could love then man who killed you're son as much as you loved you're own son.
ReplyDeleteSarah Speeches
This story birings forgiveness to a new level. It's easy to forgive somebody who punched somebody or stole something but forgiving a person for murdering her son is almost unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteKevin
I thought the story was very interesting, but I'm still not sure if I like it or not. I think it's weird that Mary Johnson basically replaced her own son with his killer, Oshea Israel. I can understand her wanting to still experience the things a real son would have given her, but I'm not sure his killer is the right person. However, I am glad they found peace.
ReplyDelete-Marty
I think it's weird that even though he killed her son, she forgave him to the extent that they grew a relationship & he basically replaced her son.
ReplyDeleteAlex Bevier
I think that this a little strange. I can't even image ever having to forgive someone who killed a child of mine. I think it would be virtually impossible. I do not know how this lady did it. Mary Johnson is a very nice and forgiving person obviously, it is amazing that she could even do that. This relates to our book because Cole beat up Peter to the fact where he can no longer function as a normal human. Although Peter's mother has not forgiven it still connects because one persons child is doing something wrong to another.
ReplyDelete-Cole Lemelin
After listening to that story, the thing that stuck out to me were: After Israel killed Mary's son, Mary forgave him and took him as her own son to make up for the losses that Mary endured. She almost relies on him to be able to see her "son" graduate, and get married.
ReplyDeleteAlexa Betters
I thought that this is an amazing story, Oshea kill Johnson's son. I know that I wouldn't be abel to forgive him after that but somehow she did and now they are friends.
ReplyDeleteCam
I thought the fact that this women is so close to the man who killed her son is rather odd. I know that if I were in her position I think I would never be able to forgive him. I think Mary Johnson is very brave and kind to forgive Oshea. I also believe that Oshea deserves credit because he understands what he did was wrong and is trying to keep "strait," where many inmates just go back to their lives of crime.
ReplyDeleteSomething that stood out to me while listening is how much the mother has forgiven that person. She has forgiven him so much that they live next to each other and the mom now looks at Oshea as the son she lost.
ReplyDeleteThis story relates to the book in the way that this story is about forgiveness after a tragic situation, and that is also what the Justice Circle is about.
Markie Amadei
I think forgiveness is great and I could never do that no matter what happened.
ReplyDeleteShannon Tully
I think that is a little weird that they are friends now and she thinks of him as a son. I don't think I could ever forgive someone for killing my child. Also a little worry some. Just because someone was in jail doesn't mean that they are fixed. I also think it is a good thing at the same time. Because it shows that people can accept each other for what they have done wrong in the past.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very amazing story. Very few people would be able to forgive somebody for doing something such as killing their son. I think that this is a great example of how something such as forgiving somebody can change your life. The women in the story said that after 12 years she finally forgave the man for killing her son and it was like a large weight was lifted from her shoulders. -Trenton Johnson
ReplyDeleteI find it a little odd that after all that O'Shea Israel has done to Mary Johnson, she finds a way to forgive him and wishes to see him graduate, marry, and live a good life. Had that been my son that he had killed, I wouldn't want to ever see him again. I'd have him rot in prison for what he had done.
ReplyDeleteSpencer White
What stood out to me a lot while I was listening to the story was that Mary said after their court appearance Mary and Oshea and hugged. I honestly don't think I would EVER forgive my child's murderer. I would be so distraught that I would want that person to never come out of jail. - Griffin.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is amazing how someone can suppress the human desire for justice so much that they can treat the person who killed their son like their son. I think that it shows just what can be done when hatred is left behind.
ReplyDelete-Ben Welsch-
I think that it was very inspirational of Mary to forgive Oshea for killing her only son. Forgiving him was probably harder than just letting the anger boil up. Even though it takes a very strong person to forgive someone for doing an act like that, it takes an even stronger one to let that person into their life like a family member. It seems like it would be extremely hard for Mary to trust someone like Oshea, yet she does. She chose the healing part of Justice, which is the most remarkable and courageous thing she could've done. -Sarah Micucci
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Mary thinks of Oshea as her son and he thinks of her as his mom really amazes me. When a mother can forgive her son's killer and move on with her life (with him involved in it I might add); it's a real testimony to the fact that forgiveness is possible even in the hardest and most painful situations.
ReplyDeleteNeeka
Oshea Israel, from the story of "Forgiving Her Son's Killer", changed just about the same way that Cole's change was sparked. Mary Johnson, the mother of the killed boy, went to visit Israel in jail to see if he was still the same man he was when she wanted to strangle him in court. She told him about her son; what his life was like, things about him...and she noticed a change of heart in Oshea. He had changed because he realized that the person he had shot was, in fact, a person. Cole was in generally the same situation. He was vulnerable and had no control of his current scenario. When Cole saw the fallen tree and remembered the baby sparrows, he said, "Are you okay?" in a weak, caring voice.
ReplyDeleteBryan Currie
i think well i don't know what to think the person who killed her son is like her new son i know if i was in her place i would not have forgiven him.
ReplyDeleteI think that this story can be very touching because not very many people forgive their son or daughters killer and then treat them as their own. I feel as if this takes a tremendous amount of strength and trust to that person. Even though Oshea hasn't forgiven himself, Mary forgives him.
ReplyDeleteLydia H.
I honestly don't know how a mother could replace the son that was killed with the killer. If I was in the situation I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about what my son would think if I became so close with his killer. Oshea Israel might be a good person, and the killing could've been a mistake, but in my opinion, it seems wrong that the mother could build a relationship with him. The story was brief though, and if I had more background information on how she forgave him and they became friends, my opinion might be different.
ReplyDelete-Holly Black
i can forgive for calling me name, i can forgive for punching me in the face and i can forgive for saying i should "drop dead" and "nobody likes me", but if i were that women i couldn't forgive for someone killing a family member. i find it amazing that she could forgive him after what he did to here son. i cant forgive people after they even talk about a family member. in way it kinda looks like she is trying to replace her son though .....
ReplyDeleteI dont understand how its emotionally possible that a women could forgive the man that killed your child
ReplyDeleteI think that this story is heartwarming. She probably realized that her son was never going to come back, and that keeping a grudge wouldn't do anything for her but bring back the painful memories. I also think that this is just showing forgiveness in its rawest form, She has courage that many people may only dream of having.
ReplyDeleteKaylie Thompson
What stood out to me a lot when I was listening to the story was that Mary said after they got out of court Mary and Oshea hugged, I really don't think I would ever in my life forgive my child's murderer & I would make sure that the person who did it got put away for a very long time so that they can suffer, and if I saw the killer at court I probably would freak, and loose my temper.
ReplyDelete-Samantha Bullock ( :
The way the mother forgave the sons killer is amazing but it is possible to forgive only with certain things is it easy. that would be one of the hardest things to do is to forgive your child's killer then still have the murderer in you life and treat him like family.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I would have the power to ever forgive my sons killer. That's unbelievable to me. She realized that the man that killed her son was a person and people do bad things but can be forgiven. The man that killed her son went through a big change to. He is now functioning in society like a regular person and is not involve in drugs or gangs it seems. The story tries to show that people change.
ReplyDeleteBrad Sowerby
i think that for a mom to forgive for someone murdering there kid takes courage
ReplyDeleteLarissa A
I think that, for her, being able to actually forgive Oshea for killing her son, is probably one of the most incredible instances of forgiveness i've ever heard of! I honestly can't understand how she could forgive him, but as I heard that conversation between them, I totally get it now, when Israel saw how badly Oshea wanted to change, and how sorrowful he was for killing her own son, That she had decided to raise him as if he were her own son, to help him change. I realized that all people like Oshea and Cole CAN change as long as they have the inspiration and will to do it.
ReplyDeleteA.J. Gaudreau
After listening to this story I was confused about what to think. I couldn't even begin to imagine how someone could forgive their son's killer and accept him as her own son. I wonder what was going through Mary's mind after she hugged Oshea. This story also makes me wonder if Peter's mother will ever be able to forgive Cole for what he did. I believe that she might after she finds out what happened to him on the island.
ReplyDelete-Morrigan
I thought that this was a crazy yet interesting story. I couldn't even imagine someone's son getting killed and the mother went up to the killer and forgave him for what he had done. If that had ever happened to me I don't think I could even be near the person who killed my son. That takes a lot of courage.
ReplyDeleteJacob Breau
ya its a little akward to make the guy who killed ur ONLY son ur son.
ReplyDeleteI was confused because the mother of the murdered kid forgave the killer so much that she felt like he was her new son. She forgave him enough to give him a hug in court. If someone murdered my son I would never forgive them and I would never want them out of jail. Cole had a situation like this because, he was so mad, he started getting mad at the baby sparrows. When the tree fell down and saw the dead birds, he was very sad and no longer mad at them.
ReplyDeleteVincent Amoroso
I can't even imagine or understand how someone could possibly forgive a man who killed her son. For her to then build such a close relationship with him is, as other people have commented, unrealistic. Also, I agree with the comment that this is a new level of forgiveness. I personally, could probably never get over something so horrific.
ReplyDeleteHannah
I think that this story shows the way that some if not most of the people who go to jail and then get parole change and become caring citizens. I feel that Oshea Israel and Mary Johnson take this step to the next level, because not only is Israel now a caring person but he has made a great relationship with his victims mother. Not only is what Israel did hard(changing his ways and thoughts) but I think what Mary did was even harder because to have your son killed and then forgive his killer and make the killer part of your family seems like it would be very challenging. I think that what both people did was great because now Israel doesn't have to live completely with the guilt of killing someone and Mary doesn't have to completely live without her son.
ReplyDeleteJackman
I think that the purpose of the story was more realistic than the actual story. Some people have the saying "forgive and forget" maintaining in their emotions. The lady forgave her sons killer, but i think she forgave him for a reason i don't like, she wanted her son back. I think that her way of copping with the stress of her sons death is accepting him AS her son, and to watch him grow as if she would have with her own son who was murdered. Dealing with the loss of someone, wether they committed a crime and got sent to prison, or have died a horrible death, is going to result in a huge depression and the way people react to the situation is going to vary. People deal with what they can and change what they can't. The lady was inspirational with the fact that she was able to forgive, however I'm not sure of her reasoning but that's her.
ReplyDelete-steph-r-
I believe there are two attributes in life that help you forgive: time and tragedy.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Mary Johnson is a very strong person. She was not only able to forgive the person who killed her only son but she now looks after Oshea Israel as a second son, too. Anybody who loves their children, parents, or siblings can imagine the agony and rage that you would feel when you discovered that one of them were killed. Clearly this is how Mary must have felt; at first she yearned for Oshea to be in pain like she was, but as time passed she must have realized that the grudge that she was holding against Oshea was only hurting her; the hate that she held for him would not bring her son back to life and it only made a wicked bond between her and Oshea. Once Mary learned that Oshea regretted taking the life of her son, she was able to finally let go of that wicked bond and started a new bond, which would help both of them heal.
Cole Matthews had a similar problem as Oshea Israel. Throughout his life he had been neglected and beaten, he also had consumed illegal substances. He learned to manipulate the people around him with deception and fear. However, he began to change. Whence came this change? After a tragedy; after the Spirit Bear mauled him and left him to die, he laid on the forest floor fighting to survive as the bugs and seagulls were eating him alive. The pain he felt should be wished on no one, but it transformed him, as he was dying he started to ponder, to regret, to realize that he was truly helpless, like those baby sparrows who laid dead with their beaks open as if they were still waiting for their mother to bring them food, waiting for the energy that she would bring, waiting for one more piece of life.
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Oshea Israel killed Mary Johnson's son, Laramiun Byrd. Cole did not kill Peter Driscal but he ruined his life by beating him so hard that the results were long term speech and coordination problems. Mary Johnson's forgiveness developed over twelve years. If Cole heals, will Peter ever forgive him? Will Peter's mother be able to forgive Cole for what he had to her son? If so, how much time do you think it will take her to forgive him or will another tragedy happen to her that will make her realize that the grudge that she holds will never cure her son?
~Jackeline Zárate López