Political Science-the book, Privilege, Power, and Difference and 19 minutes - Essay Example

Alex Cormier was Josie’s mother and a high court judge who was presiding Peter’s case. She was going through emotional upheaval, on one side is her relationship with Josie, her daughter, and on other side is the biggest case of her life. Josie witnessed the shooting but could not narrate what exactly happened. Later, Josie admits to shoot Matt Royston before Peter as she also a victim of Matt’s abusive behavior. In the dramatic narrative of trial Peter’s parents, Lacy and Lewis wonder about the past events and his brother’s death that might have compelled Peter to be such a violent and cruel person.

The story continues in the flashback of events before and after the shooting. Trial proceeded and Peter was sentenced for life but he committed suicide after one month in prison. Josie is sentenced for five years and Alex got married and pregnant with detective Patrick. Nineteen minutes delves us into the logical consequence of 17 year olds’ sufferings in a cruel society where schools have become center of oppression. Picoult points out the victimization of a culprit and our role in this whole process as a silent observer, as society!

Instead of just blaming the culprit, “Nineteen Minutes” look into the physical and emotional torment of incessant act of oppression that pushed Peter to go over the top and take revenge. It discusses school system, responsibility of society, parent’s negligence and peer’s insensitivity that ends up in such horrible consequences. Reading “Nineteen Minutes” obscures the line between victim and culprit and the idea of right and wrong as it invite us to rethink the reality. Picoult presented a harsh reality in a straight forward but compelling manner.

The novel is fully loaded with emotional and psychological insight about peer pressure and cruelty. It points out the cultural and social structure of school that is infected with the desire to