Loss, and Incarceration in Neil Gaiman's American Gods

The life of Shadow Moon in Neil Gaiman's American Gods is one many people might consider tragic. The story begins with the end of his time in prison. In this time Shadow does little but mind his own business, read, think about how much he loves his wife, Laura, and practices coin tricks. Shadow's isolation from society and his loved ones were intended by the legal justice system to be his punishment, but the world that is waiting for Shadow when he finishes his sentence is not the world he was being separated from as penance anymore. The things that drove him to behave well, and willingly serve his time were not waiting for him when he returned. The loss of his wife through both death and betrayal made the years he spent apart from them feel pointless, and hollow. Upon reflection, he wasn't left with a regret for the crime he did, but instead a loathing for his punishment. No moral adjustment was made, no redemption for his repentance, and no place to go now. His three-year long isolation made him an outcast and stranger to his own community. It leads to a life with only more isolation insight. That drove Shadow to make decisions he wouldn't have if he had not been incarcerated. He would not have agreed to do morally ambiguous odd jobs for a suspicious old man, or wager his life on a checkers game, or actively avoid assisting in an investigation despite the threat of violence. Shadow is a fictional character in a modern fantasy novel, but his story carries truth.
More often then not those who return to society after serving a prison sentence are met with such social and situational adversity that they are driven back into crime. The reincarceration of repeat offenders is called recidivism, and according to the U.S. Department of Justice's 2014 statistical analysis of recidivism of Prisoners released in different 30 states in 2005: "About two-thirds (67.8%) of released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within 3 years, and three-quarters (76.6%) were arrested within 5 years." The Justice Department defines this as a mere 'relapse' of criminal activity but offers no statement on the cause of repeat offenders. The rate of recidivism was also higher for African Americans(74%) than Caucasians(68.8%) or Hispanics(70.7). The charges they were initially convicted for were also not as likely to be violent crimes, but instead drug charges with 31.4% of inmates released in 2005 for 12 states. Notably higher than the runner-up category, property(theft or damage), with 29.1%. It is also more likely for young people to be incarcerated with people between the ages of 18-29 making up 35.8% of all prisoners released.
What causes people who have just spent years of their life waiting to re-join society to act in reckless ways that land them back in jail? Each person has their own reasons for choosing a life of crime, but most relate to a lack of other options. People who turn to crime feel and act as if they have no one to help them, nothing to live for, and nowhere to go. Just like Shadow did. I would argue that separating people from society as a form of punishment only causes desperate people to lose the few connections and meaningful relationships that might serve as a safety net for them as they try to reacclimate to their society. It also takes away their chance for decent employment and the legal right to participate in government if they are convicted of a felony or higher charge. What choices do you have left when you have no one, no money, and no rights? People are driven to do dangerous things to survive, and then those decisions made in desperation land them back in custody the cycle of misery continues. They are further isolated from their loved ones, even less likely to find a decent job, and even more likely to make rash decisions.
Isolation from society as punishment had been used for centuries and is a prominent theme in both American Gods and the Viking Sagas. In the Saga of Grettir the Strong, the main character is forced to live outside of society for murder, and in his desperation, for the company, he willingly allows two men he knows plan to kill him to live with him. This ends with him killing them. His criminal banishment from society also causes Grettir to squat on land he doesn't own, murder many more times, and steal. All the while Grettir laments his situation much like Shadow regrets the time he spent in prison after the death of his wife. All these stories tell of the dangers of isolation, and in very few circumstances does something good come from it. Grettir died alone and miserable. Shadow was coerced into an dangerous and morally questionable employment. 76.6% of people released from prison were back in prison five years later. Rather than serving as a place of repentance and rehabilitation, our prisons are creating people that know no other way to survive but to commit more crimes. The way we handle criminal activity in this country is making serial criminals, and if there is to be any hope for them or the communities they were removed and returned to, something must change.

Sources:
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/rprts05p0510.pdf
https://www.nij.gov/topics/corrections/recidivism/Pages/welcome.aspx
https://www.viivhealthcare.com/media/125714/hiv-behind-bars-lead-image.png?width=700&upscale=false

American Gods Walk the Green Mile

Shadow Moon at first sight seems to be drifting in the wind following whatever crazy path people lead him down. Shadow easily gives in to what people want him to do. It seems to be that he will believe anything Laura says and often keeps his thoughts to himself. If he feels any anger Shadow’s nature is to hold it in. Mr. Wednesday on the other hand seems to push the limits of Shadows calm and quiet demeanor. When Mr. Wednesday has Shadow running all sorts of errands we see Shadows expression towards others is provoked and comes out a little more each time. 

This character Shadow portrays is not unlike John Coffey in The Green Mile. John Coffey is a man falsely accused of a crime and plays someone of a “Jesus” figure throughout the movie and is put on death row for his crimes. Shadow is accused of a crime which is justified in protecting his wife. In the same way, John Coffey also seems to drift in the wind doing what he is told without any complaints or remarks. John keeps to himself and is calm and quiet. 

Not only are these two characters similar in personality but they both connect in the fact that they each have a unique sense of special abilities. We begin to see the start of Shadow’s abilities when he shows his power by making it snow. John Coffey has his own unique set of abilities where he has the power to take away people’s illnesses or any physical problems. These abilities are both supernatural and obviously seen as coming from a higher power. Both John Coffey and Shadow Moon have good intentions with their powers but often times people around them are trying to manipulate them and threaten their lives for malevolent purposes. Each character has pasts that haunt them. 

Shadow is haunted by his dead wife Laura and John is haunted by the people he is not able to save. Because of this their enemies are able to use their tortured pasts against them to manipulate Shadow and John for their own good. Percy Wetmore, one of the prison guards in The Green Mile, is one of the cruelest officers on duty at the prison and consistently torments John Coffey along with the rest of the prisoners. Percy uses their crimes to cause further emotional damage and usually loses his temper and often hurts the prisoners. Percy has a malicious and evil side to him that cannot be fully contained.

 However, as with Shadow, the prison guard in charge is also nasty towards the prisoners always taunting racist slurs and profanities. On top of this, Shadow now has Mr. Wednesday as a leading figure in his life and often gets him into trouble. Mr. Wednesday pressures Shadow into thinking that this life is now the only one he has. In both cases, it seems to be that John Coffey and Shadow Moon are sealed to an inescapable fate. Eventually they will have to come to terms with what they have been accused of and things that have haunted them in their past because their punishment is coming whether or not it is justified.