Spring Break
"Shakespeare Behind Bars" offers positive insight to inmates
Kelly Grab
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Arts & Culture
Perhaps another overwhelmingly shared feeling among the students was the surprising amount of sympathy felt for these inmates.
"I was amazed at the amount of sympathy I felt towards these men. I felt like I just wanted to give them a hug- but then I would remember what they did to be there. I just felt so conflicted," sophomore Caitlin Adolph said.
Tofteland expressed his understanding of the mixed emotions of many of the students and said, "You know why you feel that way? Because you are human. These guys are humans first - they are good men. You do not have to be the crime you have committed- the crime doesn't have to define you."
Some viewers of the film wondered how he has gotten over what these men have done in order to so effectively work with them as fellow human beings.
"It is not my place to judge these men. They have been judged and sentenced by a jury and if they believe in a creator it will be their job to judge them, not mine. These men are my best friends but of course I will always have trouble reconciling what they have done and who they are now," Tofteland said.
One of Tofteland's reasons for allowing his work with the inmates to be documented was for the purpose of educating the masses.
"Most people only know what they know about prisons and criminals from Hollywood's perspective- but that is not how the criminal justice system works in real life. These are real men with real human emotions," he said.
According to Tofteland, the criminal justice system our society implements now does not work.
"Eighty percent of people released from prison come back- obviously the system does not work," he said.
He went on to explain that programs like "Shakespeare Behind Bars" change people.
"Thirty-five guys that have gone through the program and have been released from prison and not one has returned- not a single one," he said.
When asked why prison systems have not implemented more programs like this one Tofteland had only one answer: time.
"Programs like these require time and effort. People aren't willing to change the system. There are libraries full of books on ways to educate people and help transform people but nobody is willing to initiate the change," Tofteland said.
Haddad also saw the power of learning and education in the film.
"Seeing this movie gives insight into how we teach. The film proves that the humanities are still alive and that literature like "The Tempest" has a place in today's society. The humanities have an important role to play in our development as human beings. I can't watch "Shakespeare Behind Bars" without feeling deeply optimistic about the potential of a liberal arts education," she said.
"I was amazed at the amount of sympathy I felt towards these men. I felt like I just wanted to give them a hug- but then I would remember what they did to be there. I just felt so conflicted," sophomore Caitlin Adolph said.
Tofteland expressed his understanding of the mixed emotions of many of the students and said, "You know why you feel that way? Because you are human. These guys are humans first - they are good men. You do not have to be the crime you have committed- the crime doesn't have to define you."
Some viewers of the film wondered how he has gotten over what these men have done in order to so effectively work with them as fellow human beings.
"It is not my place to judge these men. They have been judged and sentenced by a jury and if they believe in a creator it will be their job to judge them, not mine. These men are my best friends but of course I will always have trouble reconciling what they have done and who they are now," Tofteland said.
One of Tofteland's reasons for allowing his work with the inmates to be documented was for the purpose of educating the masses.
"Most people only know what they know about prisons and criminals from Hollywood's perspective- but that is not how the criminal justice system works in real life. These are real men with real human emotions," he said.
According to Tofteland, the criminal justice system our society implements now does not work.
"Eighty percent of people released from prison come back- obviously the system does not work," he said.
He went on to explain that programs like "Shakespeare Behind Bars" change people.
"Thirty-five guys that have gone through the program and have been released from prison and not one has returned- not a single one," he said.
When asked why prison systems have not implemented more programs like this one Tofteland had only one answer: time.
"Programs like these require time and effort. People aren't willing to change the system. There are libraries full of books on ways to educate people and help transform people but nobody is willing to initiate the change," Tofteland said.
Haddad also saw the power of learning and education in the film.
"Seeing this movie gives insight into how we teach. The film proves that the humanities are still alive and that literature like "The Tempest" has a place in today's society. The humanities have an important role to play in our development as human beings. I can't watch "Shakespeare Behind Bars" without feeling deeply optimistic about the potential of a liberal arts education," she said.
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