By Dr Mark Zirnsak
As a film buff, I have been fascinated by the increased inclusion of Christianity in films and series in recent times, and by how they portray Christian theology. Two contrasting films recently caught my attention for their themes of rehabilitation and transformation: the French film ‘Jean Valjean’ and Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Death of Robin Hood’.
‘Jean Valjean’ covers an early part of Victor Hugo’s novel ‘Les Misérables’. We learn Bishop Bienvenu’s backstory. He becomes a bishop after being jilted and focuses on serving the wealthy while living in luxury himself. An encounter with a hermit, a former revolutionary, changes his life. They discuss social justice and love for all people. The bishop explains, “That man reconciled me to the world”. He gives up the bishop’s mansion to turn it into a hospital and serves those in financial poverty, living simply himself.
The character Jean Valjean is used to highlight how unjust systems corrupt people. He is imprisoned for five years with hard labour for stealing bread for hungry children and serves another 14 years for trying to escape. The brutality of the prison system in turn shifts Jean from kindness to brutality. Released on parole, he must show his papers as a released convict to authorities as he travels looking for work. The discrimination he experiences makes Jean even harder.
On a wet night, denied a room at the local tavern, Jean is taken in by Bishop Bienvenu with baffling kindness, given a meal and a bed. Bienvenu reminds Jean that God is his host everywhere and not to refuse what one might yet become. Jean repays the kindness by stealing the silverware and slipping away in the early morning. The police capture him and return him to the bishop, who thanks them but says the silverware was a gift to Jean. He also gives Jean the silver candlesticks. Bienvenu’s kindness causes an internal rehabilitation for Jean, who goes on to act with kindness and generosity to others.
‘Jean Valjean’ holds out the hope that kindness and compassion can lead to redemption. Victor Hugo’s criminal justice system is rigid, bureaucratic, cruel and vindictive. Meanwhile, mercy is radical. Grace refuses to play by society’s rules; it is not only disruptive, but it’s also dangerous to power-over structures.
By contrast, the Robin Hood in ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ is a mass murderer who has realised he has trapped himself in a cycle of lethal violence. After being wounded, a prioress nurses him back to health. He learns he murdered the husband and son of the prioress. The tale offers no redemption. Racked with guilt, Robin confesses his crimes to the prioress and then begs for her to help him take his own life. The script paints a bleak picture: some people are evil and beyond redemption, even when they realise their errors.
These assumptions play out in our society. Our assumptions about the nature of people and the causes of their behaviour will influence the kind of criminal justice system we seek.
Emeritus Professor Ross Homel has pointed out that the small group of teenagers responsible for serious violent offences are much more likely to have suffered serious trauma while growing up, including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, all kinds of neglect, household substance abuse or mental illness. Research shows that incarceration largely re-traumatises these youths.
Getting serious about stopping serious repeat youth offenders means helping them to develop psychosocial maturity. That means helping them develop skills to control their impulses, weigh the consequences of their actions, consider others’ perspectives, delay gratification and resist peer pressure.
(Both ‘Jean Valjean’ and ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ are available on YouTube)
Dr Mark Zirnsak is the Synod’s Senior Social Justice Advocate