TOW #8 - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (Part 2)

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt, an author who edited for a variety of magazines, written for Esquire and, served as editor of the New York magazine, is a splendidly constructed book that incorporates both the elements of nonfiction and fiction book. However, this book is indeed nonfiction because it recounts his experiences when he was in Savannah, Georgia, the place where a two year long murder trial took place. In part 2 of this book, consisting of chapter 12-30, Berendt takes the reader through a series of murder trials, conflicts, and discussions regarding the murder of Danny Hansford. Jim Williams, the alleged murder, is placed on trial not just once, not just twice, but actually four times. While Williams was at jail, he tried his best to ruin Lawton's of becoming District Attorney (which he did become), the prosecution lawyer to got Williams into jail. But life outside of William's cell continues to run normally. During his second year in jail, Williams is given a fourth trial in which the jury concluded that Williams is innocent, thus concluding this book. With the way this book was written, it would most likely appeal to readers who love crime-filled stories, but this book would captivate anyone. The main purpose of this book was not only to entertain readers, but also to illustrate life of Savannah, Georgia and to show the complex process of the court system. Throughout all of part 2 of the book, Berendt uses a variety of rhetorical devices. Firstly, he uses vivid imagery to clearly depict the scene and show what the narrator is witnessing. This allows readers to be in the shoes of the narrator and make it seem as if they are in Savannah themselves. Additionally, Berendt's use of dialogue enhances the reader's experience when reading the book. Instead of making this book a boring text that spits out information, Berendt incorporates speech to make the book flow like a novel, successfully letting Berendt to achieve his purpose and give his readers a great book to read.