The Green Mile Lesson Plan

Why does Paul lie to the Chief about heaven? Is this a kindness on his part? What does it reveal about Paul that he truly believes that the Chief will go to Hell?

This point tells us a lot about Paul as a person, as he's willing to keep his judgments about the inmates to himself. Instead, he tells inmates what they want to hear. For some students, Paul's actions here reveal kindness toward the inmates, as Paul wants to give them the dignity they deserve. For others, Paul's motivations are purely mercenary, as he wants to keep things moving smoothly as possible. Paul believes that they're going to Hell because he wants some punishment for the criminals.

Why does the novel...