The Green Mile

The Green Mile

by

Stephen King

Brutus “Brutal” Howell Character Analysis

Nicknamed Brutal because of his size, Brutus is a sensitive, thoughtful guard who assists Paul in some of his most challenging tasks and only uses force when it is absolutely necessary. Brutal believes strongly in the ideas of justice and retribution, for he feels that God will send him to hell for murdering John Coffey, who is a gift of God. He decides to transfer out of E block after Coffey’s execution, proving that his moral and spiritual qualms about the electric chair are sufficient to make him leave his job.

Brutus “Brutal” Howell Quotes in The Green Mile

The The Green Mile quotes below are all either spoken by Brutus “Brutal” Howell or refer to Brutus “Brutal” Howell. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Death and the Death Penalty Theme Icon
).
Part 4: Chapter 5 Quotes

As for your witnesses, most of them will be telling their friends tomorrow night that it was poetic justice—Del there burned a bunch of people alive, so we turned around and burned him alive. Except they won't say it was us. They'll say it was the will of God, working through us. Maybe there's even some truth to that. And you want to know the best part? The absolute cat’s pajamas? Most of their friends will wish they'd been here to see it.

Related Characters: Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), Eduard “Del” Delacroix, Curtis Anderson
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Chapter 9 Quotes

“[…] But none of those things are the reason I want to help save her, if she can be saved. What’s happening to her is an offense, goddammit, an offense. To the eyes and the ears and the heart.”

“Very noble, but I doubt like hell if that's what put this bee in your bonnet,” Brutal said. “I think it's what happened to Del. You want to balance it off somehow.”

Related Characters: Paul Edgecombe (speaker), Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), Melinda Moores
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 305
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 6: Chapter 7 Quotes

“I mean we're fixing to kill a gift of God,” he said. “One that never did any harm to us, or to anyone else. What am I going to say if I end up standing in front of God the Father Almighty and He asks me to explain why I did it? That it was my job? My job?”

Related Characters: Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), John Coffey
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 454
Explanation and Analysis:
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Brutus “Brutal” Howell Quotes in The Green Mile

The The Green Mile quotes below are all either spoken by Brutus “Brutal” Howell or refer to Brutus “Brutal” Howell. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Death and the Death Penalty Theme Icon
).
Part 4: Chapter 5 Quotes

As for your witnesses, most of them will be telling their friends tomorrow night that it was poetic justice—Del there burned a bunch of people alive, so we turned around and burned him alive. Except they won't say it was us. They'll say it was the will of God, working through us. Maybe there's even some truth to that. And you want to know the best part? The absolute cat’s pajamas? Most of their friends will wish they'd been here to see it.

Related Characters: Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), Eduard “Del” Delacroix, Curtis Anderson
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Chapter 9 Quotes

“[…] But none of those things are the reason I want to help save her, if she can be saved. What’s happening to her is an offense, goddammit, an offense. To the eyes and the ears and the heart.”

“Very noble, but I doubt like hell if that's what put this bee in your bonnet,” Brutal said. “I think it's what happened to Del. You want to balance it off somehow.”

Related Characters: Paul Edgecombe (speaker), Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), Melinda Moores
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 305
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 6: Chapter 7 Quotes

“I mean we're fixing to kill a gift of God,” he said. “One that never did any harm to us, or to anyone else. What am I going to say if I end up standing in front of God the Father Almighty and He asks me to explain why I did it? That it was my job? My job?”

Related Characters: Brutus “Brutal” Howell (speaker), John Coffey
Related Symbols: The Green Mile
Page Number: 454
Explanation and Analysis: