Laramie Project Reflection

Question: How did you feel when reading The Laramie Project?

            When I was reading the The Laramie Project, I felt a rush of many emotions like disgusted, enraged, hapless, and elated, with some of these being felt at the same time.  This story has so many controversial elements to it that it is easy to pick a side and the emotions that come with that decision.  While most people reading this story feel sad and angry in those painful moments, I have a feeling of hope.  When Matthew is in the hospital and the readers are sad for him, I have hope that he can pull through it and survive. 

            During a part in the play, one conversation stuck out to me like a sore thumb.  That conversation with Aaron Kreifels gave me a sense of optimism that Matthew might pull through his ordeal.  Aaron Kreifels was the cyclist that found Matthew Shepard after he took an unfamiliar route home that night on his bicycle.  During this conversation, Kreifels said something like, “I never take that route home, but something told me I should and I knew it was for good reason after I found Matthew Shepard barely alive on that fence.”  This made me think that there is a chance for Matthew because he didn’t die on that fence; he had a will to live.  I think this quote gave others a sense of belief and that the evil didn’t win but instead lost. 

            As I started to read the first few pages of The Laramie Project I thought this would be just another pointless and emotionless play we have to read for class.  I was definitely wrong on both accounts.  It connected to many points of real-world issues and debates as well as bringing up emotions I have never felt while reading any type of text.  This feeling of emotions was due to the terrific job that was done by the play company.  They did an outstanding job of interviewing everyone that had any type of connection to Matthew Shepard and they kept the script true to the exact words that came out of each every witness’s mouth.  This story is not only heart wrenching but transcendent as well and will be remembered for decades to come.