The Larmamie Project Essay

        “The Laramie Project” is a very powerful play written by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project. This play takes the audience and readers through the dramatic time period of the brutal death of Matthew Shepard. This play not only affects the lives of individuals but also the culture at large. Matthew Shepard lived in Laramie, Wyoming and was described as someone who was blunt, he had an incredible beaming smile and he was very like-able because he was always straight forward with people. With that said he was very open with his homosexuality and was one of the few students who came out at the University of Wyoming. Everyone in the town of Wyoming had their own personal view on the death of Matthew Shepard, some believe that he should of die and others believe it wasn't fair and he shouldn't have died at all.

        The Baptist minister was a strong bible believer and had very strict views on homosexuality. He highly disagrees with the lifestyle of Matthew Shepard or any homosexual person in general. The Baptist minister wasn't at all afraid to share his views. During a sermon he states that “the word is either sufficient or it is not” (Kaufman 25). This means that it’s either what the bible say or its nothing at all, it’s like your word against Gods word and Gods word is more than enough. There was a part in the play where the Baptist minister says “I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence, that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him” (Kaufman 69). That statement itself shows how much he was against the lifestyle of Matthew Shepard and much he didn't care about the tragedy that happened to him but only care about his religious view.

        Reggie Fluty, the police women who responded to the 911 call and discovered Matthew at the fence was very disgusted by the view that she had seen of Matthew body. She couldn't believe that someone could have been beating and treated that way. Her heart really goes out to Matthew. The way she describe the scene was so descriptive. She started off first by saying “I could see partially somebody feet, and I got out of my vehicle and raced over- I seen what appeared to be a young man, thirteen, fourteen years old because he was tiny laying back and he was laying on his back and he was tied to the bottom end of a pole” (Kaufman 36). Reggie Fluty said there was an overwhelming amount of blood and she had many open cuts and Matthew had HIV (Kaufman 53). Reggie was exposed to the HIV but still she never hated Matthew or never blamed him for the cause of anything. This shows Reggie character, how humble, brave, loving, kind and just she is.

              Both character had two different points of view on the death of Matthew Shepard. One opposed homosexuality and was for homosexuality. The Baptist Minister appears to be culturally produced; his culture and religion shaped him into the person he is today. He live only based on religious views. He was trained and taught as a little child to believe one thing and that one thing shall stick with him forever. On the other hand Reggie Fluty was ore so innate because she just naturally has a good heart and no one can really train and teach your heart what to do. She believe that Matthew did not deserve to die that way, she was humble and caring even after she found out that she was exposed to HIV from Matthew.