H-O-P-E

Hope is defined as the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.  Despite the devastating tragedy of the murder of Matthew Shepard that defined the town of Laramie, it seems as if there was a sense of hope.  Throughout Act II and Act III of The Laramie Project, hope is prevalent among overbearing sadness.  Doc O'Conner said, "I'll tell you what, if they put those two boys to death, that would defeat everything Matt would be thinking about on them.  Because Matt would not want those two to die.  He'd want to leave them with hope.  H-O-P-E.  Just like the whole world hoped that Matt would survive.  The whole thing, you see, the whole thing, ropes around hope, H-O-P-E" (Kaufman.II 72).  It is crazy to think that within such an awful crime, that hope could come out of it.  During Matthew's funeral, Matthew's father, Dennis Shepard, said, "First he had the beautiful night sky and the same stars and the moon that we used to see through a telescope.  Then he had the daylight and the sun to shine on him.  And through it all he was breathing in the scent of pine trees from the snowy range.  He heard the wind, the ever present Wyoming wind, for the last time.  He had one more friend with him, he had God.  And I feel better knowing that wasn't alone" (Kaufman.III 95).  Almost unimaginable, it is amazing to realize that hope could come out of such a horrific crime.  There was hope in a time of darkness.