Document Type
Honors Thesis
Abstract
Last meals on death row may appear to be a small or insignificant part of the execution process, but they can reveal deeper meaning about the individuals who choose them and the system that allows them. Before execution, inmates are often given the opportunity to request a final meal. While this moment is brief, it can carry emotional, cultural, and symbolic meaning. This study explores what last meals reveal about identity, mental state, and personal control in a highly controlled environment.
Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this research analyzes last meal records, academic studies, and inmate reports to identify recurring themes such as comfort, identity, control, emotional coping, and protest. Findings suggest that last meals are not random choices but instead reflect deeper psychological and social factors. These choices often connect to childhood memories, cultural identity, or emotional responses near death.
This research also examines how the last meal exists within a system that removes nearly all personal control, raising questions about dignity, humanity, and punishment. Ultimately, this study argues that last meals are meaningful acts of expression that reveal how individuals cope with death and how the justice system balances control with humanity.
Repository Citation
Helbig, Mackenzie, "More Than a Meal: What Death Row Last Meals Reveal About Identity, Power, and Humanity" (2026). Honors Theses - Providence Campus. 79.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/student_scholarship/79
