John Coffey is based on Jesus. He has supernatural powers, can heal diseases and save people, and has insight into people's hearts and world affairs, but he cannot save himself - or he simply seeks death on his own initiative. He saves others by breathing their sickness into himself, but he says he can no longer endure the evil in the world. Cao Fei is tall and strong but also introverted and gentle. His existence is to examine and endure the sin and pain in the world, and to save some of the "chosen" people. However, he is incompatible with the world. His inner secrets are difficult to tell, and he died of stigma. The crowd also cheered loudly. Cao Fei predicted his own death and was initially frightened and then calm. This is consistent with the records in the Gospels. Before Jesus died, he comforted the two death row inmates around him.
The prison warden Paul is based on Pilate and partly on St. Paul. For the sake of existing order and "justice", he had no choice but to execute Cao Fei, but he realized in his heart that Cao Fei was God's special envoy. He kept the secret for Cao Fei, and in his later years he spread the word about Cao Fei's magical power. He said that God would not grant divine power to mortals. The main scene of the story is set in a prison, which is a metaphor that the world is just a prison. Mortals are trapped by desire and death. There is no essential difference between death row prisoners and patients. Death is just a reprieve. Most people will still be tortured even if they live out their old age - tortured by illness. . Mortals are like that pet rat, seduced and influenced by fame and fortune. Bread and biscuits are profit, and being able to perform tricks is fame. They are ridiculous, cute, and pitiful. From God's perspective, they are so humble that there is no need to crush their dreams. After all, they show the joy of life. The owner of the pet rat, Draco, a prisoner on death row, was such a person. The jailers comforted him by saying that after his execution, the rat would be sent to a village where people would like to watch the rat's performances and the pet rat would become a star. This is like heaven. Although mortals are not real, the truth is cold and despairing.