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In theory, there is no reason why prisons should work. Think about it; there is a fragile sense of order maintained by undertrained guards that are vastly outnumbered by some of the most dangerous people in the world and in any second it can burst into complete chaos. Yet it does not. Why is that? Could turn to the media for answers, but more times than not writers use prisons as a cliché plot point or present a surface level view that it does more harm than good. That is the case in Etheridge Knight’s “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane”, a poem built around the initial anticipation and eventual disappointment of a notorious inmate making his return to a prison after being “treated” at a hospital. However, …show more content…
According to Caldwell, prison culture is a mix of habit systems, behavior patterns, prison customs & folkways, the prisoners' code and prisoner's attitudes and opinions toward the prison system, personnel and major social institutions in "free society" (655). Caldwell argues that prison culture includes the "prison folklore and mythology built around historic events such as outstanding prison riots, daring prison breaks, protracted sit-down strikes, dramatic deeds of perseverance, fortitude and valor by prison inmates and previous criminal exploits of the some of the nation's dangerous criminals" (655). In other words, a lot of prison culture revolves around the major events (i.e. riots, escapes and attempts) or personal actions (criminal exploits, notable deeds, etc.) that change everything and brings prison life to a standstill. Caldwell suggests that direct involvement in either of those two categories will undoubtedly impact one's standing within the community and how the rest of the prison population perceives them. Thus, Caldwell’s research supports my theory that inmates champion almost anybody who makes an open act of defiance against the system. It's another important aspect of the social structure in prison community since the culture in prisons and the type of behavior they …show more content…
Knight spares no expense in building up Hard Rock’s notoriety and reputation among the inmates throughout the poem in anticipation of his return. So much so that when he finally does return and they find a broken man a former shell of himself in his place, they are "crushed. He had been our Destroyer, the doer of things we dreamed of doing but could not bring ourselves to do (195). While Knight establishes that Hard Rock’s broken state was devastating to the inmates, the text fails to properly explain why it had such an impact on them. After understanding Caldwell’s research, Hard Rock seems to be the living embodiment of everything prison communities tend to hold in high regard. With this in mind, it becomes clearer why his broken state was so devastating to the community; the impact of seeing everything you respect destroyed and thrown away like it is nothing would be tremendous to any community. To truly grasp how monumental an event this was, it requires a greater understanding found in Caldwell’s research on leadership roles within prisons that Knight’s poem alone does not
...they want to be not only respected but also being able to survive in the prison environment. In prison, there are so many inmates and not two inmates are the same. The inmates will disrespect the officers by calling them names, giving officers difficult times, but it goes the other way around too. It is disturbing image after learning that sometimes it is the officer’s fault and not just the inmates’ wrongdoings. There will be times when officers and inmates will engage in a conspiracy crime and times when the female staff is engaged in sexual actions with an inmate. Conover wrote this book to allow the audience to see the prison society from many different point-of-views and give future officers an early insight to becoming a correctional officer.
In the existence and effort of Etheridge Knight, the premise of prisons inflicted from slavery, racism, poverty, incarceration along with addiction and repetition of painful patterns are offset with the subject of freedom. His poems of travail and endurance, misery and tribute, loss and love bear witness to the reality that we are under no circumstance entirely confined. Knight's poetry articulates our choice of awareness and makes plain our capability for relationships with others.
After reading the book I have gained a new understanding of what inmates think about in prison. Working in an institution, I have a certain cynical attitude at times with inmates and their requests. Working in a reception facility, this is a facility where inmates are brought in from the county jails to the state intake facility, we deal with a lot of requests and questions. At times, with the phone ringing off the hook from family members and inmates with their prison request forms, you get a little cynical and tired of answering the same questions over and over. As I read the book I begin to understand some of the reason for the questions. Inmate(s) now realize that the officers and administrative personnel are in control of their lives. They dictate with to get up in the morning, take showers, eat meals, go to classes, the need see people for different reason, when to exercise and when to go to bed. The lost of control over their lives is a new experience for some and they would like to be able to adjust to this new lost of freedom. Upon understanding this and in reading the book, I am not as cynical as I have been and try to be more patient in answering questions. So in a way I have changed some of my thinking and understanding more of prison life.
Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane by Etheridge Knight
Although prisons have the primary objective of rehabilitation, prisoners will likely go through many other troubling emotions before reaching a point of reformation. Being ostracized from society, it is not uncommon to experience despair, depression, and hopelessness. Be that as it may, through reading various prison writings, it can be seen that inmates can find hope in the smallest things. As represented in “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminally Insane”, the author, Etheridge Knight, as well as other black inmates look up to Hard Rock, an inmate who is all but dutiful in a world where white people are placed at the top of the totem pole. However, after Hard Rock goes through a lobotomy-esque procedure, the motif
Within the film, prison culture illustrates the subculture within Shawshank State Prison. Prison culture and the Inmate Code dictate the typical rules and values that have emerged in prisons (Clear, 2006). The aggression of both prison guards and inmates, as well as the punishments and sanctions imposed for deviant behavior highlight the prison subculture. Throughout the film, the inmates showcase certain distinctive markers of the subculture that set the group apart from the dominant culture because they use cigarettes as currency, engage in violence, establish specific roles and identity, and share similar goals and values, such as
Etheridge Knight’s “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane” is an interesting poem spurred from his own experiences, that explores a variety of things from basic human emotions to controversial medical treatments. Knight was incarcerated for 8 years for robbery, during which he began to develop his skill as a poet, and this stint in prison influenced the settings and styles of his poetry. Knight’s poem is unique in its slang-styled diction, but brings about relatable concepts to allow the reader to connect with the text. Two prominent themes within the poem are that anyone, no matter how strong or looked up to, can be broken, and also that slavery is still alive today, even if it is not in its traditional form. Knight combines these themes with deeper meanings and an individual way of writing to create a poem that is compelling and classic.
Etheridge Knight’s “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane” (1968) effectively illustrates the devastation a group of prisoners’ feel as the state of their hero, Hard Rock, is realized. Though he was once the most fearless of the inmates, he is no longer the man he once was due a lobotomy performed by the doctors. Hard Rock is no typical hero, however, he still represents the hope for a future that all the inmates admire. The loss of hope that comes with the destruction of the inmates’ hero is artfully communicated through Knight’s use of tonal shifts representing the shifts in the inmates’ reaction to this situation, the use of diction in the deification of Hard Rock, and the use of similes to avoid the acceptance
Ralph, P.H.(1997). From Self Preservation to Organized Crime: The Evolution of Inmate Gangs. In J.W. Marquart, & J.R. Sorensen (Eds.). Correctional Contexts: Contemporary and Classical Readings (pp. 182-186). Los Angeles: Roxbury
Maybe if I saw more reports on how prison has improved our society and the criminals who live among us, I would see why we should work on reforming our prisons. Until then, it does not seem to be working. We trust in the government to provide for our safety, but we must take responsibility among ourselves. To understand that the current system does work and that its intent is not to provide a safe society. History has shown us that. What we have done or continue to do will not make this a safer place to live. The problem is not to reform our prison system, for this won't stop criminals to commit crimes, but to find ways and means to deteriorate them from doing the crime.
I am writing an opinionated column piece about the prison system and the publics culture towards prisoners. I am writing to persuade the reader/s that there needs to be culture shift in the way prisoners are viewed and treated. I will do this by using persuasive language, examples/facts and emotive language.
In the media, prisons have always been depicted as a horrible place. The film, The Shawshank Redemption, is a prime example that supports the media 's suggestions about prison life. In the film we are familiarized with Andy Dufresne, who is a banker that is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. While trying to both remain discreet and find his prison identity, he assists Ellis Boyd 'Red ' Redding, a peddler, and Brooks Hatlen. In his attempt to fit into the rough prison subculture, Andy strategically starts a business relationship with the captain Captain Bryon Hadley and Samuel Norton. The film gives an insider 's look at various aspects of prison life. These aspects include prison culture; explicitly, guard subculture and inmate subculture.
I write this poem or rap to convey a brief artistic rendering of George Jackson’s life, from his early years in Chicago, to his move to Los Angeles, and his journey through the criminal justice system and how it shaped him. I write this to you for you to be reminded of the trauma of prison and the flaws of a criminal justice system that seeks to keep as many people locked up as possible. It seems quite clear that many of the challenges George Jackson faced in and out of prison, many Americans still face today. George Jackson, for all his flaws was a revolutionary mind and a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, it seems his death and the deaths of the corrections officers at San Quentin on August 21, 1971 were in vain. We as a nation have
One inmate even said, “Ol Hard Rock! Man, that’s one crazy nigger.” They said he was “known not to take no shit from nobody”, which means his fellow inmates knew not to mess with Hard Rock. Although I do not know the name of the actual procedure, I can infer that Hard Rock had some type of neurological procedure. In the poem, the author even states that they, “bored a hole in his head, cut out part of his brain, and shot electricity through the rest.” As the reader, one can infer the surgery was done because of his outrageous behavior. After the procedure, Hard Rock doesn’t act the same. The other inmates try to start fights, but he just does nothing. “A hillbilly called him a black son of a bitch”, yet hard Rock does not retaliate. He even grins. When the author says, “We dreamed of doing but could not bring ourselves to do” it makes me feel as though they looked up to Hard Rock. They thought of him as their “Destroyer”. The other inmates are saddened that Hard Rock is not the
“The history of correctional thought and practice has been marked by enthusiasm for new approaches, disillusionment with these approaches, and then substitution of yet other tactics”(Clear 59). During the mid 1900s, many changes came about for the system of corrections in America. Once a new idea goes sour, a new one replaces it. Prisons shifted their focus from the punishment of offenders to the rehabilitation of offenders, then to the reentry into society, and back to incarceration. As times and the needs of the criminal justice system changed, new prison models were organized in hopes of lowering the crime rates in America. The three major models of prisons that were developed were the medical, model, the community model, and the crime control model.