Essay Questions

What does the play suggest about life in prison?

This play offers an insight into prison life, chronicling a day in a New York detention facility. Here, we see interactions between prisoners, power dynamics between different groups, and the day-to-day running of the prison. Overall, the play provides an interesting insight into prison life, and how it reflects society in many ways.

Why is Clark killed?

Clark is originally sent to prison as he was accused of raping a minor. When the other inmates find out the reasons for his arrest they don't take to him kindly, as people like him are seen as being the lowest of the low. When Clark is set to be released due to a lack of evidence, some prison inmates take it upon themselves to restore justice and murder him before he is released. Overall, this turn of events tells us something about the moral codes and rules within the prison system.

How does Pinero comment upon violence in prisons?

At the beginning of the play, Mr. Nett boasts that his block is relatively peaceful compared to the rest of the prison. However, with the arrival of Clark Davis, who has been arrested for child molestation, there is an underlying presence and threat of violence. The other inmates detest him and see him as the low of the low due to the nature of his crime, and in the end, they kill him before his release.