a. The manner in which Santos is able to describe prison life allows the reader to realize that it is a culture. Inside prisons there are rules and expectations that an inmate is expected to know even among arrival. Inmates know they are going to be deprived of their freedom, but also have a mentality that is reinforced in prisons that they cannot become anything more than an inmate. This is the case of Fox, who was convicted for robbery his first time at 21 years old. He says, “I knew I was comin’ out to hustle. There is no way I was about to do no work ” (179). So upon entering prison Fox knew he would be best staying away from self- improvement programs and make connections with other inmates and guards to get what he needs instead as well
