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Growth And Context Of Prison Literature

By Nelda Powers


Prison literature is referred to as writing produced when the author is confined against personal will. The location of confinement could be a prison, house arrest or in jail. It takes the form of plays, fiction, memoirs, non-fiction and at times writing to regular press. It is about confinement, informed by the confinement or produced when the author was confined.

Some of the earliest writers from confinement include Boethius who produced Consolation of Philosophy in 524 AD. This is described as transformational and among the best books to ever have been written about the subject. Martin Luther is said to have produced the translation of the New Testament into German language while confined. Bonaparte Napoleon is said to have dictated his memoirs behind bars. They later became best sellers in the 19th century.

Imprisonment has altered the writing styles of different authors besides providing them with content. Fyodor Dostoevsky is an example of this transformation. He was imprisoned for participating in the activities of an illegal movement of intellectuals. Four years after imprisonment, he changed his style and tone in writing to become more critical of nihilist and socialist view points. He was known to write about suffering and humility. This darkened his works and made it complex to understand.

Some of the works produced while the authors were confined were scribbled on waste papers. Writers in other parts of the world who have produced remarkable works include Ken Saro Wiwa who wrote Sozaboy before he was executed. The subject was a naive soldier who was imprisoned. William Sydney Porter produced 14 stories under the pseudonym O Henry.

An amazing scenario happened in Iran when Dowlatabadi Mahmoud was imprisoned. This is where he wrote the book Missing Soluch which was 500 pages. The amazing thing was how Mahmoud managed to write the entire book without a pen or paper. It was all in his head. After he was released, he put it in paper over a 70 days period.

Chris Ambani, a Nigerian author documented his experiences in a book called Kalakuta Republic. Ngugi wa Thiongo produced a diary entitled Detained, A Prisoners Diary that was published in 1981. Several notable women writers have produced incredible works that while under arrest. They include Madame Roland from Paris, Krystyna Wituska from Berlin, Nawal El Saadawi in Egypt and Joan Henry from England. Precious Bedell produced her works in New York while Beatrice Saubin wrote from Malysia.

Writing is considered an activity to pass time while a prisoner is confined. The large number of people in jails has been of concern to organizations who seek to offer an avenue for the prisoners to share their knowledge. This form of writing has also been used to fuel or contribute to debates going on beyond the high walls. It has contributed to revolutions in history.

Prison literature captures the thoughts, philosophy and experiences of people behind bars. Imprisonment can cause psychological issues. Writing helps the victims to come to terms with horrific scenes behind bars. The horror of imprisonment is documented in the works of prisoners.




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