How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
BRIGGS
You were afraid, and you would have said just about anything to get out of that situation. Isn't that right?ZINZI
I guess so. (2.44-45)
Fear can make us do things we wouldn't do normally. We've got a feeling, though, that Zinzi was probably willing to do a lot of bad things normally.
Quote #2
I hate this place. I hate this place. I can't write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place! (3.2)
Shmoop would hate that place, too. It's better to make good decisions than to get stuck in limbo.
Quote #3
CUT TO: CU of Steve lying in his cot. The sounds are in his cell, but he is not the one being beaten. We see the whites of his eyes, then we see him close his eyes as the sounds of the beating stop and the sounds become those of a sexual attack against the inmate who was beaten. (4.62)
The violence and sexual violence that occurs in prisons is frightening and disgusting. Poor Steve—the stress of his trial alone would've filled him with fear, but then there's the daily violence of his surroundings to contend with, too.
Quote #4
I hope I didn't shout out in my sleep. That would look weak to everybody. It's not good to be weak in here. (5.9)
It's a difficult balance to strike—it's not good to be weak, yet it's also not good to be overly strong. In either case, you're a target, and Steve learns it's better to play the middle.
Quote #5
They lay STEVE on the table for the lethal injection and strap him down.
CU of STEVE's face. He is terrified. (6.56-57)
Fear is often the result of something that hasn't happened yet (hello anxiety dreams about showing up naked to school), so even though this is only a hypothetical flash forward in the screenplay (meaning it isn't real), it terrifies Steve nonetheless.
Quote #6
You ain't got the heart to be nothing but a lame. Everybody knows that. You might be hanging with some people, but when the deal goes down, you won't be around. (6.95)
Osvaldo claims that Steve's fear will keep him from getting involved in a scam, but getting involved seems to make life a whole lot scarier. Is it braver to be involved in street activity or to stay out of it despite pressure to join?
Quote #7
His crying got to me. Miss O'Brien said the judge could sentence me to 25 years to life. If he did, I would have to serve at least 21 years and 3 months. I can't imagine being in jail for that long. I wanted to cry with the guy. (7.5)
Doesn't it seem a bit ridiculous that—if convicted—Steve would stay in prison until he's a middle aged man, all for being the lookout? Part of growing up is making mistakes, and it seems unfair to hold Steve accountable for decades over a minor role in a crime that got out of hand by no fault of his own.
Quote #8
King curled his lip and narrowed his eyes. What was he going to do, scare me? All of a sudden he looked funny. All the times I had looked at him and wanted to be tough like him, and now I saw him sitting in handcuffs and trying to scare me. (7.23)
The snarl of a bully ain't so scary when reality bites. Whoa there, big fella Reality—quit flashing those pearly whites.
Quote #9
The pictures of Mr. Nesbitt scare me. I think about him lying there knowing he was going to die. […] I can see me at that moment, just when Mr. Nesbitt knew he was going to die, walking down the street trying to make my mind a blank screen. (11.3)
Who do you think was more scared at this moment—Nesbitt or Steve? Why?
Quote #10
KING
How you doing? You scared?STEVE
Yeah. You?KING
Naw, ain't nothing to it. If the man wants you, he got you. Ain't nothing to it, man. (18.257-259)
Do you believe King? We're on the fence. Sometimes people really don't care, but sometimes they just try to act like they don't in order to protect their tender little hearts.