Christmas in Prison - Robin Cullen Summary and Analysis

Robin Cullen describes a very bleak holiday season in "Christmas in Prison." She begins her story on January 1, 2000. Pope John Paul has proclaimed it the Year of the Great Jubilee, so they are celebrating by having a Catholic mass in their makeshift prison church.

Robin gets up to read the same announcements she has been reading every week for the last two years. Then, throughout the mass she watches all sorts of negotiations going on among the attendees. One woman passes a "goodie bag" to a woman next to her. Lovers who live in separate housing units have a subversive rendezvous, con artists prey on new arrivals. Many things other than spiritual go on in these masses. Arguments break out, notes are passed, and contraband is exchanged.

As Robin walks back...