Part 2, Chapter 8 Summary

Elaine's first months in prison are the hardest. She cries during the nights, not used to sleeping alone. She starts every day at 5:30 a.m. The guard makes all of the women place a hand against their cell window, so they can do their morning count. She is locked back in her cell every evening by 10:00 p.m. In the early years of her imprisonment Elaine attends classes for her GED and helps out in the kitchen. She adapts to a very different life. No more laundry, dishes, taking care of the children, prison is mostly a waiting game. She learns to steal. Women are given a limited number of maxi-pads each month. When they run out, they run out. So, she and the others steal packages of maxi-pads to get them through the remainder of their menstrual cycle.

The children...