Act 2, Scene 1 Summary

This act opens in the convalescent ward on the first floor of the hospital. This ward is also filled to capacity with men in various stages of hostility and complacency. The patients include a man named George O'Brien, a Hispanic, a Jewish boy named Sam Tager, a Greek man named John Ankoritis, and Joe Major, a Negro man.

Jim is escorted into the ward by an attendant named Gregory, who finds an empty bed. Jim walks slowly in a disoriented state. The men introduce themselves to Jim and then go about their conversation, from which Jim is able to discern a fear about being sent to "seven." The men tell Jim that everything they do or say is monitored and could be used against any of them at any time.

One of the men tells Jim to be careful about being...