Structure

Solitary is structured in chronological order. The book is divided into decades, and labeled by them, such as 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and so on. Each part is subdivided into chapters of which there are 54 in all. Each chapter covers events in Woodfox’s life during a particular decade. For example, Chapter 2 covers the early teen years and the different hustles Woodfox and his young friends would create to make quick cash. This fairly strict adherence to chronological order and divided structure allows for the reader to easily follow the maturation of Woodfox. Within this general structure, his story incorporates poetry or quotes from writers or activists. These inclusions not only relay his insatiable reading habits but also his own thinking, such as Sojourner Truth’s, “I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies, for the truth is all powerful and will prevail” (206).

It is the...