American prison writers have been around since there have been prisons in America. During the 18th century, debtors were sentenced to ‘debtor’s prisons’ when they failed to pay their creditors.
These early American prisoners — an eclectic group of politicians, merchants, educators, lawyers and landowners — wrote about their personal plights and issues of the day. There was no shortage of literary flow from behind prison walls.
Today, San Quentin hosts a program to promote the prison writer and encourage the art of creative writing: The Brothers In Pen Creative Writing Group, instructed by Zoe Mullery.
On October 13, Brothers in Pen showcased a reading of 17 stories written by students. Approximately 25 outside guests were invited by Mullery to witness this annual reading.
“While we didn’t have nearly as many guests this year as we would have liked, all in attendance were—as usual—blown away by the quality of the reading and by the friendliness and intelligence of the students,” said Mullery.
JulianGlenn “Luke” Padgett emceed the event. Padgett’s zeal for the creative writing group made for an upbeat presentation as the students took to the podium to read their stories to the guests who hung on their every word.
“I’m in prison and I’ve heard some amazing stories about anger, loss, hate, redemption, forgiveness and love,” said Padgett. “The significance is that we learn to write and communicate in a place that does not promote meaningful forms of communication.”
There were “stories from their past, from imagined pasts, from the future, from fantastical worlds,” said Elaine W. who attended a previous reading. “Stories that make us laugh a little. Made us cry. Such eloquence, stories of loss, of themselves, of their families. Pain, regret, struggle, self-knowledge.” Her observations of the writers’ work mirror the amalgam of thoughts and comments shared by the visitors during and after the reading.
“Thank you for a really intense and important event. I’m still unpacking it,” said one guest. “I’m still thinking about those stories. There are a lot of people I wish could have been there,” said another.
A program intermission allowed students and guests to discuss the significance of mind and opportunity coming together via the Brothers In Pen group.
“Writing is a thing that brings you freedom…it also allows [students] to discover their potential in being creative,” said writer Arnulfo Garcia.
One visitor was so attentive and enthralled during the readings, she gave each student brief praise and a personal critique on their stories. The students were extremely grateful for her comments.
“My goal for myself is to be a midwife of stories. A story is a difficult thing to define. But there are some things we know. It has a shape, a feeling, and a direction,” said Mullery, who wants her students to “be engaged in what stories are, be aware of how each of us live in and shape and are shaped by stories—the stories we have lived and observed, and the ones we create.”
Giving prisoners a voice and an outlet for creative self-expression has the potential to make an enormous difference in their attitudes. As Mary Belle Harris, who ran a women’s prison in West Virginia, said in 1927, “Unless we have built within them a wall of self-respect, moral integrity, and a desire to be an asset to the community instead of a menace, we have not protected society—which is ourselves.” Her words ring as loud today as they did 85 years ago.
Interested readers can learn more about Brothers in Pen at brothersinpen.wordpress.com, and buy collections of their short stories at lulu.com.
