Riker's Island: Conditions, Motives, and Credibility

1. Sample Depth and Complexity Questions and Answers

2. When Petrocelli questions Zinzi, the Jury discovers that he was at Riker’s Island. Do some research to find out more Riker’s Island—what is it? What are the conditions like there? Is it reasonable to assume that someone would lie to lessen his time there? Does Zinzi’smotives affect the credibility of his testimony? Rikers island is a new York Jail complex in between queens and the Bronx. It can hold up to 17,00 people (although it usually has around 6,000 - 9,000). This jail mostly holds people who are waiting for a trial. Rikers island during the 90s (which is when the story takes place) was known for its violence. It was so violent because the crack epidemic was hitting the nation and rival gangs were all over prison. Stabbings and slashings were common about 1,000 every year. Anyone who was there would probably want to get out as soon as possible for fear of their own life. Zinzi was at Rikers island and most likely wanted to get out as soon as possible, this would have motivated him to maybe change around the truth in his testimony. Riker’s Island is a jail. The conditions are bad. Someone would probably lie to get out of there.

3. Who is Ms. O’Brien? How would this story read differently if it was told from her perspective? Ms. O’Brien is Steve’s lawyer. The story would be different because it would give her thoughts and feelings. Ms. O'Brien is the defense attorney and she has doubts about whether Steve is innocent or guilty. If the story was from her point of view then it would probably be more about the cases that she has previously had and how bad she feels for Steve. I think that lots of the story would be about her mental battle of if he is innocent or guilty and if she should really help him to be free and get justice.

4. When one character is the opposite of another, we call them foils. Explain why Miss Narwin and Mr. Lunserare foils. Ms. Narwin is very firm with her job but Mr. Lunser is Lenient with his job and likes to be an easygoing teacher Miss Narwin and Mr. Lunser are foils because they are complete opposites. While Miss Narwin is a stricter teacher who would have students be quiet for the announcements, Mr. Lunser makes fun of the announcements and even talks during the national anthem when the principle asks people to be quiet for it. Mr. Lunser even asks Philip to stop studying and makes him put his book away.

5. How does the author effectively demonstrate the relationships between Philip and those around him? What do these relationships tell you about Philip? Phillip likes to joke around. He jokes with Ms. Narwin and with Allison. This tells me that he wants to be a funny guy. The author effectively demonstrates Philip's relationship with those around him by the way he acts around each person. These relationships show that Philip likes to joke around. I know this because of his answer to Ms. Narwin's question about The Call of the Wild. I also know this because of the way he talked to Allison on the phone and his reason for not reading the book.