When Faced with the Worse Possible Situation It Is Difficult for One to See an Outlet

Mouse 1

Mickey Mouse

Mrs. Revers

English 12

4 四月 2018

Angola ten years down

When faced with the worst possible situation it is difficult for one to see a solution. In

Viktor Frankl’s book, Man Searching For Meaning, Frankl expresses the importance of finding a way to overcome the worst. His solution to this problem goes along with his own experiences in

World War II’s concentration camps. Modern day prisoners experience the same hardships that

Frankl battled. The Farm: Life Inside Angola is a documentary that features six of those very prisoners. Ten years later, another documentary, called The Farm 10 Down, revisits the prison to see what has changed for those who were incarcerated. Four of the inmates from the first film are still alive and two of them have been granted freedom from the physical and mental prison of

Angola. Crawford and Simmons are still “Angola bound” because they fail to find a meaning or purpose to their existence in Angola, but Witherspoon and Tannehill leave Angola and are able to follow the guidelines of creating a meaningful life almost perfectly.

Frankl teaches that there are three stages to a prisoner’s mental existence. The first stage, marked by shock and denial, seems to be a perpetual stage for George Crawford. Ten years ago

Crawford was just starting his life in prison. His attitude and disposition can only be categorized by the “shock” that Frankl mentions. The prisoner in shock experiences a delusion of reprieve: when one believes that there will be an escape from his predicament. Crawford believes that he is innocent and that one day a judicial error will be recognized so that he will be able to live a free life. Ten years later Crawford is still exhibiting denial from the first stage. Now, not only has Mouse 2 he botched admitting to the original crime he was convicted of, but he cannot own up to the crimes he committed in jail. Crawford believes that other prisoners are out to frame him for crimes he has not done.

Ten years into his jail time, Crawford’s mental state is most defined by the second stage of a prisoner’s mental existence. Apathy is when the prisoner “achieves a kind of emotional death” (32). When faced with the question of the status of his hope, he responds that, “it may just be” over (The Farm: 10 Down). He no longer believes that there is any way to improve his situation despite the constant urging from his mother to sustain hope.

Crawford did attempt to find meaning for his life through love. He married a young woman while in jail to feel a temporary escape from his circumstances, but love proved to be a poor attempt for finding meaning because the marriage ended. There was no true love and no true companionship between Crawford and his wife so the marriage failed.

Frankl warns against the problems that Crawford faces. He would tell Crawford that it is important for him to self actualize or wake up and see that he is the root to all his problems.

Taking responsibility and learning from mistakes made by making better choices will put

Crawford in a better position to find meaning later on in life. Believing that a marriage would satisfy Crawford’s emptiness is a clear result of his lack of self actualizing.

Ten years later Vincent Simmons is, much like Crawford, showing signs of the first stage of a prisoner’s mental existence. He is still in denial about the offenses he was convicted of nearly 30 years ago. Instead of taking responsibility for the crime he and his family use religion as a valid excuse for his circumstance. In a letter of encouragement Simmons’ niece explains to him that his situation is a test of God. Frankl believes that religion should not be a crutch but Mouse 3 rather a guide to finding meaning. Shifting the blame of his problems is an incorrect use of religion when trying to achieve meaning.

Frankl expresses that one of the three ways to finding meaning is to forgive. Crawford was upset and emotionally hurt by the conviction of a crime that he may not have committed.

Although voicing his forgiveness he cannot let go of what has happened in the past. Proof of his grudge can be seen in more than 100 counts of misconduct on his prison record. If Simmons could give true forgiveness and take on the full responsibility of his predicament he could start to find meaning for himself.

Ten years after Angola: The Farm USA Tannehill and Witherspoon have been granted freedom for their self improvements in prison.

Tannehill has gone through all stages of a prisoner’s mental existence. The third stage, which most prisoners have not and may never see, is called liberation. Upon Tannehill’s release he experiences a shock and cannot grasp a full mental view of his freedom. He still feels like he is in prison sometimes and will not be truly free until he overcomes it. Apart from this setback

Tannehill still has trouble with identifying his material things as proof of his existence. His material link to existence in jail follows him to the free world where he has the opportunity to buy new clothes and jewelry. The only way that Tannehill gives back is by preaching to his immediate congregation. He fails to extend his influence to the greater community of at-risk society.

It is easy for one to think that Tannehill’s accomplishments are enough, but Witherspoon has completed Frankl’s guide to meaning exactly. At first Witherspoon had a problem with his freedom. He explains that a cover of anxiety would come over him at night, but he soon got over it. Witherspoon did everything in jail to give his life meaning. Ten years later Witherspoon is Mouse 4 doing everything that he had done in prison plus everything he couldn’t do while in prison in his current stage of liberation.

Witherspoon exhibits a heart of giving. Witherspoon currently holds important titles in five different organizations. He has wrote and co-wrote five different books and continues to give talks to youth and prisoners around the country.

Witherspoon is also a great example of someone who has done all three things to creat meaning for himself. First he has found forgiveness for himself. Although taking responsibility for the crimes he has committed, Witherspoon has reconciled with himself. Secondly

Witherspoon found work. In and out of prison he obviously keeps himself busy in various programs. Finally Witherspoon has found love in his wife. He is now happily married as a free man.

Through warden Cain the prison has become a place for healthy rehabilitation for every prisoner to have the chance to find meaning. Frankl defines the path to meaning, but enacting it takes a choice. Witherspoon has made his choice to find his meaning to the fullest. It is not too late for Crawford, Simmons, and Tannehill to do the same. Mouse 5

Works Cited

Angola: the Farm USA. Dir. Liz Garbus, Wilbert Rideau, and Jonathan Stack. Perf. George

Crawford, John Brown, Ashanti Witherspoon, Vincent Simmons, Logan “bones” Theriot,

and Eugene “bishop” Tannehill. A&E, 1998. Film.

Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search For Meaning. Boston: Beacon Press, 2006. Print.

“Letter of Encouragement.” www.Iippi.org. PhpBB. Web. 14 Oct. 2011.

"Stanley Tookie Williams." www.biography.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 09 Oct.

The Farm: 10 Down. Dir. Jonathon Stack and Nancy Novack. Perf. Georg Crawford, Ashanti

Witherspoon, Vincent Simmons, and Eugene “bishop” Tannehill. National Geographic,

2008. Film.