LeMaitre’s Command Silences the Jailer
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Jailer arrives with food, remarking on the wastefulness of feeding them and noting their activity near the floor. He enforces order by demanding the blankets be picked up, but warns they'll get no others.
LeMaitre's off-screen call interrupts the Jailer, prompting him to respond and leave the cell.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Exhausted but determined, masking her own despair to bolster Susan’s morale. Her defiance toward the Jailer reveals a simmering anger beneath her fatigue.
Barbara, physically exhausted and with bloodied hands from digging, reluctantly halts their escape attempt to rest. She reassures Susan of their progress, masking her own fatigue to maintain morale. When the Jailer arrives, she reacts with defiance and confusion, questioning his accusations about the blankets. Her resilience is evident, but her exhaustion is palpable, and she remains vigilant despite the oppressive environment.
- • To maintain Susan’s hope and morale despite their dire situation.
- • To temporarily rest and recover strength before resuming their escape attempt.
- • That their escape effort is making progress and will eventually succeed.
- • That the Jailer’s authority is fragile and can be challenged, even if only verbally.
Despairing and fearful, her exhaustion and anxiety making her vulnerable. She relies heavily on Barbara for emotional support and is visibly shaken by the Jailer’s arrival.
Susan, physically and emotionally drained, collapses from exhaustion during their escape attempt. She struggles to continue, her despair evident as she clings to Barbara for reassurance. When the Jailer arrives, she reacts with fear and urgency, her panic amplifying the tension in the cell. Her mention of Ian’s whereabouts reveals her deep concern for their missing companion.
- • To distract herself from her fear and despair by continuing to dig, even if her body fails her.
- • To seek reassurance from Barbara that their escape is possible and that Ian is safe.
- • That their escape attempt is futile but necessary to cling to hope.
- • That the Jailer’s presence signals imminent danger, reinforcing her fear of execution.
Authoritative and detached, his voice carries the weight of unquestioned power. There is no visible emotion, only the cold efficiency of a system enforcing its will.
LeMaitre’s presence is felt only through his off-screen voice, which commands the Jailer with authority. His unseen but palpable influence shifts the Jailer’s demeanor from predatory to submissive, revealing the hierarchical power dynamics of the prison. LeMaitre’s role as a senior official in the revolutionary justice system is underscored by his ability to control the Jailer with a single word.
- • To maintain order and control within the prison through the Jailer’s subservience.
- • To ensure the prisoners remain helpless and compliant until their execution.
- • That the prison system’s authority must be absolute and unchallenged.
- • That the Jailer’s fear of him ensures the smooth operation of the prison.
Ian is mentioned indirectly by Susan, who wonders about his whereabouts and activities. His absence is a source of concern …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The tattered prison blankets are strewn across the cell floor, serving as both bedding and a makeshift cover for their escape tunnel. The Jailer notices their disarray and orders Barbara and Susan to pick them up, enforcing his arbitrary rules. The blankets symbolize the prisoners’ squalid living conditions and the Jailer’s predatory control over even the smallest aspects of their lives. Their disarray also hides the tunnel, which is later exposed by the Jailer’s scrutiny.
The Jailer’s cell rations are delivered to Barbara and Susan as a cruel taunt, emphasizing their desperation. The food is meager and likely inedible, serving as a reminder of their helplessness. The Jailer’s comment that it is 'a waste' underscores his predatory attitude toward the prisoners. While the rations are not directly consumed in this event, their presence highlights the prisoners’ physical and emotional deprivation.
The damp patch on the women’s prison cell wall is the clue that leads Barbara to believe a sewer passage lies behind it. She targets the loose stone beneath it as a potential escape route. The dampness symbolizes the decay and desperation of their environment, while also offering a glimmer of hope for an underground path to freedom. The Jailer’s interruption and Susan’s collapse prevent them from exploring this further.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The women’s cell in the Conciergerie Prison is a claustrophobic, damp, and oppressive space that embodies the prisoners’ despair. The stone walls, faint torchlight, and echoes of distant cries create an atmosphere of impending doom. The cell is both a physical barrier to escape and a psychological prison, reinforcing the prisoners’ helplessness. The Jailer’s arrival and the off-screen command from LeMaitre amplify the cell’s role as a microcosm of the revolutionary justice system’s cruelty.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Revolutionary Justice System is embodied in this event through the Jailer’s predatory enforcement of rules and LeMaitre’s off-screen command. The system’s authority is absolute, reducing the prisoners to helpless victims. The Jailer’s sudden shift from cruelty to subservience when LeMaitre speaks underscores the hierarchical power structure of the regime. The prisoners’ despair and the Jailer’s fear reveal the system’s dehumanizing effects, where individuals are disposable and mercy is nonexistent.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Barbara's discovery of the damp patch leads directly to their digging efforts, which cause exhaustion and injury."
Susan’s Despair and Barbara’s Defiance"Barbara's discovery of the damp patch leads directly to their digging efforts, which cause exhaustion and injury."
Barbara devises an escape planKey Dialogue
"BARBARA: "Oh, I must rest. It's tearing my hands to pieces.""
"JAILER: "There's your food. A waste if you ask me. What are they doing down there? The blankets. I'm responsible for everything in the cells. Pick them up! All right, all right. It gets cold at night. You'll get no others.""
"LEMAITRE [OC]: "Jailer!""
"JAILER: "LeMaitre.""
"LEMAITRE [OC]: "Jailer!""
"JAILER: "Coming, Citizen!""