Final answer:
The convicts' subservience in "Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane" was due to the fear of Hard Rock. His reputation and change in behavior after a lobotomy represent the effects of prison power structures, akin to findings from the Stanford prison experiment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The convicts in "Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane" were subservient to Hard Rock out of fear of Hard Rock himself. Hard Rock was a legendary figure within the prison, known for his resistance to the prison's brutal power structures.
However, after his return from the hospital, where he received a lobotomy, his demeanor changed. The poem illustrates the psychological and physical impact of institutional power on individuals, as Hard Rock, who once personified resilience against this power, becomes subdued and compliant.
The Stanford prison experiment further supports this understanding of power within prisons. It demonstrated how quickly individuals can assume and be influenced by roles of authority and submissiveness, resulting in the abuse of power by the 'guards' and a saddening level of obedience by the 'prisoners,' leading to severe emotional and psychological effects.
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