why do we learn that the guy who does the imprisoning is a banker and that the prisoner is a lawyer

by Edmond Schowalter 7 min read

Why did the banker nearly kill the lawyer?

The banker actually does try to get out of the bet, but he wants to do so by persuading the lawyer to call it off. "Think better of it, young man, while there is still time.

Why does the banker go to investigate how the lawyer is?

 · 1. We need to become more self-motivated. Without self-motivation, you may as well be a prisoner to society. You’re ordered around …

How did the banker's time in solitary confinement affect the lawyer?

 · Prison can 'become part of you', one inmate said (Credit: Getty Images) The prisoners described a process of “emotional numbing”. “It does harden you. …

What happens to your brain when you go to prison?

 · The banker was very harsh to the prisoner. There was a lesson for both of the characters to learn, but unfortunately, the banker keeps the lawyer at a distance and doesn't treat him properly, and ...

What does the banker think when he sees the lawyer sleeping at the table the bet?

The banker thought that the lawyer was asleep, dreaming about the 2 million dollars, and he only has to throw him on the bed, suffocate him a little with the pillow, and the most conscientious expert would find no sign of a violent death, but he should first read the letter on the table.

How does the lawyer's imprisonment affect the banker?

How does the lawyer's 15-year imprisonment affect the banker? The banker wishes that he had required the lawyer to stay imprisoned for longer. The banker comes to realize that he was wrong about his stance on life imprisonment. The banker mourns the life and experiences that he has deprived the lawyer of.

What is the bet between the banker and the lawyer?

They agreed to a bet: if the lawyer could spend fifteen years in total isolation, the banker would pay him two million rubles. The lawyer would have no direct contact with any other person, but could write notes to communicate with the outside world and receive whatever comforts he desired.

Why does the banker enter the lawyer's rooms in the middle of the night in the final part of the short story the bet *?

The lawyer and the banker enter the bet intent on proving whether death penalty or life imprisonment is better. The lawyer fulfils all the terms and conditions of the bet for almost fifteen years.

Why did the banker keep the lawyer confinement?

The banker does not kill the lawyer, because he reads a letter where the lawyer outlines his plan to leave confinement minutes before the fifteen-year time limit expires. In doing so, he will willingly forfeit the millions which the banker would otherwise have to pay him.

Why does the banker think the lawyer will be indebted to him for his happiness?

Why does the banker think the lawyer will be indebted to him for his happiness? He predicts a future life for the man, where he will enjoy life and gamble on the Exchange, suggesting this enjoyment will come from the money he gets.

What was the source of the man vs man conflict between the banker and lawyer?

The banker was worried at the beginning of the bet that he would lose the bet. The banker was a desperate man when he planned to kill the lawyer. The lawyer won the bet. There are things in life that are more meaningful than money.

What did the banker recall why did he consider the bet useless?

The lawyer staked his freedom and he had staked two millions roubles. The banker recalled the party because the lawyer would gain his freedom the next day. He would lose two millions then.

What is the banker's reason for thinking that death penalty is better than life imprisonment?

What is the Banker's reason for thinking the death penalty is better than life in prison? The Banker assumes that spending life in prison means dying slowly.

What lessons are learned by the banker and the lawyer in the story the bet?

In Chekhov's "The Bet," the banker and the lawyer both learn the futility of their wager, as they have found that life and its conditions differ greatly from their more youthful perceptions. The lawyer learns that his sweeping statement that life on any terms is better than death is not true.

What type of character is the banker in the bet?

The banker is an authoritarian, materially-obsessed businessman who uses his power and wealth to control others. His egotism, combined with his belief that life imprisonment is inferior to capital punishment, drives the plot of the short story forward.

How does the narrator characterize the banker?

The narrator tells the reader that the banker was "younger and more nervous in those days," but his excitement is conveyed through his action of striking the table with his fist and shouting and the young man opposite him.

Why are prison bars bad?

These "prison bars" can prevent us from reaching our full potential in life. Mental and emotional blockades leave us feeling locked up, inhibit self-improving actions and suppress our ability to aim higher.

How to break free from metaphorical prison?

A great way to break free from your metaphorical prison is to discover your gift and focus on your passion. Don’t waste any more time. As Steve Harvey explains in the book,

What is the meaning of "believing that your life is your routine"?

Believing that your life is your routine and that there is nothing beyond — nothing bigger and nothing better — is a close-minded way of thinking.

What is the dangerous state of living in a mundane existence without even realizing it?

Perishing is the dangerous state of living in a mundane existence without even realizing it. There you are, living your comfortable life, going to the same job – day in and day out- doing the same things. You know your routine so well that you can probably do it without thinking.

What does it mean to be a bystander?

If you are a bystander, you might see someone hurt or suffering on a busy street and watch instead of intervening because you assume someone else will do something about it . You are present but not a participant.

Do you ever feel like you are a prisoner even though you are not behind bars?

Do you ever feel as though you are a prisoner even though you are not behind bars? A self-limiting mindset, which affects our awareness, experiences and personal growth, causes the metaphorical prison bars that make us feel trapped. These "prison bars" can prevent us from reaching our full potential in life.

Can you be a prisoner without self motivation?

Without self-motivation, you may as well be a prisoner to society. You’re ordered around at work and you don’t mind because you don’t seek the autonomy or freedom that would come if only you were just a little more self-motivated. Think of ways to own your vitality and take back your life.

Why did the banker go broke?

The banker, by this time, has gone broke due to his own recklessness and gambling. He begins to worry that the lawyer's bet with him will ruin him financially. The banker begins to hope against all hope that the lawyer will break his vow and lose the bet.

How long does the lawyer live on the banker's property?

Nevertheless, the lawyer decides to stick to his word and the bet is carried out. For fifteen years, the lawyer lives on the banker's property, in a small lodge, and has no human contact. He can have any item that he desires. At first, the lawyer does not comfort himself with any liquor or tobacco, confining himself to playing the piano.

Who believes that life is better than none?

As the group argued, the two sides of the debate coalesced into two representatives: the banker, who is for capital punishment and believes that it is more merciful, and a lawyer, who believes that life imprisonment is the better option, due to its preservation of life. The lawyer believes that any life is better than none, and that life cannot be taken away by the government, since life cannot be given back if the government realizes that it made a mistake.

What does the story of the lawyer show?

The story also shows the toll that separation from human society can take on a person. Whereas at first the lawyer was full of virtue, eschewing wine and tobacco, he later gives himself in to his vices, drinking and smoking constantly.

Does Chekov show the reader the thoughts of the lawyer?

With nothing to lose, and two million to gain, the lawyer cannot think of a reason to reject the bet. It is very interesting that Chekov does not show the readers the thoughts of the lawyer as he makes this bet. The only time that we see the thoughts of the lawyer clearly is later in the story, through a letter.

What does the banker confirm?

The banker acquiesces and confirms the lawyer's suspicion that he has mastered languages. As the years go by, the lawyer reads virtually every genre under the sun. He makes his way from the lighter reading of the early years, to the dense text of the Gospels and Shakespeare.

What does the lawyer believe?

The lawyer believes that any life is better than none, and that life cannot be taken away by the government, since life cannot be given back if the government realizes that it made a mistake. The banker and the lawyer decide to enter into a bet, with the banker wagering that the lawyer could not withstand 5 years of imprisonment.

How old was the prisoner who said "I do still act like I'm still in prison"?

One 42-year-old male former prisoner said: “I do [still] kind of act like I'm still in prison, and I mean you [are] not a light switch or a water faucet. You can't just turn something off. When you've done something for a certain amount of time… it becomes a part of you.”

Who was the psychologist who worked on the Stanford Prison Experiment?

In a report on the psychological impact of imprisonment for the US government, the social psychologist Craig Haney (who collaborated with Philip Zimbardo on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment) was frank: “few people are completely unchanged or unscathed by the [prison] experience”. You might also like:

Does prison time affect attention?

Prison time can result in increased impulsiveness and poorer attentional control (Credit: Alamy) The researchers think the changes they observed are likely due to the impoverished environment of the prison, including the lack of cognitive challenges and lost autonomy.

Do prisoners adapt to their environment?

Nonetheless, there is widespread recognition among psychologists and criminologists that prisoners adapt to their environment, which they call “prisonisation”. This contributes towards a kind of “post-incarceration syndrome” when they are released.

Do prisoner welfare changes help the prisoner?

Particularly for anyone concerned about prisoner welfare and how to rehabilitate former convicts, the worry is that these personality changes , while they may help the prisoner survive their jail time, are counter-productive for their lives upon release.

Can you reintegrate into society after a prison sentence?

Reintegration into society can be difficult after a long prison sentence (Credit: Getty Images) In the field of personality psychology, it used to be believed that our personalities remain largely fixed in adulthood.

Does long term imprisonment change people?

Based on their interviews with hundreds of prisoners, researchers at the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge went further, stating that long-term imprisonment “ changes people to the core ”. Or in the stark words of a long-term inmate interviewed for research published in the 1980s, after years in prison “you ain’t the same”.

What did the lawyer prove about confinement?

Instead of confinement stealing a man's life, the lawyer proved that confinement enriched a life, his own.

How did the lawyer who was shut away for fifteen years win the bet?

The lawyer who was shut away for fifteen years won the bet in the moral sense. In his letter to the banker, he states that though it was difficult at first to endure the solitary confinement, after a few years, he began to read in earnest. His reading opened his mind and gave him wisdom. He was able to appreciate much of the world without actually experiencing it because he read. As his wisdom increased he began to see the weaknesses of mankind as a whole and he came to despise those weaknesses and all of mankind. Because of that wisdom and his hatred of people's general faults, material possessions, and what he considered the false quality of the world, he purposely lost the bet by leaving five hours before the end of the agreed upon time, thus renouncing the money he was supposed to win. The banker won only in the sense that he did not lose money, but he lost so much more of himself. He nearly killed the lawyer in his desire to avoid losing his money. After the lawyer escaped, the banker did not even have the moral nature to let others know why the lawyer escaped. He took the letter the lawyer wrote explaining why he did what he did and locked it away before anyone could see it.

Was the banker right in that it was a death by degrees?

The banker was right in that it was a death by degrees. The young lawyer entered his confinement young and energetic and left old and bitter at 40 years of age.

What did Andy tell the lawyer about his wife?

Andy tells the lawyer that they had a bitter confrontation about the fact that his wife was having an affair and that she wanted a divorce. The lawyer fills in the rest of the story, telling Andy that he told his wife, "I'll see you in hell before I see you in Reno," according to the testimony of his neighbors.

Who introduces the captain of the guards in the book of Byron Hadley?

The newcomers line up as Mr. Norton, the warden, introduces the captain of the guards, Byron Hadley, and greets them. Norton's first rule is to not be disrespectful to the Lord, and tells them that they will find out the other rules as they go along.

Why does Red joke with Andy?

When Andy asks Red why they call him that, Red jokes that it is because he's Irish.

What does Andy ask Red to get him?

"I understand you're a man who knows how to get things," Andy says, and asks Red to get him a rock hammer. Red then tells Andy that the "Sisters," the group of which Bog is a part, have taken a liking to him.

What does Red say about Andy?

In voiceover, Red says that Andy didn't make a sound on his first night in prison. The next day, the prisoners march to the dining hall to get a meal. Andy passes a table where he is eyed by some men, then sits down to eat by himself.

Did Andy Dufresne smuggle Rita Hayworth into the prison?

Yes sir, I'm a regular Sears and Roebuck. So when Andy Dufresne came to me and asked me to smuggle Rita Hayworth into the prison, I told him, no problem.". We see Andy arriving at the prison in 1947. As Red tells us in voiceover, Andy had been a vice president of a large bank in Portland.

Was Andy's gun found in the river?

The lawyer also notes that Andy's gun was never found in the river, so no comparison can be made. We hear the lawyer in voiceover, as we see Andy walking towards the golf player's house in the night, drunk and carrying a gun. The lawyer tells the jury that the gun was fired more times than it could hold bullets, ...

What do inmates do when they are obsessed with the American dream?

Some inmates become obsessed with thoughts of having the American dream and they will do almost anything to have it come true, including using someone on the outside. This man will tell any woman or women what they want to hear in those inmate chat rooms until he gets out. Besides that, communicating with someone in the real world helps to pass the time and makes life inside just a little easier.

What happens when an inmate is released?

Once an inmate is released, you may find life is not going to be peaches and cream. It will be an ambitious adjustment for you both. He may have a difficult time finding a decent job, positive friendships, or depending on how long he’s been incarcerated, relating to the free world again.

Why is a Jamaican man manipulative?

He’s manipulative if he’s always questioning where you’ve been and who you were with. It’s been said Jamaican men are notorious for probing questions and jealous accusations. You may think he’s looking out for your best interest or just making conversation, but deep down, he’s wanting to control your moves.

Can a prisoner hook up with a woman?

If not, the chances of the prisoner hooking up with a woman for good reasons are not great. Sadly, you can expect the relationship to be chaotic and eventually, have it fail.

Do men do time for small crimes?

Sometimes, men do time for small crimes. Doesn’t mean they are criminals. In this case, they will likely come home to their wives or girlfriends the same way they went in. However, with the newfound time to think, some become master manipulators.

How many people were in jail in 2010?

When it comes to dating a man in prison, by year-end 2010, just over 2.2 million people resided behind prison walls or in jail. Of that estimate, approximately 9% of African American men were behind bars who were not yet 30 years of age, according to Prison Policy and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Do prisoners learn respect?

Oddly enough, prisoners learn respect inside or at least, they receive structure and discipline. Someone having standards should receive due respect and mainly, it happens, however, a woman who accepts and rewards bad behavior will have problems dealing with this man.

What does a woman with a partner in prison know?

A woman with a partner in prison knows a thing or two about patience. She must wait patiently throughout the duration of her partner’s sentence and deal with a new set of challenges upon his release.

What is the loyalty of a prison wife?

Finding a way to be patient with her partner isn’t the only challenge she encounters; she must also withstand judgment from friends and family. Loyalty is a powerful facet of any relationship.

Is Orange the New Black a mystery?

Society is so endlessly curious about prison culture that millions of us tune in to shows like Prison Wives and Orange Is the New Black. Life in prison is a mystery to many, and it’s human nature to want to peer into this unknown world, reflect on the darker sides of our personalities, and wonder how we would cope with the deprivation of prison life.

What does following your own ambitions do for your relationship?

Following your own ambitions can do wonders for your partnership. It’s the crucial last ingredient in the winning combination of forgiveness, hard work, and hope that’ll protect your relationship during any trying time.

Who was Julissa Griffith's boyfriend?

Julissa Griffith was engaged to her boyfriend, Jamel Greene, when he was imprisoned. Rather than break off the relationship, she responded to this difficult time by motivating and supporting herself and her fiancé.

How does hard work help a relationship?

Putting hard work into your relationship pays off and can leave you with a stronger, healthier partnership — even after mistakes have been made. Women with partners in prison show extreme tenacity by pushing past the negative stigma, managing their lives alone while actively supporting their partners, and adapting to make a relationship work. ...

Can you start a relationship after prison?

Starting a relationship anew after prison is challenging to both partners’ self-esteem, but if they have the will to stay together, forgiveness can be a wonderful healer.

Issues

  • As the group argued, the two sides of the debate coalesced into two representatives: the banker, who is for capital punishment and believes that it is more merciful, and a lawyer, who believes that life imprisonment is the better option, due to its preservation of life. The lawyer believes that any life is better than none, and that life cannot be ...
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Example

  • The banker and the lawyer decide to enter into a bet, with the banker wagering that the lawyer could not withstand 5 years of imprisonment. The lawyer, young and idealistic, decides to up the ante and makes the bet longer: 15 years. If he could last to the end of his sentence, the lawyer would receive two million rubles for wining the bet.
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Synopsis

  • The banker cannot fathom his good fortune, and even offers the young lawyer a way out, saying that he is being hasty and foolish. Nevertheless, the lawyer decides to stick to his word and the bet is carried out.
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Plot

  • For fifteen years, the lawyer lives on the banker's property, in a small lodge, and has no human contact. He can have any item that he desires. At first, the lawyer does not comfort himself with any liquor or tobacco, confining himself to playing the piano. But as the years progress, he gives in and spends much of his time drunk or asleep.
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Contents

  • Later, the main focus of his time becomes books, as he searches for adventures and comforts that he cannot possess physically. He takes great advantage of the banker's ability to provide any book, and asks that the banker test the result of his reading by firing two shots in the garden if his translations of several languages is indeed flawless. The banker acquiesces and confirms the la…
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Plot summary

  • With this in mind, the banker goes to investigate how the lawyer is doing. He finds that his prisoner is asleep at his desk, looking much older and careworn than he ever imagined him to be. After observing him for a few seconds, the banker notices a letter on the table.
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Analysis

  • Through this story, Chekov demonstrates the pitfalls of idealism and the foolishness of youth. Had the lawyer been older and wiser, he would never have decided so impulsively to go through with this bet. Had he had a family, a wife, childrenany support structure that depended on himhe would not have agreed. So the bet also demonstrates the selfishness of man and youth. With no…
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Reviews

  • It is very interesting that Chekov does not show the readers the thoughts of the lawyer as he makes this bet. The only time that we see the thoughts of the lawyer clearly is later in the story, through a letter. We never see the lawyer's thought process wholly unvarnished and unfiltered, as we often see the thoughts of the banker. This allows the lawyer to remain a pure model of ideali…
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Themes

  • The story also shows the toll that separation from human society can take on a person. Whereas at first the lawyer was full of virtue, eschewing wine and tobacco, he later gives himself in to his vices, drinking and smoking constantly. He has lost some of his idealism, even as he continues to seek to prove it, and himself, right. The story is left rather open-ended, with the reader left with a …
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Criticism

  • The banker does feel some contempt for himself, but the story does not give the reader much more detail than that. It is possible that the banker struggles with his decisions for the rest of his life as he does choose to hold onto the lawyer's last letter, but it is equally possible that he simply forgets about the lawyer in a few years time, locking away all thought of him from his mind.
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