TEXT ANALYSIS
Excerpt from Larcombe's admission book, easternstate.org
Thomas Larcombe’s descriptions were evidently highly subjective. The new prison system implemented by Eastern State Penitentiary was aimed at both moral and religious reform. The admissions book place emphasis on the state of the prisoner’s Christian religious reform rather than moral reform, as the text analysis continuously bring up the terms god, religion, and other terms with religious connotations. After also analyzing ethnicity in relation to the prisoner’s hope (prisoners page), there is also no correlation between ethnicity and the prisoners description of hopefulness, further revealing that these descriptions were purely based on Larcombe’s subjective views rather than any factors instilled in culture or race. Overall, our analysis of ESP concluded that the new reform method of solitary confinement/moral instruction was ineffective considering a greater proportion of inmates from this time period were categorized as hopeless/demented.
Hopeful
Top 5 words: God, Hope, Professes, Religion, Says
Individuals we deemed to be hopeful were those who had a description that had a more positive connotation. Only 38.8% of the prisoners in this data set fall into this category. Based on the most frequently used words, it is evident those who he deemed as hopeful had descriptions related to God and religion. Those who probably professed or said their religious affiliation were thought of as more hopeful than those who did not. Prays, salvation and soul are terms that are also frequently used and are indicative of the religious influence of Larcombe's judgments.
"Stammers greatly. Some religious interest. Strong desire to reform, and apparently deep sense of past guilt."
Hopeless
Top 5 words: Religion, Says, Religious, Prison, Ignorant
The 51.7% of individuals who were deemed as being hopeless were those with descriptions with a negative overall tone. Larcombe’s tone was often judgmental and skeptical of these prisoners. Ignorant is one of the most frequently used words in this category displaying his perception of these prisoners. Other relevant words include hardened, careless, and indifferent. Catholic also comes up. This is relevant due to the fact that there were Catholic oppositions during the recording of these admission books.
"Careless and somewhat impatient. Discover no hopeful appearances, very conceited vain."
Demented
Top 5 words: Mind, Deranged, Demented, Prison, Religious
The 7.7%% of prisoners considered demented, are those who had a description with a mostly negative connotation as well had a comment on the state of the prisoner’s mental health. Frequently used words include catholic, confinement and anxious. Many times, he noted the way in which some of their mental states were damaged while being incarcerated. While visitng the prison, Charles Dickens explained that when the prisoners were finally leaving they quiver “as a complete derangement of the nervous system” and “sometimes can’t even hold the pen” to sign the exit book. (Dickens, 2004)
"Since find his mind broken, laboring under a species of mental imbecility. Detained by order of the Marshall for further action on charge."