# What Alienation from Society means in You Can’t Win

> The narrator feels a high wall between himself and mainstream society, viewing it as an enemy machine of law and punishment, which justifies his criminal actions and prevents him from seeking honest work.

## Explanation

The narrator feels a high wall between himself and mainstream society, viewing it as an enemy machine of law and punishment, which justifies his criminal actions and prevents him from seeking honest work.

The narrator describes his solitary life as a criminal, his inability to connect with ordinary people, and the loss of his mother as a source of belonging.

The narrator feels isolated at the convent, being the only boy who never goes home for holidays, and finds solace in the rebellious tales of outlaws, reinforcing his sense of being an outsider.

Jack feels cut off from the outside world upon entering the penitentiary, but finds belonging within the criminal subculture.

Black feels no pull toward home despite Johnnie's family talk; the criminal life fascinates him and he plans future burglaries.

## Links

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