This combination produces a story in which the prisoners support each other and keep each other strong, but would rarely, if ever, acknowledge that relationship, for fear of being seen as weak or unprepared. The combination of the two cultures defines his relationships with the general prison population. As a fellow prisoner, he is an equal. This episode is primarily shaped by the prison culture, as it is more immediate and relevant than banker-culture. The prison yard is the men's place to congregate and socialize - inmates spend time chatting about the prison politics of the day or about favorite distractions, such as women.
Conversations are informal and unhurried.
At the same time, however, the men's cultural rules regarding relationships prevent Dufresne from acknowledging that relationship. Thus, the speech act he is about to make will not include explicit requests for help or support, but will instead communicate those exact requests underneath the surface level of the act. These attributes combine to influence and describe Dufresne's concept of self. His culture defines his relationships with others. Apparently, those relationships - especially with his wife, with authority and with other prisoners, have caused him to rethink his idea of self and find it somewhat dissatisfying.