https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g This is a Padlet about the book, Breaking the Rock. This was my independent reading book for over the summer. en-us 2017-01-29 19:35:39 UTC 2025-09-24 16:18:43 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Ninja.png 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/150112761         West came up with a plan to escape the inescapable, Alcatraz, The Rock. He somehow convinced three others to do it with him. They were Morris and the Anglin brothers. This book takes on the perspective of the four cons, at some points, and the Alcatraz staff, at others. There were so many times where they were almost caught, and could've been had the guards just been looking harder. Through manipulation, organization, creativity, and faults in security three of them were able to get off of the island, however whether they were able to make it to shore is still a mystery.
        They started out with a process of coming up with ideas, finding the faults in them and seeing if it was something that could be worked around or to move on to a new plan. They also thought of combinations, for example maybe getting out of the jail in a way came up with in one plan, and getting off of the island in one from another. They eventually thought of a plan that was perfect. They would use bent plastic spoons to dig through their wall (a common misconception was that they would work at one big hole over a long amount of time, they would actually make a grid of small holes). They would all make fake vents, to make the spots still look normal. They would make a raft and life jackets out of prison raincoats, and make paddles in the woodwork area.
        However, this plan still had faults. They had to dig the holes during the music hour, and if a guard saw them doing this, they would be sent to solitary confinement and be under heavy watch afterwards. They would also be relocated to a different cell, likely away from the others, in which case either everyone would have to request to be moved to that area over time and restart, or the one who got caught would just be kicked out of the group, and the already existing group would have to find a new fourth person. Also, If a guard noticed that one of the men wasn't in their cells when they were supposed to be, the prison wold go into lock-down. To fix some of this, fake heads where made with soap, paint, wax, and hair from the barber area. Also, the cons got people in the cell next to them to watch out for guards walking by. In total, the men had everything accounted for. It truly was the greatest prison escape in history.]]> 2017-01-29 19:45:34 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/150112761 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152339050 2017-02-08 00:47:40 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152339050 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152339222         Morris was the perfect handyman.  He knew how to make all of the escape utensils, and he knew how to use them. He had previously escaped from multiple different prisons, and would be one to escape from Alcatraz. He had a cell next to West and would always keep watch when West was digging.
He had a family back home, and wanted to escape as quickly as possible and got into an argument with West because of it. He didn't factor in that even after he escaped he would probably never see his family again anyways. In general, he wasn't the brains of the escape, but he did a lot of the hard work.]]> 2017-02-08 00:49:14 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152339222 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152342178         West was the reason the escape happened. He was a master of manipulation. He somehow got four guys to try to escape the Rock, Alcatraz, the inescapable prison. He made the entire plan, mostly by himself, it was fixed up by the others, but he knew how to get exactly what he wanted from anybody.
        He got the best artist in the prison to make three dummy masks. He convinced guards to let him hang blankets up completely prohibiting the guards vision into that area. He somehow convinced a guard to let him paint a ceiling with a necessary ceiling vent without supervision. The escape probably never would've happened if it hadn't been for West.]]> 2017-02-08 01:08:06 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152342178 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152343622 2017-02-08 01:19:08 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152343622 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152343749   The four men were on Alcatraz, with guard towers all around and possible snitches. They were also confined in small cells with being opened to cell searches. There isn't much to explain about this place since its actually a real prison with very high security.]]> 2017-02-08 01:19:49 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152343749 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152344510   One conflict was possible snitches. As is said throughout the story, nearly everyone in the cell row opposite of them, knew what was going on and could've snitched. Guards always seemed to be around a corner, and they lost a lot of time waiting for the guards to pass by and always risked being caught. Finally, they were extremely vulnerable to cell shakedowns. Anything contraband they had in their cell would lead to a full jail shakedown and get them time in solitary confinement]]> 2017-02-08 01:25:04 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152344510 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347414 2017-02-08 01:50:21 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347414 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347439   Dr. Nim is similar to West because no matter what you do, you lose, and he gets exactly what he wants out of you.]]> 2017-02-08 01:50:32 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347439 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347710 2017-02-08 01:53:24 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347710 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347743   Throughout the whole story, the plan could totally fall apart at any point with even the smallest error. This rock structure could also fall apart with the smallest push.]]> 2017-02-08 01:53:43 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152347743 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152348214 2017-02-08 01:58:30 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152348214 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152348238   This is a representation of how the evidence was right in front of the guards. All that the guards had to do was pull the handle, but they, for whatever reason, just didn't feel like it.]]> 2017-02-08 01:58:47 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152348238 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152349254 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geSgCh8E3ck
        This is the song heathens which is about when being in jail, you never know what people you're next to and how everyone there could be a horrible person even your friend. The whole time they could've been turned in by these people and they had no idea who the person turning them in was.]]> 2017-02-08 02:09:35 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152349254 200958 https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152351108 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB9K0zGfCr8
This song is about control, which was what this escape was all about. "A seven nation army couldn't hold me back...If I catch it coming back my way, I'm gonna sell it to you."]]> 2017-02-08 02:29:57 UTC https://padlet.com/200958/v7lmz5tuz72g/wish/152351108