"I escaped one time. In 1971 I was in the free world for six weeks"

In this quote, Jack Henry Abbott is assessing a substantial event in his life where he had the ability to get away from a difficult situation. He mentions that this escape took place in 1971 and that he had the ability to spend 6 weeks in the complimentary world. This recommends that prior to this escape, Abbott was likely in some type of confinement or captivity. The reality that he describes the outside world as the "free world" indicates that he may have been imprisoned or institutionalised. This quote highlights the importance of flexibility and the desire to break free from overbearing circumstances.