: Every month, prisoners are randomly reassigned to a new level. This rotation should foster empathy, as everyone knows what it is like to be at the bottom. Instead, it breeds a "get it while you can" mentality, where former victims become the most ruthless oppressors once they reach the top. Key Characters and Philosophical Archetypes

: A man of faith who eventually joins Goreng in a violent crusade to force the food to be distributed equally. Together, they represent the "revolutionary" path—using force to disrupt a corrupt status quo. Symbolism and Meaning

: Goreng’s first cellmate represents the "survival of the fittest" mindset. He views the system as unchangeable and treats those below with contempt simply because he can.