On first appearances, Shell Dockley is the archetypal prison bully. Her ambition is to be queen of the landings and she needs all the little status symbols that life in a prison can offer. Although she would never admit it, she yearns for the respect and the admiration of fellow inmates. She is, however, constantly underminded, and her attempts at bullying are rarely successful. Very often, Shell finds herself alone and isolated, without any real friends.
Her yearnings for attention, staus and affection have led her into a self-destructive affiar with Prison Officer Jim Fenner. Eventually, through therapy, she acknowledges the cause of her sexual disfunctionality- the years of abuse at the hands of her parents. The act of removing her kids away from her mother and into care demonstrates that she does have an unselfish side. But when therapeutic support is withdrawn, she returns to her old, cold, cunning self.
She has many talents, but perhaps her greatest skill is lying. It makes her a dangerous prisoner because she is always so convincing. She can think on the spot, unlike many of the prison officers who have to deal with her. Shell's not all bad, but some of her jailers would disagree. |
