Short Eyes
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1974
144
Play • Fiction
New York City • 1970s
1974
Adult
18+ years
Miguel Piñero’s dramatic play Short Eyes follows a middle-class white man who enters a predominantly Black and Latino prison after being accused of child molestation, causing tensions among the inmates. The play depicts their complex relationships and attitudes toward authority within the harsh environment of a New York detention facility in the 1970s. Topics include harm to children and violence.
Gritty
Dark
Unnerving
Melancholic
Emotional
378 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Miguel Piñero's Short Eyes is widely praised for its raw, unflinching portrayal of life in a New York City jail, illustrating intense themes of power and survival with authentic dialogue. While some critics find its graphic content and bleakness unsettling, others commend its brutal honesty and Piñero's ability to capture the voices of marginalized individuals.
Readers who appreciate gritty, unflinching portrayals of prison life and social issues, akin to those in The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King or Dead Man Walking by Helen Prejean, will find Miguel Piñero's Short Eyes compelling. Mature audiences interested in stark realism and social critique will be particularly drawn to this work.
378 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
144
Play • Fiction
New York City • 1970s
1974
Adult
18+ years
We’re just getting started
Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!