Initially, Mari is the absolute Master. She holds the keys to the prison, controls the food supply, and dictates the reality of the boys. Kiyoshi is the Slave, forced to work and subjected to humiliation. However, the dialectic shifts because Kiyoshi refuses to acquiesce to the identity forced upon him.
Chiyo represents the "Ideal." She is kind, accepting, and views the world through a lens of innocence. She is the prize Kiyoshi seeks. However, Mari represents the "Real." Mari challenges Kiyoshi, forces him to grow, and understands the darker, strategic side of his personality. prison school mari and kiyoshi