"Take a Break from Your Values" suggests that in a system designed to strip away individuality, rigid adherence to a moral code can be a liability. Whether it is Piper facing betrayal, Poussey facing violence, or Red facing a loss of power, the characters must decide which parts of themselves they are willing to lose to survive another day in Litchfield. Orange is the New Black Podcast
Poussey remains one of the few characters who refuses to compromise her values, which leads to her suffering.
Flashbacks in this episode reveal the origins of imprisonment.