The novel ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is considered to be a prominent work of Russian literature dedicated to the disclosure of life in Soviet labor camp experienced by the protagonist Ivan Denisovich. It is necessary to underline the fact that the author strived to reflect the real environment suffered by sentenced to a camp people; he managed to reflect the peculiarities of the Soviet gulag system on the basis of camp regulations and established standards followed by zeks.
The story is considered to be rather realistic as it reflects the author’s personal experience of camp life. He strived to demonstrate moral sufferings caused by a desire to be free; it should be stated that the novel, written in the middle of the 20th century, can be easily compared to the modern environment we live in. My personal life in everyday vision needs the development of necessary skills and abilities to gain respect among people surrounding me; the same idea was shown in the example of Ivan Denisovich, who managed to get a reputation of other zeks and become a true leader influencing their work and personal considerations.
It is necessary to underline the fact that the novel ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ can be compared to ‘Stanford Prison Experiment’ conducted and described by Professor Phillip Zimbardo and his team. The psychological project reflected the same idea of showing the imprisonment conditions and their influence on people’s emotional and physical state. Solzhenitsyn managed to demonstrate the atmosphere in which people had to survive every day of their ‘existence’ in the camp.
The novel compared to real-world situations disclosed the ability to be strong in any oppressing situation; the protagonist, being completely innocent, had to suffer unjust punishment and, despite this fact, he managed to establish rapport with other prisoners being their leader and support. For example, to get respect in modern society, a person must express certain skills and intelligence to prove his position. The author demonstrated personal resistance and strong willingness of the character helping him to survive; the same features are to be developed in modern people to reach a good level in current society.
‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ discloses the idea of showing labor amp conditions for a life of zeks. Explicitly, he stressed oppression and the desire to survive under the camp commandment government. The most important element in the everyday life of prisoners was to obey in order to survive.
“No need to hurry, not even for a house on fire.
Apart from sleep, the only time a prisoner lives for himself
is ten minutes in the morning at breakfast, five minutes over
dinner, and five at supper.” (Solzhenitsyn, p.14)
Cruelty and spite were the central features expressed on the part of prison officials. The attitude between the prisoners and officials played an integral role in the life of camped people. Ivan Denisovich appeared to be the embodiment of good etiquette expressing a role model of behavior, being the best worker in the labor camp.
Implicit analysis of the story depicts the idea of author’s highlight of Soviet culture suffering the consequences of World War II. It should be stressed that life in labor camp can be compared to the ordinary life of people in the society of that period. The basic principles and regulations were concentrated on the necessity to ‘obey’; to follow and live in accordance with strict rules developed in post-war society appeared to be a hidden theme disclosed in the novel. Hard labor conditions and pressure on the part of the ruling government were considered to be centralized in the post-war period; the same thought was shown through the eyes of protagonist Ivan Denisovich.
Deep analysis of the novel ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ discloses the illustration of the story’s basic themes, such as eating ritualization, human strive for freedom, and Soviet culture oppression. It is necessary to underline the fact that the author’s purpose was aimed at underlining human solidarity destruction, observed not only in the labor camp but in ordinary post-war life. The stress of hierarchy existing in the prison caused pressure and cruelty in relations between people; the author stressed that only during the eating period zeks could be devoted to themselves and personal considerations. Lack of freedom and constant limitations influenced the psychological and emotional state of prisoners leading to diseases emergencies; so, to survive and resist the environment remained to be the key goals of Shukhov and other zeks.
Nevertheless, the author managed to demonstrate the concept of loyalty existing among work gang members united by a common purpose to remain ‘people’ and to be free sooner or later. The end of the story is an underline of human happiness despite all difficulties he had to overcome; ‘Shukhov went to sleep fully content. He’d had many strokes of luck that day’. (Solzhenitsyn, 139) Such a conclusion made by the author allows understanding the strong inner power of the protagonist who managed to live one more successful and productive day in the conditions of constant pressure.
It is necessary to stress that the novel became a significant work in the Russian classic literature being referred to as fiction and historical heritage reflecting post-war period regulations. In ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn managed to demonstrate the combination of basic themes of humanity in the period of World War II, together with significant qualities of those people helping them to survive and live in a harmony with each other despite the pressure.
References
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’. Signet Classics. 1998.