One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich Character Analysis
Alexander Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1962) is a novel
centering on forty-year old Soviet political prisoner Ivan Denisovich Shukov’s experiences
during a single day in a fictional Soviet labor camp in 1951. Before entering the labor camp
eight years earlier, Shukov was a poor stone mason, with a wife and two daughters who he left
behind when he entered military service in 1941 after the Germany army invaded the Soviet
Union. During fighting, the Germans captured him, but he later escaped and returned to the
Soviet army. Soviet officials then accused him of high treason, saying he deliberately joined the
German cause and then returned to the Soviet army as a spy. Although innocent of the charges,
Soviet …show more content…
authorities forced him to sign a confession under penalty of death, then sentenced him to
the labor camp. The conditions of the labor camp are harsh and characterized by grueling labor,
frigid temperatures and sparse rations. To survive these dehumanizing conditions and maintain
his dignity, Shukof must rely on his resourcefulness, self-discipline and principled nature.
In order to survive the the labor camp’s harsh conditions, Shukov had to be very
resourceful. For example, when Shukov’s boots become wet from the work, he cleverly tries to
make them dry. The author writes, “[Shukhov] quickly kicked off his felt boots, stood them in a
corner, threw the foot-cloths one top of them...and dropped to the floor in his bare feet and
started sloshing water right under the warders’ boots” (Solzhenitsyn 13). Another example of
Shukov’s resourcefulness can be seen when he begins working on a prison stove without the
needed tools. “There were a few lengths of piping as well, no tinsmith’s tools, though. But there
was a metalworker’s hammer and hatchet.” (Solzhenitsyn 61). Although the correct tools were
not available, Shukov made due with just a hammer and an ax. Shukhov’s ability to fix the stove
despite the lack of tools reflects his resourcefulness and keen ability to survive in the camp.
Another example of Shukov’s resourcefulness can be seen when “Shukhov hurried off first to
pick up his trowel in the half-built wing of the auto-repair shop” (Solzhenitsyn 56). After work
each day, the Zeks are supposed to return the tools used during the workday, but Shukhov had
other ideas. Shukov fooled the guard at the workhouse (How did he fool the guard?) and had
kept the best trowel for himself. Shukhov’s resourcefulness allowed him to keep the best tool for
himself which and make his work easier to endure.
Shukov’s self-discipline enables him to endure the prison’s harsh conditions.
Solzhenitsyn says, “Shukov had been knocking around for forty years, he’d list half his teeth and
was going bald, but he’d never given or taken a bribe outside and hadn’t picked up the habit in
the camps” (Solzhenitsyn 44). Even though bribes may have made life easier, Shukov only sees
weakness in the idea. His self-discipline has allowed him to continue surviving within the camp
for the last eight years. He is not willing to change himself just because he has been placed in a
tough situation and giving in will only make the Russians successful in their punishment.
Through his actions, he shows that self-discipline is necessary for long term survival. Another
example of Shukov’s self-discipline is evident in his morning routine. The author states,
“Shukhov never overslept reveille. He always got up at once, for the next ninety minutes, until
they assembled for work, belonged to him, not the authorities, and any old-timer could earn a
bit”(Solzhenitsyn 3). Another example of Ivan’s intense focus can been when he clears his mind
and focuses on fixing a stovepipe. “And then every thought was swept out of his head. All his
memories and worries faded. “He had only one idea—to try to fix the vent in the stovepipe and
hang it up to prevent it smoking” (Solzhenitsyn 61). Another example of Shukov’s self- discipline is evident with food rationing. Despite great hunger. Shukhov always brings the same
amount of bread and never eats it before dinner. “Shukhov feels something sharp pressing
against his chest and remembers he has hidden a piece of bread there. He always brought the
same amount with him, but never touched it until dinnertime. His belly, however, is hungry and
the pain moves into his legs, making him feel weak. He unwraps the bread, finding it has been
kept warm by his body heat, and begins nibbling away at it.”(26)
Shukov’s principled nature help him retain his dignity and survive in the camp. Shukhov
learned early during his imprisonment that the only way to survive long term is to keep your
diginity. . Shukhov was told by his first squad leader, “Here, men, we live by the law of taiga.
But even here people manage to live. The ones that don’t make it are those who lick other men’s
left overs, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their
buddies.” (Solzhenitsyn 4).
Shukhov kept these rules to live by with him throughout all of his
eight years to come, as these were the only ways to stay alive. It was obvious the men who tried
to cheat the system and had no self-dignity were the first ones to die. No matter the situation
Shukhov acted dignified. Many examples of this character trait were shown throughout his day,
for example, “...he removed his hat from his clean-shaven head, however cold it might be, he
could never bring himself to eat with his hat on...” (Solzhenitsyn 14). This was a display of
how Shukhov maintained his heritage’s traditions and culture, therefore maintaining his self- dignity. Another example of Shukhov’s dignity occurred when he saw one prisoner staring
another’s cigarette; “Every nerve in his body was taut, all his longing was concentrated in that
cigarette butt–which meant more to him now, it seemed, than freedom itself–but he would never
lower himself like that Fetyukov, he would never look at a man’s mouth.” (Solzhenitsyn 162).
Shukhov stops himself from looking at Tsezar cigarette because in his mind doing that would
be
degrading even if nobody knew he was staring at it. At the end though Shukhov does ask Tsezar
for the remaining smoke and Tsezar gives him all of it. Shukhov got what he wanted in the most
respectful way, by being dignified.
CONCLUSION:
centering on forty-year old Soviet political prisoner Ivan Denisovich Shukov’s experiences
during a single day in a fictional Soviet labor camp in 1951. Before entering the labor camp
eight years earlier, Shukov was a poor stone mason, with a wife and two daughters who he left
behind when he entered military service in 1941 after the Germany army invaded the Soviet
Union. During fighting, the Germans captured him, but he later escaped and returned to the
Soviet army. Soviet officials then accused him of high treason, saying he deliberately joined the
German cause and then returned to the Soviet army as a spy. Although innocent of the charges,
Soviet …show more content…
authorities forced him to sign a confession under penalty of death, then sentenced him to
the labor camp. The conditions of the labor camp are harsh and characterized by grueling labor,
frigid temperatures and sparse rations. To survive these dehumanizing conditions and maintain
his dignity, Shukof must rely on his resourcefulness, self-discipline and principled nature.
In order to survive the the labor camp’s harsh conditions, Shukov had to be very
resourceful. For example, when Shukov’s boots become wet from the work, he cleverly tries to
make them dry. The author writes, “[Shukhov] quickly kicked off his felt boots, stood them in a
corner, threw the foot-cloths one top of them...and dropped to the floor in his bare feet and
started sloshing water right under the warders’ boots” (Solzhenitsyn 13). Another example of
Shukov’s resourcefulness can be seen when he begins working on a prison stove without the
needed tools. “There were a few lengths of piping as well, no tinsmith’s tools, though. But there
was a metalworker’s hammer and hatchet.” (Solzhenitsyn 61). Although the correct tools were
not available, Shukov made due with just a hammer and an ax. Shukhov’s ability to fix the stove
despite the lack of tools reflects his resourcefulness and keen ability to survive in the camp.
Another example of Shukov’s resourcefulness can be seen when “Shukhov hurried off first to
pick up his trowel in the half-built wing of the auto-repair shop” (Solzhenitsyn 56). After work
each day, the Zeks are supposed to return the tools used during the workday, but Shukhov had
other ideas. Shukov fooled the guard at the workhouse (How did he fool the guard?) and had
kept the best trowel for himself. Shukhov’s resourcefulness allowed him to keep the best tool for
himself which and make his work easier to endure.
Shukov’s self-discipline enables him to endure the prison’s harsh conditions.
Solzhenitsyn says, “Shukov had been knocking around for forty years, he’d list half his teeth and
was going bald, but he’d never given or taken a bribe outside and hadn’t picked up the habit in
the camps” (Solzhenitsyn 44). Even though bribes may have made life easier, Shukov only sees
weakness in the idea. His self-discipline has allowed him to continue surviving within the camp
for the last eight years. He is not willing to change himself just because he has been placed in a
tough situation and giving in will only make the Russians successful in their punishment.
Through his actions, he shows that self-discipline is necessary for long term survival. Another
example of Shukov’s self-discipline is evident in his morning routine. The author states,
“Shukhov never overslept reveille. He always got up at once, for the next ninety minutes, until
they assembled for work, belonged to him, not the authorities, and any old-timer could earn a
bit”(Solzhenitsyn 3). Another example of Ivan’s intense focus can been when he clears his mind
and focuses on fixing a stovepipe. “And then every thought was swept out of his head. All his
memories and worries faded. “He had only one idea—to try to fix the vent in the stovepipe and
hang it up to prevent it smoking” (Solzhenitsyn 61). Another example of Shukov’s self- discipline is evident with food rationing. Despite great hunger. Shukhov always brings the same
amount of bread and never eats it before dinner. “Shukhov feels something sharp pressing
against his chest and remembers he has hidden a piece of bread there. He always brought the
same amount with him, but never touched it until dinnertime. His belly, however, is hungry and
the pain moves into his legs, making him feel weak. He unwraps the bread, finding it has been
kept warm by his body heat, and begins nibbling away at it.”(26)
Shukov’s principled nature help him retain his dignity and survive in the camp. Shukhov
learned early during his imprisonment that the only way to survive long term is to keep your
diginity. . Shukhov was told by his first squad leader, “Here, men, we live by the law of taiga.
But even here people manage to live. The ones that don’t make it are those who lick other men’s
left overs, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their
buddies.” (Solzhenitsyn 4).
Shukhov kept these rules to live by with him throughout all of his
eight years to come, as these were the only ways to stay alive. It was obvious the men who tried
to cheat the system and had no self-dignity were the first ones to die. No matter the situation
Shukhov acted dignified. Many examples of this character trait were shown throughout his day,
for example, “...he removed his hat from his clean-shaven head, however cold it might be, he
could never bring himself to eat with his hat on...” (Solzhenitsyn 14). This was a display of
how Shukhov maintained his heritage’s traditions and culture, therefore maintaining his self- dignity. Another example of Shukhov’s dignity occurred when he saw one prisoner staring
another’s cigarette; “Every nerve in his body was taut, all his longing was concentrated in that
cigarette butt–which meant more to him now, it seemed, than freedom itself–but he would never
lower himself like that Fetyukov, he would never look at a man’s mouth.” (Solzhenitsyn 162).
Shukhov stops himself from looking at Tsezar cigarette because in his mind doing that would
be
degrading even if nobody knew he was staring at it. At the end though Shukhov does ask Tsezar
for the remaining smoke and Tsezar gives him all of it. Shukhov got what he wanted in the most
respectful way, by being dignified.
CONCLUSION: