Solzhenitsyn's novel "One Day by Ivan Denisovich" was created in 1959. The author wrote it in between work on the novel "In the first circle." In just 40 days, Solzhenitsyn created "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." An analysis of this work is the topic of this article.
Theme of the work
The reader of the story gets acquainted with life in the camp zone of a Russian peasant. However, the theme of the work is not reduced to camp life. In addition to the details of survival in the zone, in “One Day ...” contains details of life in the village, described through the prism of the hero’s consciousness. In the story of Tyurin, the foreman, evidence of the consequences that collectivization in the country led to. In various disputes between the camp intellectuals, various phenomena of Soviet art are discussed (theatrical premiere of Y. Zavadsky, the film "John the Terrible" by S. Eisenstein). In connection with the fate of Shukhov's comrades in the camp, many details of the history of the Soviet period are mentioned.
The theme of Russia's fate is the main theme of the work of such a writer as Solzhenitsyn. “One Day of Ivan Denisovich,” the analysis of which interests us, is no exception. In it, local, private topics are organically integrated into this general problem. In this regard, the topic of the fate of art in a state with a totalitarian system is indicative. So, artists from the camp write free paintings for bosses. The art of the Soviet era, according to Solzhenitsyn, became part of the general apparatus of oppression. The episode of Shukhov’s thoughts about the village handicrafts producing painted carpets supported the motive of art degradation.
Story plot
The plot of the story created by Solzhenitsyn ("One Day of Ivan Denisovich") is chronicled. The analysis shows that although the plot is made up of events lasting only one day, his memoirs allow the biography of the protagonist to be presented. Ivan Shukhov was born in 1911. He spent his pre-war years in the village of Temgenevo. In his family - two daughters (the only son died early). Shukhov is at war since its first days. He was wounded, then captured, from where he managed to escape. In 1943, Shukhov was convicted of "treason" in a fabricated case. He served 8 years at the time of the plot. The work takes place in Kazakhstan, in a hard labor camp. One of the January days of 1951 was described by Solzhenitsyn ("One Day of Ivan Denisovich").
Analysis of the character system of the work
Although the main part of the characters was described by the author with laconic means, Solzhenitsyn managed to achieve plastic expressiveness in their image. We observe the diversity of individuals, the wealth of human types in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." The heroes of the story are depicted concisely, but at the same time remain in the reader's memory for a long time. At times, the writer is enough for this only one or two fragments, expressive sketches. Solzhenitsyn (the author’s photo is presented below) is sensitive to the national, professional and class specifics of the human characters he created.
Relations between the characters are subject to a strict camp hierarchy in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." A summary of the entire prison life of the protagonist, presented in one day, allows us to conclude that between the camp administration and the prisoners there is an insurmountable gulf. Notably, the absence in this story of names, and sometimes the names of many security guards and overseers. The individuality of these characters is manifested only in forms of violence, as well as in the degree of ferocity. On the contrary, despite the depersonalized numbering system, many of the prisoners in the hero’s mind are present with names, and sometimes with middle names. This suggests that they retained their individuality. Although this evidence does not apply to the so-called informers, morons and wicks described in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." These heroes also have no names. In general, Solzhenitsyn talks about how the system unsuccessfully tries to turn people into parts of a totalitarian machine. Especially important in this respect, in addition to the main character, are the images of Tyurin (foreman), Pavlo (his assistant), Buinovsky (kavtoranga), Baptist Aleshka and Latvian Kilgas.
The main character
In the work “One Day of Ivan Denisovich” the image of the protagonist is very remarkable. Solzhenitsyn made him an ordinary peasant, a Russian peasant. Although the circumstances of camp life are obviously “exceptional”, the writer in his hero deliberately emphasizes the outward inconspicuousness, “normality” of behavior. According to Solzhenitsyn, the fate of the country depends on the innate morality and natural stamina of the common man. In Shukhov, the main thing is indestructible inner dignity. Ivan Denisovich, even serving his more educated compatriots, does not change his age-old peasant habits and does not drop himself.
His working skill is very important in characterizing this hero: Shukhov managed to acquire his convenient trowel; in order to cast later spoons, he hides pieces of aluminum wire; he turned a folding knife and skillfully hid it. Further, the seemingly insignificant details of the existence of this hero, his way of holding himself, a peculiar peasant etiquette, everyday habits - all this in the context of the story acquires the value of values ​​that allow the human being to survive in difficult conditions. Shukhov, for example, always wakes up 1.5 hours before a divorce. He belongs to himself in these morning minutes. It is important to the hero this time of factual freedom also because it is possible to earn extra money.
"Cinematic" compositional techniques
One day contains in this work a clot of man’s fate, a squeeze from his life. It is impossible not to notice a high degree of detail: each fact in the narrative is split into small components, of which most are served in close-up. The author uses "cinematic" compositional techniques. He scrupulously, unusually carefully monitors how, before leaving the barracks, his hero dresses or eats up a small fish caught in soup to the skeleton. In the story even such a seemingly insignificant gastronomic detail as fish eyes floating in a stew is awarded a separate "shot". You will be convinced of this by reading the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." A careful reading of the chapters of this story reveals many such examples.
The term "term"
The important thing is that in the text the works come closer to each other, sometimes becoming almost synonyms, such concepts as “day” and “life”. A similar rapprochement is carried out by the author through the concept of "term", universal in the narrative. The term is a punishment measured out to the prisoner, and at the same time the internal routine of life in prison. In addition, most importantly, it is a synonym for human destiny and a reminder of the last, most important term of his life. Temporary designations thereby acquire a deep moral and psychological coloring in the work.
Scene
The scene is also very significant. The space of the camp is hostile to the prisoners, especially open areas of the zone are dangerous. Prisoners rush to run across the premises as soon as possible. They are afraid to be caught in this place, in a hurry to whisk under the protection of the hut. In contrast to the heroes of Russian literature, loving far and wide, Shukhov and other prisoners dream of a cramped shelter. For them, the hut is home.
What was one day of Ivan Denisovich?
The characteristic of one day spent by Shukhov is directly given by the author in the work. Solzhenitsyn showed that this day in the life of the protagonist was successful. Speaking about him, the author notes that the hero was not put in solitary confinement, the brigade was not driven out to the Sotsgorodok, he mowed down porridge for lunch, the brigadier closed well the percentage. Shukhov laid the wall cheerfully, didn’t fall for a shmona with a hacksaw, worked in Caesar’s evening and bought a tobacco. The protagonist also did not get sick. An unclouded day passed, "almost happy." Such in the work "One Day by Ivan Denisovich" is a summary of his main events. The final author's words sound just as epic calm. He says that there were 3653 such days in Shukhov's term - 3 extra days were accumulated due to leap years.
Solzhenitsyn refrains from the open manifestation of emotions and big words: it is enough for the reader to have the corresponding feelings. And this is guaranteed by the harmonious structure of the story about the power of man and the power of life.
Conclusion
Thus, in the work “One Day by Ivan Denisovich,” the problems were posed very relevant for that time. Solzhenitsyn recreates the main features of the era when people were doomed to incredible hardships and torment. The history of this phenomenon does not begin in 1937, marked by the first violations of the norms of party and state life, but much earlier, from the beginning of the totalitarian regime in Russia. Thus, the work presents a bunch of fate of many Soviet people who were forced to pay years of torment, humiliation, camps for faithful and honest service. The author of the novel "One Day by Ivan Denisovich" raised these problems so that the reader would think about the essence of the phenomena observed in society and draw some conclusions for himself. The writer does not moralize, does not call for something, he only describes reality. The product only benefits from this.