One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Just finished this novella by Aleksandr Isaevich Solzhenitsyn. I can't explain why history of and tales about human suffering capture my attention so strongly. Stalin could only make communism work by the forced labor of men like Ivan in the story and Solzhenitsyn himself. His purges not only provided labor but also kept everyone terrified and submissive. The best character in the story is Alyosha, the Baptist. This story occurs in the "special" political prison, not the regular crimes prison, and Alyoshais there for being a Baptist. Ivan is there for escaping from the Germans on the Eastern front. No one should be able to escape from the Germans so he was accused of being released to spy for the Germans. He only got 10 years. Alyoshagot 25. Ivan can't get over how Alyosha exists at another level from himself and the other prisoners.
he tells Ivan, "'...you shouldn't pray to get parcels or for extra stew, not for that. Things that man puts a high price on are vile in the eyes of Our Lord. We must pray about things of the spirit-that the Lord Jesu should remove the scum of anger from our hearts...'" (p. 135).
Ivan interacts some then replies, "'however much you pray it doesn't shorten your stretch. You'll sit it out from beginning to end anyhow.'
'Oh, you musn't pray for that either,' said Alyosha, horrified. 'Why do you want freedom? In freedom your last grain of faith will be choked with weeds. You should rejoice that you're in preson. Here you have time to think about your soul. As the Apostle Paul wrote: "Why all these tears? Why are you trying to weaken my resolution? For my part I am ready not merely to be bound but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus."'" (p.136).
Ivan couldn't process this. "Freedom meant one thing to him-home." (p.136).
What he didn't understand is it meant the same thing to Alyosha, who understood his home was in heaven. Ivan the earthly man concluded of Alyosha, "Impractical, that's his trouble. Makes himself nice to everyone but doesn't know how to do favors that get paid back." Solzhenitsyn's ironic wink is that Ivan then shares a biscuit with Alyosha. He got a favor despite Ivan's judgment.
Solzhenitsyn's primary intention was to expose the savagery of Satlin's gulags, and this story swept the USSR like wildfire under Kruschev in 1962. But I think he by Alyosha comments on our short regimented life here on this planet. No one is absolutely free. Socialists aren't satisfied, nor communists, nor any person who realizes that there is something wrong with this whole life. It's never right. It never gets fixed. It isn't all there is to existence. We were made for heaven.
he tells Ivan, "'...you shouldn't pray to get parcels or for extra stew, not for that. Things that man puts a high price on are vile in the eyes of Our Lord. We must pray about things of the spirit-that the Lord Jesu should remove the scum of anger from our hearts...'" (p. 135).
Ivan interacts some then replies, "'however much you pray it doesn't shorten your stretch. You'll sit it out from beginning to end anyhow.'
'Oh, you musn't pray for that either,' said Alyosha, horrified. 'Why do you want freedom? In freedom your last grain of faith will be choked with weeds. You should rejoice that you're in preson. Here you have time to think about your soul. As the Apostle Paul wrote: "Why all these tears? Why are you trying to weaken my resolution? For my part I am ready not merely to be bound but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus."'" (p.136).
Ivan couldn't process this. "Freedom meant one thing to him-home." (p.136).
What he didn't understand is it meant the same thing to Alyosha, who understood his home was in heaven. Ivan the earthly man concluded of Alyosha, "Impractical, that's his trouble. Makes himself nice to everyone but doesn't know how to do favors that get paid back." Solzhenitsyn's ironic wink is that Ivan then shares a biscuit with Alyosha. He got a favor despite Ivan's judgment.
Solzhenitsyn's primary intention was to expose the savagery of Satlin's gulags, and this story swept the USSR like wildfire under Kruschev in 1962. But I think he by Alyosha comments on our short regimented life here on this planet. No one is absolutely free. Socialists aren't satisfied, nor communists, nor any person who realizes that there is something wrong with this whole life. It's never right. It never gets fixed. It isn't all there is to existence. We were made for heaven.
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