Please reply below this post with your responses. Due by class time on Friday, January 27th
The quotes:
Quote 1: "Here, men, we live by the law of the taiga. But even here people manage to live. The ones that don't make it are those who lick other men's leftovers, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their buddies."
Quote 2: "Work was like a stick. It had two ends. When you worked for the knowing you gave them quality; when you worked for a fool you simply gave him eyewash. Otherwise, everybody would have croaked long ago. They all knew that."
Quote 3: "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."
Quote 4: "How can you expect a man who's warm to understand a man who's cold? The cold stung. A murky fog wrapped itself around Shukhov and made him cough painfully. The temperature out there was -17; Shukov's temperature was 99. The fight was on."
Quote 5: "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 Fetiukov, he would never look at a man's mouth."
Quote 6: "Alyosha , who was standing next to Shukov, gazed at the sun and looked happy, a smile on his lips. What had he to be happy about? His cheeks were sunken, he lived strictly on his rations, he earned nothing. He spent all his Sundays muttering with the other Baptists. They shed hardships of camp life like water off a duck's back."
Quote 7: "In camp the squad leader is everything: a good one will give you a second life; a bad one will put you in your coffin."
Quote 8: "There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you."
Quote 9: "Shukov looked up at the sky and gasped--the sun had climbed almost to the dinner hour. Wonder of wonders! How time flew when you were working! That was something he'd often noticed. The days rolled by in the camp--they were over before you could say knife. But the years, they never rolled by; they never moved by a second."
Quote 10: "He was a newcomer. He was unused to the hard life of the zeks. Though he didn't know it, moments like this were particularly important to him, for they were transforming him from an eager, confident naval officer with a ringing voice into an inert, though wary, zek. And only in that inertness lay the chance of surviving the twenty-five years of imprisonment he'd been sentenced to."
Quote 11: "But Shukov wasn't made that way--eight years in a camp couldn't change his nature. He worried about anything he could make use of, about every scrap of work he could do--nothing must be wasted without good reason."
Quote 12: "Why can't you understand? The stars fall down now and then. The gaps have to be filled."
Quote 13: "Who's the zek's main enemy? Another zek. If only they weren't at odds with one another--ah, what a difference that'd make!"
Quote 14: "He had less and less cause to remember Temgenovo and his home there. Life in camp wore him out from reveille to bedtime, with not a second for idle reflections."
Quote 15: "And now Shukov complained about nothing: neither about the length of his stretch, nor about the length of the day, nor about their swiping another Sunday. This was all he thought about now: we'll survive. We'll stick it out, God willing, till it's over."
Quote 16: "D'you mean to say you think Old Whiskers will take pity on you? Why, he wouldn't trust his own brother. You haven't a chance, you ass."
Quote 17: "When you thought about it, you couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He wouldn't live to see the end of his stretch. His attitude was all wrong."
Quote 18: "Ten days. Ten days hard in the cells--if you sat them out to the end, your health would be ruined for the rest of your life. T.B. and nothing but hospital for you till you kicked the bucket. As for those who got fifteen days hard and sat them out--they went straight into a hole in the cold earth. As long as you're in the barracks--praise the Lord and sit tight."
Quote 19: "You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul."
Quote 20: "they hadn't put him in the cells; they hadn't sent his squad to the settlement; he'd swiped a bowl of kasha at dinner; the squad leader had fixed the rates well; he'd built a wall and enjoyed doing it; he'd smuggled that bit of hacksaw blade through; he'd earned a favor from Tsezar that evening; he'd bought that tobacco. And he hadn't fallen ill. He got over it."
Quote 21: "A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day. There were three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days like that in his stretch. From the first clang of the rail to the last clang of the rail. Three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days. The three extra days were for leap years."
Here we go.
ReplyDelete"When you thought about it, you couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He wouldn't live to see the end of his stretch. His attitude was all wrong" (Solzhenitsyn 125).
ReplyDeleteFetiukov comes back sobbing after being beaten up again over bowls Solzhenitsyn presents characterization of Fetiukov as well as other prisoners. This reveals that the other prisoners do care about the members of their squad, because they felt bad for Fetiukov This quote also reveals that Fetiukov looks out for himself first, which is why he was beaten up over the bowls. Earlies in the book it is shown that Fetiukov is not a hard worker and is lazy. Ivan describes now that his attitude will stop him from seeing the end of imprisonment.
"In camp the squad leader is everything: a good one will give you a second life; a bad one will put you in your coffin" (Solzhenitsyn 36).
Ivan is describes Tiurin’s physical appearance along with his personality. Solzhenitsyn establishes the power a squad leader has over the prisoners. Ivan’s first squad leader, Kuziomin, taught him to survive in the prison camps, giving him “a second life.” This quote also depicts that a bad squad leader can lead to quite literally the prisoner’s death, because they have the authority with the guards to rat prisoners out.
"Alyosha , who was standing next to Shukhov, gazed at the sun and looked happy, a smile on his lips. What had he to be happy about? His cheeks were sunken, he lived strictly on his rations, he earned nothing. He spent all his Sundays muttering with the other Baptists. They shed hardships of camp life like water off a duck's back" (Solzhenitsyn 36).
Ivan thinks about what Alyosha has to be happy about, while in the middle of their work day. Through this quote, Solzhenitsyn exposes the characterization of Alyosha, because he is unlike the other prisoners. Alyosha is optimistic, but characterization of Ivan is also shown, because he can’t understand a reason to be happy, which shows that either Ivan has always been a pessimist or has lost all hope from imprisonment. This quote also displays visual imagery through an effective simile of how Alyosha and the other Baptists take on hardships like “water off a duck’s back”.
"they hadn't put him in the cells; they hadn't sent his squad to the settlement; he'd swiped a bowl of kasha at dinner; the squad leader had fixed the rates well; he'd built a wall and enjoyed doing it; he'd smuggled that bit of hacksaw blade through; he'd earned a favor from Tsezar that evening; he'd bought that tobacco. And he hadn't fallen ill. He got over it” (Solzhenitsyn 139).
Solzhenitsyn brings the book to a close with describing the luck he had for the day. There were a lot of things Ivan faced that could have gone a lot worse in his day, and he listed some of the sufficient outcomes of these challenges. Solzhenitsyn presents characterization of Ivan through showing how he looks back at his day. The psychoanalytic school of theory presents characterization of Ivan through how he sees the good things that have happened in his day, not the harshness of prison life, so he can keep going to may one day see the end of his stretch.
"How can you expect a man who's warm to understand a man who's cold? The cold stung. A murky fog wrapped itself around Shukhov and made him cough painfully. The temperature out there was -17; Shukov's temperature was 99. The fight was on" (Solzhenitsyn 19).
Ivan was just told that he can’t be exempted from work, because his fever was not high enough before Solzhenitsyn describes the cold Ivan is fighting against. Solzhenitsyn beautifully presents the setting through kinesthetic imagery. The diction presented in the words, “stung” “murky” “wrapped” and “fight” created the sense of the piercing cold Ivan was experiencing when fighting off an illness.
Quote 3: "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."
ReplyDeleteAt this time in the text, the men have all woken up and are heading to breakfast when Ivan begins to speak to the reader after cleaning the floors. He was saved a portion of stew and describes it. He savors the meal even though it is not hot as it would have been if he were to have arrived to breakfast on time. This shows the way each man went through camp. They found the things that made them happy or at least took them out of their own minds for awhile. A simple, cold meal brought Ivan such joy that Solzhenitsyn is trying to show the overall feelings of the workers even in such a harsh environment. He spends ten minutes eating for the first time in the day where we only spends five with the other meals. This shows the importance of something that may or may not be seen as very important to the reader. There is a lot of literary significance found in this quote like the use of showing how the contradicting statement that the prisoners have to live for themselves more than just three times a day, but to showcase the significance of the meals the prisoners get, the statement brings further knowledge to the reader.
Quote 5: "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 Fetiukov, he would never look at a man's mouth."
Ivan had just been to the doctor and was sent to get his number re-painted. In the process of explaining why they have numbers and the process of it, Ivan sees Tsezar smoking and him and Fetiukov look to get a puff as well. Since the men did not have easy access to tobacco, the opportunity to get anything from another around is something the men jump at. This quote also looks into the ways the prisoners look for other pleasures to make the time they are in the camps a little more tolerable. There are certain things that we as humans hold to different standards that differ between individuals, so this quote looks into the priorities that Fetiukov possesses. This shows characterization and just general background for the reader for the time period. The significance that this quote offers the text is mainly the fact that these men saw their time in prison very different than we do as an American society. They look to other things and find parts of the outside society to keep okay in isolation from others and loved ones.
Quote 8: "There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you."
In the paragraph before, Solzhenitsyn speaks of another prisoner and how he got into the camp and the reasons behind his personality and actions compared to the other prisoners. He kept to himself and this was because he knew better than to talk back to those higher than him unlike some of the men who do not take orders well. He uses this quote to show why some of the prisoners acted a certain way or were perceived like they may even enjoy the camp. It gives the reader more of an insight into the ways of the prisoners. It also characterizes the guards and those who are giving orders in the camps without explicitly showing how they treat the prisoners just simply from the way the prisoners have to act in order to keep their sanity. Solzhenitsyn utilizes syntax in this quote to show the reader the ways of the prisoners and their overall attitude. These three sentences are short, blunt, and precise in their meaning. This says a lot about the conditions that they faced, and the way things were handled with the prisoners. Also the guards do not actually, physically break the prisoners, but in a sense they are broken. This gives a visual for the reader instead of saying what they actually did.
Quote 12: "Why can't you understand? The stars fall down now and then. The gaps have to be filled."
ReplyDeleteIvan begins a philosophical and scientific conversation with one of the guards about the moon and its presence or lack thereof. They begin to talk of where the moon goes and the development of multiple moons when religion and God come into the conversation which leads to not Ivan’s belief but the overall belief of his village. The reader must infer that this is his belief as well since he defends it to the guard. He questions the guard which ends up with him being yelled at by him, but he looks into the ways of the guard to see how he would react. The meaning of this quote is mainly to show how the way we think may or may not be correct or the opinions of others can be just as plausible as yours. This can be seen in the question given by Ivan. He looks to question the guard and see the result of it. It also looks to see the reaction of the reader since the moon and God are things that kind of contradict each other. The creation of Earth and the things on it as well as space by God takes on a different form of information than the beliefs of astrology and simple evolution. This fact makes Ivan seem intelligent to those who believe in God but foolish to the others. It really zooms in on the reasoning and problem solving of the reader to figure out what he is trying to convey to the guard and those around him. The diction used in this quote shows how effective Solzhenitsyn was trying to be with a topic that may leave some wondering about it. It uses the descriptive words to describe the actions instead of common terms we may know. He also utilizes certain words for imagery of the space that is being filled by God and the ways the stars are formed or spread apart from each other.
Quote 21: "A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day. There were three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days like that in his stretch. From the first clang of the rail to the last clang of the rail. Three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days. The three extra days were for leap years."
It is the very end of the day and Ivan is looking back on the day that he has had and the many blessings he has acquired in just the past 24 hours. Even with being kept captive for a crime he did not commit and being taken from his daily life, Ivan is still able to take each day and twist it into benefitting factors for the days he has left. His positivity will help him continue for the thousands of days he will serve in the labor camps. This quote is trying to tell the reader that even with something that is undesirable and hard, do it will all your might and attention and look for the things that will make it better. If you can do that then the days of supposed torture will not be as hard as they may at first seem. It also tells the reader the number of days that the prisoners had to live in these camps away from their families and careers for things they may or may not have done like Ivan. The metaphor created by Solzhenitsyn shows how the environment around them affects them. Snow and temperature were mentioned multiple times throughout the novel, so the incorporation of “a dark cloud” to symbolize the overall day shows the reader how everything in this prison society is connected. Plus the repetition of the number of days written out brings emphasis to it as well.
"Work was like a stick. It had two ends. When you worked for the knowing you gave them quality; when you worked for a fool you simply gave him eyewash. Otherwise, everybody would have croaked long ago. They all knew that."
ReplyDeleteDuring this time in the novel, Ivan and his fellow squad members are working on building the unfinished wall. The meaning behind this quote is that the prisoners didn’t work to the best of their abilities, like they would outside of the labor camp. Instead the prisoners worked half as hard, providing just what the camp needed to function and only that, because they received no benefit from working hard. The device being used is a simile, comparing work with a stick and the significance this device has on the text is that the reader is able to understand the conditions the prisoners went through everyday and their thought process.
"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."
During this time in the novel, Ivan has just woken up and is about to go get breakfast, and he had just been woken up by a guard and taken to go mop the guard’s office. The meaning behind this quote is that the prisoners rarely had time to themselves, the guards were always watching and ordering the prisoners on what to do, while throughout the camp they had many jobs to accomplish before the day was over. The device being used is a chronological statement describing everyday life in the camps and the significance this device has on the text is that it allows the reader to feel like quick nature the prisoners are under constantly.
"In camp the squad leader is everything: a good one will give you a second life; a bad one will put you in your coffin."
During this time in the novel, Ivan and his fellow squad prisoners are waiting for the squad leader to arrive with the information on what the tasks for the squad is that day. The meaning behind this quote is that the squad leader is essential in the survival of any prisoner in the camp. The good squad leaders will make your life in the camps bearable, while the bad squad leader's’ actions will eventually kill you. The device being used is symbolism of the squad leader and the significance of this device is that the reader is better able to understand the importance a squad leader’s relationship is with the squad members.
"There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you."
During this time in the novel, Ivan was on his way to the camp guards office, thinking he was in trouble for sleeping in he became really nervous, but instead of being sent to the cells he was ordered to mop the floors. The meaning behind this quote is that it is better for the prisoners to listen and do whatever the guards told them to do because if they didn’t they would be put through grueling conditions, decreasing their chances of making it out of the camp alive. The device being used is characterization of Ivan and the other prisoners and the significance of this device is that the reader realizes the prisoners have no control in life decisions and actions.
"Who's the zek's main enemy? Another zek. If only they weren't at odds with one another--ah, what a difference that'd make!"
During this time in the novel, Ivan and his fellow prisoners were walking on their way to the job site, wondering why a prisoner from his own squad was missing at the roll call. Ivan concluded that it was because the other prisoner was telling camp guards informations about other prisoners. The meaning behind this quote is that in order for the prisoners to have a higher chance of survival in the camps, is to rat out other prisoners to benefit from the trouble they caused and avoid punishment. The device being used is diction and the significance of this device is that the reader can understand the camp life is a very isolated and a selfish atmosphere.
"Here, men, we live by the law of the taiga. But even here people manage to live. The ones that don't make it are those who lick other men's leftovers, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their buddies."
ReplyDeleteThis is stated in the beginning of the book, before anything else is really described. This quotes meaning is that in order to stay alive in the camps a person has to be independent and not depend on anyone otherwise they will not survive. You have to be strong and determined that you are going to make it out. The diction in this quote shows a lot about the book. The diction that I am referring to is the word "squeal." This shows that the time period and it allows the reader to see a little bit into Ivan's background and to kind of get a basis of what he used in his everyday language.
"There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you."
At the time this quote was mentioned is when Ivan is describing how the camp life worked. You never talked back to a guard otherwise they would see that as a sign of determination and then they would strip you of it. This quote shows that in the camps, a prisoner wasn't allowed to have an opinion. They just had to do what they were told, when they were told to do it. The device shown in this quote is a metaphor. I think that the words "growl and submit" is comparing a person to an animal, which is essentially what the prisoners were considered. They were considered less than the guards and were treated like animals.
"You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul."
This quote is stated towards the end of the book when Shukov is thinking about how camp life is. This quote means that despite the fact that they are in hell on Earth, they should use the time that they have to think about themselves and how to better themselves. I see this as ironic because it shows that even though most of the people in the camps are going to die, they still need to think about who they are inside and work om bettering who they are as a person.
"How can you expect a man who's warm to understand a man who's cold? The cold stung. A murky fog wrapped itself around Shukhov and made him cough painfully. The temperature out there was -17; Shukov's temperature was 99. The fight was on" (Solzhenitsyn 19).
This quote is mentioned whenever the prisoners are at the work site that they marched to. The prisoners are all cold from working out in the cold and the guards are warm because all they have to do is sit inside and watch them. The meaning of this quote is that you can put yourself in someone else's shoes and empathize with them but you will never truly now how they feel until you have walked the path yourself. I find this quote to show the literary device of imagery. This quote describes a bitter chill that I can imagine whenever I read this.
"A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day. There were three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days like that in his stretch. From the first clang of the rail to the last clang of the rail. Three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days. The three extra days were for leap years."
This quote means that the life is so hard there that the prisoners count the days down and want to leave. It shows the desperation that they have to get out but also the determination. This quote shows onomatopoeia by using the word "clank" to describe the sound that the rail makes.
"Here, men, we live by the law of the taiga. But even here people manage to live. The ones that don't make it are those who lick other men's leftovers, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their buddies." This quote is found at the beginning of the novel where it is introducing Ivan’s first squad leader and what he remembers how his first squad leader told the newcomers his thoughts and perceptions. I think the quote is trying to say that, as a group, many of them try their best to survive and do everything for themselves and not rely on others for food, doctors, or their friends to get through this. There are some that are codependent, but those who solely rely on themselves are the ones that are mentally capable of having the best chance of making it through the camps. The literary significance behind this quote I would say is a hyperbole in a way because the quote is being legit, but also exaggerating a little more.
ReplyDelete"You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul." This quote is stated towards the end of the book when Shukhov is thinking about how camp life is. I think this quote is trying to be more of a positive reaction to being in these camps. Rather than looking at it negatively, at least you get the chance away from societies and all of its flaws and allowed just time always spent with yourself in order to really figure out yourself, figure out who you are, discover things about yourself you didn’t know and essentially become your own best friend. The literary significance behind this quote is stream of consciousness because we get the chance to understand the thoughts behind the character and understand his thought process.
"Shukhov looked up at the sky and gasped--the sun had climbed almost to the dinner hour. Wonder of wonders! How time flew when you were working! That was something he'd often noticed. The days rolled by in the camp--they were over before you could say knife. But the years, they never rolled by; they never moved by a second." This part in the novel, Ivan notices how it is already almost time for dinner even though it feels like they had just begun to start working. I think this quote is trying to show how days seem to go by faster because they are constantly working. When all of the days are essentially the same, the years drag on because it’s a never ending loop. The literary significance behind this quote is the line where it says ‘they were over before you could say knife.’ This is an exaggeration to imply that they were just over fast.
ReplyDelete"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." At this time in the novel, Ivan and the others have been woken up for breakfast, but Ivan was woken up by a guard and taken to go mop the guard’s office. I think the quote is trying to explain how the prisoners sleep and eat to keep themselves alive, but the work is them living for other people. They are doing the forced work for other people’s benefits, but are never doing anything but sleeping and eating for themselves. The literary significance behind this quote is man vs. self conflict because they really have no time to themselves and they are almost always working.
"And now Shukov complained about nothing: neither about the length of his stretch, nor about the length of the day, nor about their swiping another Sunday. This was all he thought about now: we'll survive. We'll stick it out, God willing, till it's over." This is the part in the novel where Ivan is drinking his warm broth and begins to feel hints of gratitude. I think this quote is trying to say that complaining and having negative thoughts about their long days, months and years at the camp were useless. In order to survive these camps, the mentality aspect is crucial. You can’t have a negative mindset or else you will bring yourself down and not survive. The literary significance of this quote is stream of consciousness because we can understand his thoughts of no longer complaining.
Quote 3: "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."
ReplyDeleteDuring this part of the novel, he was talking about their morning and how everyone is woken up and they head to go eat but Ivan has to clean the floors. He had someone save him some food but when he gets the food it is not as hot as it would be if he did not have to clean the floors. The meaning of this quote is to show how the prisoners never had time for themselves. It shows that despite those twenty minutes and sleeping time, there is no time for themselves it is only about the work and getting it done and correct. It also shows that they were treated like kids in the way that they had a schedule and were always watched by the guards and told what to do. This shows the how the character was which showed characterization because he doesn’t have time for anything besides doing his work.
Quote 8: "There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you."
During this, he speaks about another prisoner and how he got into camp. Also talked about how he was who he is like the reasons behind his personality. Ivan did keep this quote to himself because he knew not to talk back to someone above him. The meaning behind this quote is that he wanted to show why some prisoners acted the way they did. This characterizes the guards and the ones in charge of the camps because they scare the prisoners who can survive this labor and that shows a lot. It also then characterizes the prisoners as strong because they fight everyday to survive (well I am assuming even though this novel is just one day). The literary device is diction, it says ‘truth’ and that shows that this was now their truth, that was their lives from now on. Also the word ‘broke’, the guards didn’t break you with their hands but they threw them into a cell and pretty much let them rot for 10 days showing how the characters are strong to make it through things like that happening around them.
Quote 13: "Who's the zek's main enemy? Another zek. If only they weren't at odds with one another--ah, what a difference that'd make!" (121)
Walking from their job site the men were carrying wood and the guards told the ones on the right to drop the firewood. Some didn’t want to drop it but the others who did not have to drop it yelled at them because they did not want to lose theirs also. Ivan makes this comment to himself. The meaning of the quote is that despite them being friends at time to comfort each other they were also each other's worst enemy because if they ratted each other out then that meant the tattle tale could maybe live longer and have a better prison life. The literary device used is syntax due to the little phrase of ‘if only they weren’t at odds with one another’. That phrase shows that they are always against each other because they want to live and would rat their friend out to be thrown in the cell rather than continuing without saying it because they would live longer and have a better prison life.
Quote 19: "You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul."
In this part of the novel, Ivan and Alyosha are having a deep talk about God and their background with God. Ivan says something that offends Alyosha and Alyosha replies with that quote. The meaning of this quote is that despite how horrible the conditions are in the prison camp there are going to be people that keep smiling. It shows characterization of Alyosha and how he has been thinking about his soul and how he believes others should think about theirs.
Quote 21: "A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day. There were three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days like that in his stretch. From the first clang of the rail to the last clang of the rail. Three thousand six hundred and fifty-three days. The three extra days were for leap years."
ReplyDeleteThis quote is at the very end of the novel and the end of Ivan’s day and he is saying how it was a good compared to all the rest. This quote means that despite Ivan having a few bumps in his day he still believes it was a good day because if he didn’t he would not be able to survive the remainder years in the prison camp. It also shows how long he has been there and how he has to have the mindset of every day is a good day. The literary device is characterization because Ivan has to be positive in order to survive which this quote shows he is positive.
"Why can't you understand? The stars fall down now and then. The gaps have to be filled."
ReplyDeleteIvan is having a conversation with one of the guards about the moon. They talk of where the moon goes and the development of multiple moons with religion and God which leads to the belief of his village. Diction used in this quote shows how Solzhenitsyn was trying to leave some wondering about it. He also uses words for imagery of the space that is being filled by God. Like the ways the stars are formed/spread apart from one another.
"And now Shukov complained about nothing: neither about the length of his stretch, nor about the length of the day, nor about their swiping another Sunday. This was all he thought about now: we'll survive. We'll stick it out, God willing, till it's over." Ivan is drinking and while doing so starts to feel thankful. The signifcance with this is that we can see a cahnge in Ivan's thought process about being at the camp.
"Shukhov looked up at the sky and gasped--the sun had climbed almost to the dinner hour. Wonder of wonders! How time flew when you were working! That was something he'd often noticed. The days rolled by in the camp--they were over before you could say knife. But the years, they never rolled by; they never moved by a second." Ivan realizes how it's almost time for dinner even though he feels like they had just begun to start working. The significance of this is the way that the character speaks. the author gives him a happy tone and almost that it's good to work when he said 'wonder of wonders! time flew when you were working!' which shows how its better to work than regret being there and not doing anything.
"Here, men, we live by the law of the taiga. But even here people manage to live. The ones that don't make it are those who lick other men's leftovers, those who count on the doctors to pull them through, and those who squeal on their buddies."
This is in the beginning of the book. This quotes meaning is that in order to stay alive at the camps, you have to be independent. without counting on yourself to give you what you need, you wont get anything.The device shown in this quote is diction. the author descibes these people as if they're animals by "licking another bowl" and "squealing", which is what the prisoners were almost looked at as.
"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." Ivan was saved a portion of stew and begins to describe it. He still savors the meal even though it´s not hot. I believe that this statement brings further knowledge to the reader about how most people went through the camp and how being saved something like that didn´t always happen.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cjG_Vd2NmL3lms4SR7RgRej3qeqgfo1uQkr5ngSl51c/edit
ReplyDeleteQuote 4: "How can you expect a man who's warm to understand a man who's cold? The cold stung. A murky fog wrapped itself around Shukhov and made him cough painfully. The temperature out there was -17; Shukov's temperature was 99. The fight was on."
ReplyDeleteAt this point in the book, Ivan had decided to go to the doctor. He arrived there late, and would only be excused from work if his temperature was 100 degrees or above. Ivan had a very high fever (99 degrees), and his actual temperature might have been 100 or above, as he had noted that the thermometers were inaccurate. Even if Ivan had been admitted to the infirmary, he probably would’ve had to work because the new doctor thought that working was the best cure for illness.
This quote is trying to explain how hard it was to escape working in the gulag.
Quote 7: "In camp the squad leader is everything: a good one will give you a second life; a bad one will put you in your coffin."
At this point in the book, Ivan was thinking about a letter he had received from his wife, where she was talking about Tiurin and directly characterizing him.
This quote shows the importance of the squad leaders. In the camp, the were responsible for writing reports about their squad, which determined how much food they would get. They tried minimize the work the squad would have to do, and at the same time, maximize the results. The life of the members of the squads was dependant upon their squad leader and if they were good at what they did.
Quote 14: "He had less and less cause to remember Temgenovo and his home there. Life in camp wore him out from reveille to bedtime, with not a second for idle reflections."
At this point in the book, Ivan went to get a parcel for Tsezar. He began to think about how he had never received a parcel at this camp (and did not want to) which led him to begin to think about his family and old life.
This quote shows how long and hard the prisoners in the gulag had to work. It also further proves how Ivan viewed work as a sort of escape from his thoughts. When he thought he was going to be sentenced to 3 days in the guardhouse with work, he felt lucky because the real punishment would be having to think and be alone with his thoughts.
Quote 16: "D'you mean to say you think Old Whiskers will take pity on you? Why, he wouldn't trust his own brother. You haven't a chance, you ass."
Ivan overheard another prisoner yell this. He began to think about how the prisoners in this camp could say anything, but in his old camp, they would be put in the guardhouse for complaining about a lack of necessities.
This quote is very important because it shows how the prisoners in the gulag could openly criticize Stalin without any punishment (even though many were in camps for political crimes) because the guards saw them as subhuman and did not take their opinions seriously. Although the prisoners had their rights taken away, they had the freedom of being able to speak negatively about Stalin and his regime.
Quote 20: "They hadn't put him in the cells; they hadn't sent his squad to the settlement; he'd swiped a bowl of kasha at dinner; the squad leader had fixed the rates well; he'd built a wall and enjoyed doing it; he'd smuggled that bit of hacksaw blade through; he'd earned a favor from Tsezar that evening; he'd bought that tobacco. And he hadn't fallen ill. He got over it.”
This quote is at the very end of the day when Ivan is going to sleep and describes how his day was.
This quote is at the very end of the novel. Ivan is reminiscing over his day, and realizing that it was a very good one. It was also noted that this was only one good day out of his 3653 day sentence. This quote illustrates how it is the small things in life that makes people happy, and even though Ivan was living a miserable life for at least 10 years, he made the best out of anything he could. Many people can relate to that and it helps to further characterize Ivan as humble.
"You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul." -This when Ivan went back to barracks 7 with some tobacco and the prisoners were talking about life in the prison. This quote shows that the prison life is getting to people and shows how scary life is outside of the camp
ReplyDelete"There was truth in that. Better to growl and submit. If you were stubborn they broke you." -This is when a prisoner confronts another about smoking causing others to get diseases and the prisoner says the captain is doing the same. This quotes teaches everyone that you cannot argue everything and you have to submit every once and awhile.
"Why can't you understand? The stars fall down now and then. The gaps have to be filled." -This is said when Ivan and Senka are late to the gates and the captain is talking about god and his village and stars. This quote shows that everything is ok in the end.
"When you thought about it, you couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He wouldn't live to see the end of his stretch. His attitude was all wrong." -This is said after Fetiukov came back lip all bloodied from a fight over leftovers. This quote shows the harshness of life in camp and how people will die for food
"And now Shukov complained about nothing: neither about the length of his stretch, nor about the length of the day, nor about their swiping another Sunday. This was all he thought about now: we'll survive. We'll stick it out, God willing, till it's over." -The 124 received 24 rations and Ivan was trying to situate the meals to sit opposite of the thick stews.Quote shows that life in prison is constant survival