Solzhenitsyn, "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." Analysis, summary, main characters

Solzhenitsyn's story "One Day of Ivan Denisovich" was created in 1959. The author wrote it during a break 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 subject of this article.

Theme of the work

The reader of the novel acquainted himself with life in the camp zone of the Russian peasant. However, the theme of the work to the camp life is not reduced. In addition to the details of survival in the zone, "One day ..." contains the details of life in the village, described through the prism of the hero's consciousness. In the story of Tyurin, the foreman, is evidence of the consequences brought about by collectivization in the country. In various disputes between the camp intelligentsia, various phenomena of Soviet art are discussed (the theater 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 we are interested in, is no exception. In it, local, private themes are inscribed organically into this common problem. In this respect, the theme of the fate of art in a state with a totalitarian system is indicative. So, artists from the camp write free pictures for their superiors. The art of the Soviet era, according to Solzhenitsyn, became part of the general apparatus of oppression. The episode of Shukhov's reflections on the production of painted "carpets" of village craftsmen supports the motive for the degradation of art.

The plot of the story

Chronicle is the story of the story, which was created by Solzhenitsyn ("One Day of Ivan Denisovich"). The analysis shows that although the story basis is made up of events lasting only one day, the pre-camp biography of the protagonist is presented by his memories. Ivan Shukhov was born in 1911. He spent his pre-war years in the village of Tengenevo. In his family there are two daughters (the only son died early). Shukhov in the war is from the first days. He was wounded, then taken prisoner, from where he managed to escape. In 1943, Shukhov was convicted of "treason" on a fabricated case. He served 8 years at the time of the plot action. The work takes place in Kazakhstan, in the penal camp. One of the January days of 1951 described Solzhenitsyn ("One Day of Ivan Denisovich").

Analysis of the character system of the work

Although most of the characters are depicted by the author in laconic form, Solzhenitsyn managed to achieve plastic expressiveness in their depiction. We observe the diversity of individualities, the richness of human types in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." The characters of the story are laconically illustrated, but they remain in the reader's memory for a long time. The writer is sometimes enough for this only one or two fragments, expressive sketches. Solzhenitsyn (photo of the author is presented below) is sensitive to the national, professional and class specificity 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 brief summary of the entire prison life of the protagonist, presented in one day, makes it possible to conclude that there is an irresistible abyss between the camp administration and prisoners. Noteworthy is the absence in this novel of the names, and sometimes the names of many guards and overseers. The individuality of these characters is manifested only in forms of violence, and also in the degree of ferocity. On the contrary, despite the depersonalizing number system, many of the campers in the hero's mind are present with names, and sometimes with patronymics. This suggests that they retained their individuality. Although this evidence does not apply to the so-called informers, assholes and wicks, described in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." These heroes also do not have names. In general, Solzhenitsyn talks about how the system unsuccessfully tries to turn people into the details of a totalitarian machine. Especially important in this respect, in addition to the protagonist, the images of Tyurin (foreman), Pavlo (his assistant), Buinovsky (co-author), Baptist Alyoshka and the Lett of Kilgas.

Main character

In the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich" the image of the main character is very remarkable. Solzhenitsyn made them an ordinary peasant, a Russian peasant. Although the circumstances of the camp life are known to be "exceptional", the writer in his hero deliberately accentuates the external lack of insistence, the "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 an ineradicable inner dignity. Ivan Denisovich, even serving more educated his solagernikov, age-old peasant habits does not change and does not drop himself.

Very important in the description of this hero is his working skill: Shukhov managed to acquire his own convenient trowel; To pour out the spoons later, he hides pieces of aluminum wire; He carved a folding knife and skillfully hid it. Further insignificant at first glance, the details of the existence of this hero, his manner of holding, peculiar peasant etiquette, everyday habits - all this in the context of the story receives the value of values that allow us to survive in difficult human conditions in man. Shukhov, for example, wakes up always 1.5 hours before the divorce. He belongs to himself in these morning minutes. It is important for the hero this time of actual freedom also because you can earn extra money.

"Cinematographic" compositional techniques

One day contains in this work a clot of human destiny, a squeeze from his life. One can not help noticing the high degree of detail: every fact in the narrative is broken up into small parts, of which the larger part is delivered close-up. The author uses "cinematic" compositional techniques. He scrupulously, extraordinarily carefully watches how, before leaving the barracks, his hero dresses or eats up to the skeleton a small fish caught in the soup. A separate "frame" is awarded in the story, even such an apparently insignificant gastronomic detail, like fish eyes floating in a pottage. In this you will be sure, after reading the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich." The contents of the chapters of this story, with careful reading, allow us to find many such examples.

The term "term"

It is important that in the text of the work each other approaches, sometimes becoming practically synonymous, such concepts as "day" and "life." Such rapprochement is realized by the author through the term "term", universal in the narrative. Term - this is punishment, measured to the prisoner, and at the same time the internal routine of life in prison. In addition, most importantly, it is a synonym for the fate of a person and a reminder of the last, most important period of his life. Temporary designations thereby acquire a deep moral and psychological coloring in the work.

Scene

The scene of action is also very significant. The camp space, especially open areas of the zone, is especially hostile to prisoners. Prisoners rush to cross as quickly as possible between the rooms. They are afraid to be caught in this place, hurry to whisk under the protection of the barrack. In contrast to the lovers of distance and breadth to the heroes of Russian literature, Shukhov and other prisoners dream of the tightness of the shelter. For them, the barrack is home.

What was one day of Ivan Denisovich?

Characteristic of the one day spent by Shukhov is directly given by the author in the work. Solzhenitsyn showed that this day in the life of the main character turned out to be successful. Arguing about him, the author notes that the hero was not put in a punishment cell, he was not kicked out of the brigade by Sotsgorodok, he cut the porridge for lunch, the foreman closed a good interest. Shukhov laid the wall cheerfully, did not fall on the shmone with a hacksaw, in the evening he worked for Caesar and bought a snuff. The main character is also not sick. Passed by nothing overshadowed by the day, "almost happy." This is in the work "One Day of Ivan Denisovich" a summary of his main events. The final author's words sound equally epic. He says that such days were in Shukhov's term 3653 - 3 extra days were added because of leap years.

Solzhenitsyn refrains from an open display of emotions and loud words: it is enough that the reader should have appropriate 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 of Ivan Denisovich" the problems were put very topical for that time. Solzhenitsyn recreates the main features of the era when people were doomed to incredible deprivations and torments. The history of this phenomenon does not begin with 1937, marked by the first violations of the norms of party and state life, but much earlier, since the beginning of the existence in Russia of a regime of totalitarianism. In the work, therefore, there is a clot of destinies of many Soviet people who were forced to pay off with years of torment, humiliation, and camps for loyal and honest service. The author of the story "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" raised these problems in order for the reader to 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 the reality. The work from this only wins.