Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich exemplifies many true historical situations. The life of a Russian work camp prisoner was that of misery, constant fear, and loss of human dignity. By means of cruelty and hazing by the hand of a warden, guard, or trustie, the workers are forced to live in ignominy. This novel portrays the life of one prisoner, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, in an impressive manner; the book contains no chapters, and takes place in a time span of one day. The storyline implements a solid structure of the everyday lifestyle within the mind of the reader; it certainly did this for myself. To elaborate with emotion and realism, Solzhenitsyn writes the thought process of Shukhov for every single event, without skipping a beat.
“Raymond’s Run”, by Toni Cade Bambara and “El Diablo De La Cienega”, by Geoffrey Becker are two very different short stories. Yet somehow, it seems that the stories are perfect to read together. The largest discrepancy between the two is: setting. True, these stories are extremely different, but they are also quite similar. The biggest resemblance between the two is: the protagonist undergoes extreme challenge but still come out on top.
Shukhov reveals how he survives the day in and day out in the gulag. In One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Shukhov is in the gulags for being wrongfully convicted of treason. He must deal with the destruction of humanity, created a ritualization for eating, and most important, he treats time as a valuable possession.
Saint Petersburg, the setting of Crime and Punishment, plays a major role in the formation in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s acclaimed novel. Dostoyevsky’s novels focus on the theme of man as a subject of his environment. Dostoyevsky paints 1860s St. Petersburg as an overcrowded, filthy, and chaotic city. It is because of Saint Petersburg that Raskolnikov is able to foster in his immoral thoughts and satisfy his evil inclinations. It is only when Raskolnikov is removed from the disorderly city and taken to the remoteness of Siberia that he can once again be at peace. This is exactly what he does with the character of Raskolnikov, while in the process indicating that Crime and Punishment is not one of a crime, but one of a discovery of the motive behind
The 1920’s was a crazy time for everything , corruption rose into cities as famous gamblers approached . To help the cause of corruption, the Prohibition put a ban on any alcoholic beverage. This then cause speakeasies and gambling parlors to start up. One famous man to start up a gambling was named Arnold Rothstein. He would later expand his business and start to gamble himself. “He was referred to as Mr. Big, the Big Bankroll, The Man Upstairs, and the Fixer. Arnold Rothstein was all of that and more.” This quote explained how many other people during the 1920’s viewed Rothstein. Although Rothstein was just one man, there were numerous ways to perceive him. Some thought of Rothstein as a boss, some a cheater, and others a thief and a bad guy. Even if he was all of these names he did have an enormous impact on what happened in the 1920’s.
Throughout the novel of The Death of Ivan Ilych, Tolstoy conveys his thematic focus through his unique use of diction. Tolstoy examines several factors that have altered Ivan Ilych’s lifestyle. The only way to enhance our understanding of these factors is to observe how Tolstoy portrays Ivan’s evolving comprehension of what death means to him. Evidently, such portrayal can be thoroughly observed and understood by carefully analyzing Tolstoy’s use of diction. Furthermore, there are several themes that Tolstoy focuses on primarily, which are often associated with the depiction of the human existence as a conflict between different sides of the spectrum and Ivan’s tendency to alienate himself from the world. Through this manner, Tolstoy conveys
Tolstoy’s ability to interweave the environment with themes of materialism and death makes The Death of Ivan Ilych stand out as a piece that criticizes societal values. In his article “Tolstoy and the Moran Instructions of Death,” Dennis Sansom focuses on the influence of fighting chaos in Ivan’s eventual acceptance of his own death. Socrates wrote, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” and Ivan’s life mirrored this until the end (qtd. in Sansom 417). Until he examines what his life amounts to and finds triviality in all of his pursuits, he is unable to see beyond his environment and accept his death as anything more than meaningless.
’Is it done?’ he asks, the responsible married man finding his voice. I forgot to say he thinks he’s going to be manager some sunny day, maybe in 1990 when it’s called the Great Alexandrov and Petrooshki Tea Company or something.” (Updike, 2)
Richard was constantly abused by his parents, especially by his father, who repeatedly beat him.
Irrational fear is a primal force of destruction in Faulkner’s “Barn Burning, and Crane’s “The Blue Hotel”. Fear drives Abner Snopes and Swede to destroy themselves and others. It is the inner core of each man and how he sees himself in the world that create a hostile reaction toward society. Snopes and Swede both see themselves as victims and engage in brutal combat. As each man sees himself a victim, each man attempts to vindicate himself through violence. The unprovoked and dastardly deeds of Snopes and Swede, driven by a victim mentality, result in their isolation and alienation from society at large. Each man becomes his own victim by his own hand. Purification by fire and blood is not enough to save either character, but it does
From a young age, most of the abuse occurring before the age of 11, Kuklinski’s father Stanley severely abused him. As expected, they did not have a good relationship by any means. When Kuklinski’s father passed away, Richard did not attend his funeral. He notes in the documentary, “I didn’t like him in life, why would I want to go see him in death? I was
Fyodor’s middle child, Ivan, on the other hand, is very conflicted. Not having a good relationship with his father, led him to really doubt mankind. Unlike Alyosha, Ivan was not that invested in others. Ivan believes that people like to depend on the idea of right and wrong because they think that it somehow defines their afterlife. Contrary to those beliefs, Ivan thinks that people can do whatever they want to without regarding any morals. Ivan is also very smart and intellectual. He absolutely hated his father and he does not like to have close relationships with anyone. After the murder of Fyodor, Ivan feels responsible for his death because he feels like he paved the way and was an accomplice. In the end, this ends up driving Ivan insane, leaving the readers unsure of his future.
Thomas Jefferson wrote that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were unalienable rights when he drafted the Declaration of Independence in June 1776. Those famous words led the thirteen colonies into the American Revolution and influenced the French and Haitian Revolutions in the years that followed. But what does life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness really mean? Webster’s dictionary defines life as being a quality that distinguishes a living being from a dead body. It also states that liberty is a quality of being free. Although the pursuit of happiness is not specifically defined in a dictionary, it can be summed up as pursuing the things that are enjoyable to you and living a life that makes you happy. Regardless of those
Loyalty is a common literary theme because it is something that all people seek. Military companies, sports teams, and employers actively seek those they feel will be the most loyal to their cause. Loyalty provides a sense of stability and comfort. In many great literary works we see that the most loyal characters are those of meager existence. In the short stories “A White Heron,” “The Death of Ivan Ilych,” and “A Rose for Emily” a theme of undervalued loyalty becomes evident.
The play begins with Nora being portrayed as a self-indulgent and whimsical woman with childlike qualities. After the porter asks Nora for “a shilling”, (Ibsen, p.23) she tips him over-generously with a pound, directing him to “keep it,” (p.23) giving the audience the impression that Nora does not know the value of money, much like a child would not. Her immature extravagance is recognized through her desire to spend Torvald’s higher salary right away, even though it will not be received for another three months. His