Literature Companion: One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich

By History World

“One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Aleksander Solzhenitsyn was first published in 1962. It was first published in the form of a story in the Soviet literary magazine “Novy Mir” (New World).

When the author was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, “One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich” was particularly mentioned during the presentation speech.

The story is set in the 1950s. The story opens in a Soviet labor camp. The narrative describes one day in the life of Ivan Denisovich who happens to be an ordinary prisoner at the labor camp.
Literature Companion: One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Major Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Dec 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310314261

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Literature Companion: One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Copyright

Literature Companion: One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich

History World

Copyright@2014 History World

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Chapter One: Introduction

One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksander Solzhenitsyn was first published in 1962. It was first published in the form of a story in the Soviet literary magazine Novy Mir (New World).

When the author was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich was particularly mentioned during the presentation speech.

The story is set in the 1950s. The story opens in a Soviet labor camp. The narrative describes one day in the life of Ivan Denisovich who happens to be an ordinary prisoner at the labor camp.

The publication of this book was an extraordinary occurrence in the literary history of Soviet Union because no book openly describing Stalinist repression had ever been published and distributed.

Novy Mir or New World was a journal. By providing a short introduction to the story the editor prepared the readers of the journal for what they were going to experience during their reading of the story.

Up to this day, five English translations have been produced. The book has already been translated into several other languages.

The spellings of the names of the characters in English translations slightly differ but the story remains unchanged.

The book is widely discussed among the literary circles and academic institution. It is also prescribed in the course of study at various educational institutions.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

Ivan Denisovich Shukhov is the title character and protagonist of the story. He is an ordinary prisoner in the labor camp. He belongs to the 104th labor camp team.

He has been serving his sentence in that camp. There was an accusation that Ivan had become a spy when he had been captured by the Germans as a prisoner of war during the Second World War. It is revealed that Ivan is innocent, but he is wrongly convicted and made to serve ten years in a forced labor camp.

The narrative describes one day in the life of Ivan. His day begins with his daily routine of waking up sick. He is late in waking up, so he is compelled to clean the guardhouse, but this punishment is not very serious compared to the punishments given to other people in the book.

When Ivan Shukhov completes his cleaning at the guardhouse, he goes to the dispensary to report that he is ill. By that time it happens to be late. The orderly does not exempt any more workers. He tells Ivan Shukhov that he must work.

There are 24 members in Ivan Shukhov’s squad the 104th. Rest of the story revolves around that squad, and the allegiance of the squad members to the squad leader, and the work which the prisoners are