One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, is a story about a man, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, who is in a Russian Siberian prison/labor camp for expression of anti-Stalinistic ideas. The story is taking place during Joseph Stalin’s Red Terror program between 1945 and 1953. It takes place in a span of one day, "from dawn till dusk" and describes the events of a single day in this man's life and his struggle to survive. I feel that the main theme of this book is survival. However, Ivan shows the reader that survival on your own isn't always possible. You can only provide so much for yourself on your own. People must work as a team, helping one another, in order to get things accomplished, overcome challenges, and survive.

When he arrived in the camp, Ivan realized that it would be hard to survive the environment. Little food was given and the prisoners only received what they needed to stay alive. They were treated as though they weren't human. Cognizant that it would be necessary to work with others in order to survive; Ivan spends some of his time daily doing things to help others.

Through the good deeds that Ivan accomplishes, he earns the respect

of the other prisoners and is sometimes rewarded with extra food. He does simple things like laying out other prisoner's shoes for them or bringing some of them their food at a meal. One time, Ivan waits in line to get Tsezar his parcel. Tsezar is a "rich" prisoner who works little or not at all and talks about the luxuries outside of the prison. When Ivan returns, he asks Tsezar if he can bring dinner to him. Tsezar instead allows Ivan to have his dinner. Shukhov helps Tsezar out an awful lot, and he is rewarded almost each and every time with a piece of food or something from Tsezar's parcel. Every little bit helped.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich shows that it is necessary to rely upon others to help yourself. Through our own efforts, we provide what is in our immediate need. But we can't possibly do everything on our own. Sometimes we need more than ourselves alone can provide. This is when we must look towards the people around us for support. Ivan lived at time in a country, which provided for its citizens only if they gave their part back to it. Only those in the highest echelons of the government would receive the best care, food, and other supplies. Those that made any offense against the country, or did not do their part, were shipped of to Siberia, to a camp similar to Ivan's. Once at the camp, learning to work together with others was their best chance at survival. Ivan's ability to work with others, and provide for himself at the same time, changed the harsh life that was before him into something that wasn't that bad. He was actually happy with what went on in the day and was able to go to sleep.

Ivan wakes up at 5:00am in a camp for politica

Some topics in this essay:
Red Terror, Priakhov Volkovoi's, Ivan Denisovich, Senka Tiurin, Alyosha Alyosha, Russian Siberian, Der Shukhov, ivan denisovich, day life, life ivan, ten days, life ivan denisovich, Day Life, Life Ivan, day life ivan, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, cells ten days, yourself own, mess hall, extra bowls, little food, cells ten, cover windows,