As its title suggests, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich describes one day in a Soviet work camp. Written after Alexander Solzhenitsyn's own term in a prison camp, the novel captures the bureaucratic and humane abuses inflicted on a group of prisoners, focusing on Gang 104. It begins with the 5 A.M. wake-up call and follows the characters as they negotiate meals, work on a meaningless project in the bitter cold, and return to the camps to steal moments for themselves.
The work assignment climaxes with Shukhov's daring decision to continue working past the alarm, hoping to finish a wall before the day ends. However, he makes it back to camp without incident and is even able to...
