Where do the characters get their strength from in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich?

Property is another source of strength in the novel. Possessing something that other prisoners do not have is a way of showing individuality in a place where all the prisoners are marked as the same, ignoring what they have or have not done. Shukhov's spoon is also very symbolic. Shukhov is forced to hide the spoon in order to keep it from being taken by the guards. In a way this shows us how the camp tries to take away anything that gives the prisoners a sense of individuality, or anything that gives them happiness. Tsezar's parcel is also very important both symbolically and physically. His parcel causes other prisoners to envy him and by trading some of the goods in the parcel he is granted special favours. Parcels represent the existence of a world outside. It gives the prisoners something to look forward to, perhaps dream about. It is a sign that the world outside is still full of good things, and that maybe some day they will be able to return. In some ways owning an object or perhaps just information gives a prisoner a reason to carry on, with the simple objective of keeping that object hidden from the authorities. Each time that a prisoner gets away with possession of an item that is against the rules, it is a small victory. One gets a sense of pride and achievement in having beaten the system, and the continual fight against the system is a reason in itself to keep going.

Information can be considered a source of strength, as it is the one thing that the guards cannot see. They cannot search for dreams, or memories. The mind is the one thing that the prisoners are able to keep to themselves. Each prisoner still has a mind to think, to dream and to remember. For many of the prisoners, the memory of family or friends gives them the will to carry on, hoping that one day they can rejoin them.

Hope is a feeling that does not seem possible in the prison. The prisoners know that even if their sentence is over, they may not be allowed to leave. That does not stop many of the prisoners from keeping hope, and just continuing in the hope that one day they will be free.

Habits, whether good or bad, are a large source of strength. Smoking is a habit that many of the prisoners have and many of them are dependant on tobacco. There is a constant search for tobacco, but yet, as we see in Shukhov's case, the habit of keeping self dignity rules above all physical dependencies. He craves a smoke, but unlike Fetiukov he is not prepared to stoop as low as picking up "fag ends." Perhaps for some prisoners, the only reason that they continue living is to look forward to the next time they can smoke. Shukhov has never lost the habit of removing his hat at a meal and he refuses to lick empty bowls. He wants to keep his pride, dignity and self respect.

Work is a very large source of strength as it helps the prisoners escape the reality of their situations and focus on something. Most of the prisoners take pride in their work and take it seriously. It gives them a sense of purpose and to most of them, the work is for themselves and not because they are forced to. Work allows them to escape the worst of the cold, and the sense of accomplishment they receive each day from having completed something is a reason for them to continue. They work together as a team and it is as a team they accomplish the work. Shukhov for example, works extremely hard at his masonry and takes pride in building a good wall. He beats the system in his own way as the work is meant to be a punishment. Instead, he gains self respect and learns new skills. We can tell that he works for himself and not because of the authorities when he continues working even when the signal for the end of the day sounds.

Camaraderie is extremely important for many of the prisoners, and although it would seem impossible to make friends in a camp where each prisoner has a different history, bonds are formed between many of the team members. With friendships they can share stories, information and talk between themselves whenever possible. Each prisoner is limited to his own mind and being able to listen to another person's story would allow for expansion of imagination, thoughts and ideas. The two Estonian men have become "brothers" and they do everything together. They sit and talk together and share tobacco with each other. It is a friendship such as this that will give them a sense of purpose. Their bond is their biggest source of strength.

Time is the prisoners' most precious possession. It is what the authorities attempt to steal from each prisoner. Many of the prisoners just wait until they have moments to themselves. For Shukhov, mealtimes are his only free moments and he regards them as very important times of his day. Time alone, though scarce allows the prisoners to forget the camp and think to themselves, without having to do anything else. The struggle to find time wherever it can be scavenged is very important to many of the prisoners as time is essentially the thing that is being stolen from them in the first place.

Another essential source of strength is taken from a sense of responsibility for something or someone. This is the case for the objects that the prisoners hide but also for the prisoners' hierarchy. Tiurin, for example is the team leader for the 104th team. He is responsible for his team and this gives him a sense of higher purpose. Shukhov takes control of the building of the wall, and the other prisoners look up to him and listen to what he says. He ascends to Tiurin's rank in the prisoners' minds as they see him as a leader. It is with his leadership that the wall is well built.

The novel shows us that the strength to live, to carry on, can be found everywhere. Even in the most terrible situations, there are always things that can be found, done or even created to give us strength, both physically and mentally. Solzhenitsyn really shows us that even in times where hope would see useless, we can always find a sense of purpose. It is the prisoners that are able to do this that will survive, and when they finally get out, they will be released into a world where they will want to use every object, every second, to the fullest.