However, the pace of the texts differs. One Day's plot is long and slow, because it is a description of all the happenings in one ofthe many tedious, tiring days in Shukhov's life, "a zek's [convict] day is a long one" (Solzhenitsyn 37). On the other hand, Antigone's plot is fast-paced, jumping to successive events, because it displays the inevitability of tragedy, as the chorus states in its famous interruption halfway through the play, "So. Now the spring is wound. The tale will unfold all of itself[ ... ] It does itself. Like clockwork set going since the beginning of time." (Anouilh 25). Climax is one of the defining aspects of plot. It is where conflict accumulates and tension is greatest. The crux of Anouilh's play is the lengthy dialogue in Antigone's confrontation with Creon concerning the nature of power, fate, and choice. The fastpace of the argument, as well as the entire play, adds to the tension at this point. All the tension that is built up to this climactic point draws the reader in and keeps him on his toes.
The climax and tension also contribute to characterization. Only through the climax are Antigone's complicated personality portrayed, her inner feelings revealed, and her true egocentric motives uncovered.
Also, theme is achieved through climax in Antigone. The theme of Man Versus Society is depicted in the climax as she vehemently protests to Creon and stubbornly refuses to accept his ideas of happiness. Interestingly, this common theme shared between the texts is achieved without the need for climax in Solzhenitsyn's novel. Shukhov represents the common man, and the immediate society he lives in is prison. Every day he struggles to survive physically and psychologically. This theme is illustrated through the detailed narration of one mundane, tiresome day in prison.
In the course of reading the monotonous and descriptive story of One Day, the reader expects more. The reader waits patiently for action, conflict and the climax to arrive, but that doesn't come. This is due to the plot's purpose which displays how Shukhov's day is dictated by others and that he cannot expect something new and exciting to happen. The reader too, soon learns not to be ambitious with exciting expectations in this story.
In One Day, a defining moment such as the climax does not exist. There is no indication of climax, but there is tension throughout - whether it be Shukhov's anxiety and nervousness when he tries to smuggle a piece of metal or during the conflict between Tyurin and Der. A point of major conflict does not exist, however, it can be said that the major conflict is the scope of the book. It is a convict's (Shukhov) struggle against his oppressors. In contrast, Anouilh's play opens with conflict in which Antigone argues with her nurse, and then conflict builds up from there until the major conflict between Antigone and Creon.
Complication is the main problem to be resolved in the plot. In Antigone, we are presented with the main complication of the story early on, but in One Day we must wait for the mysterious story to unravel slowly. We do not know exactly who the protagonist is (the name referred to in the title is seldom used in the novel) and we do not know the time setting (1951) - which would put things into context - until later on. We discover the story as we go along, but there is no major complication to point atexcept upon finishing the novel we know that it is in fact the scope of the story, his struggle against his oppressors.
Resolution is what brings meaning to plot and polishes theme. Loose knots are tied in the resolution and things come together. In the works discussed, both characters attain what they need in the resolution. After his conversation with the Baptist, Shukhov attains happiness in the form of being content as he reflects on "The end of an unclouded day. Almost a happy one." (Solzhenitsyn 150), and he "felt pleased with life as he went to sleep." (Solzhenitsyn 149). Antigone attains restfulness in the form of death, as Creon describes her as she lay, to be "peaceful" (Anouilh 59). In addition, her tomb will also serve as her "bridal bed," as Haemon dies beside her.
The plot in One Day centers around the protagonist, Shukhov. The reader only has one outlook into the life of a zek, and that is the outlook of Shukhov. Whereas in Anouilh's drama, although the plot is focused on Antigone, she does not feature in everything and we are exposed to other events in her absence, like during the dialogue between Haemon and Creon. This illustrates to the reader how her actions affect others.
In the two texts, the plots also help develop tone. Both texts have a rather somber tone. This tone is achieved in Antigone in that the fast-paced plot portrays how quick she leads herself - as well as dragging everyone else - to her demise. While One Day's somber tone is achieved through the diary entry style that goes into boring detail to show every grueling aspect of Shukhov's miserable life.
Setting and atmosphere influence plot. There is a strong emphasis on setting and atmosphere in One Day. It is set in a prison camp in communist Russia. This puts things into context for the reader. Significance of plot is established by the repetition of the challenges Shukhov faces, and the cold atmosphere is a recurring motif throughout the story that is developed by the setting, as well as corruption and the lack of food.
On the other hand, setting is not influential to plot in Antigone as stated in the first line of the play, "Set without historical or geographical implications." (Anouilh 3). Setting and atmosphere have no significant effect on the proceedings of the play. Thebes is but a name set for the city, and has no effect on plot. The absence of setting allows for the Prologue to put things into context and set the stage by introducing the characters and indicating the background of the play.
Solzhenitsyn ingeniously constructs the plot to illustrate his purpose. The plot does specifically what it is intended to do. The slow pace combined with the boring, descriptive manner is reflective of the depressing life of zeks in the Soviet Union, as Shukhov says, "Damn this life of ours" (Solzhenitsyn 102). Instead of writing about the whole prison sentence of a convict, Solzhenitsyn writes about one day in critical detail to stand for the kind of life a prisoner would live in. The plot illustrates the gruesome treatment and harsh living conditions of political prisoners in gulags in Soviet Russia. Prisoners would live at the brink of death, and Solzhenitsyn shows us through Shukhov, that only by an adoption of a survival attitude of self-reliance could one last in such a harsh environment.
Anouilh constructs a quick-moving, tensioned tragedy that achieves his goal of drawing in the reader, making him realize the inevitability of tragedy, and evoking an emotional response through a sense of immediacy.
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Solzhenitsyn, Aleksander. One Day in the Life ofIvan Denisovich. Trans. H.
T. Willets. London: Vintage, 2003.
Works Cited
Anoulih, Jean. Antigone. Trans. Barbara Bray.
London: Methuen Publishing Ltd., 2000.