Why ‘ONE DAY’.
ONE DAY uncovers the dark kept secrets of Russian labor camps. It opens people's eyes to the treatment and dehumanization that happened to Ivan Denisovich. and so many others. Wrongly convicted for the crime of anti-communism. His story is a controversial one that should be known by everyone because it uncovers the truth Russian soviets don't want you to know. By following Ivan Denisovich, known as Shukhov in the story, we as students and leaders can take away significant life lessons that will help us in different aspects of our lives. The contrast that Shukhov’s story poses compared to an ordinary person’s life is an astonishing one that perhaps at first glance there seems to be no correlation. However, if you look at the big idea of what Solzhenitsyn is trying to say by documenting the events of this one day, you see the book talks about utilizing what you are given and making the most of it, as Shukhov says “We’ve nothing but we always find a way to make something extra” (Solzhenitsyn 166). Even though they are given nearly nothing in the Gulag, the smart prisoners still find a way to make the most out of everything. It’s up to you to pay attention to the good things, no matter how small they may appear next to the hardships, and as a result you'll get more importance and significance out of your life.
In our lives, there will come a time for all of us where we have to work together with others, because as individuals, there's only so much we can accomplish on our own before we need help, and it's okay to need others, humans weren't meant to live alone, our creativity and productivity thrives in groups. However, when it comes to groups there must be a leader to help organize and, of course, lead the people, otherwise chaos will take over. Now when I say, leader, I don’t mean a boss. There are important differences between a boss and a leader, that is a boss demands action while a leader inspires one to act. Your people must respect you, and in order to gain respect, you must meet them at their level, not expecting them to work for you without something in return like how Tiurin does with his squad, “because he’s the one who feeds them. And he’d never make them work for nothing” (Solzhenitsyn 88). In life, you must know how to work with others because teamwork is required to do anything, and to be a leader you have to first get your followers to listen. You must gain their respect, not placing yourself on a higher pedestal, but by earning it. Along with leadership and teamwork, this story teaches an important lesson of gratitude. At the end of the book, Shukhov says this day to be “A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day” (Solzhenitsyn 167), despite all that's happened within the single day, he focuses on the good parts that made his day. By doing this and choosing to think this way, the good things start to outweigh and outshine the bad. Your situation can always be made better by how you look at things. Sometimes it's all a matter of perspective. This is what I believe to be the most important lesson taught in " One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", learning to be grateful. We’re always rushing to the next place, running between different tasks and not taking the time to appreciate the now and what a true privilege it is to be experiencing all that we are. Those key lessons is what makes this book such a significant literary piece that should be read by all.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s astonishing story relates to each and every one of us. We all have days where we feel like the world has turned it’s back on us. We get dragged down into a dark pit and start to lose ourselves in the vast darkness, unable to climb our way out, giving up on all hope that someone will shine a light and show a new path. I know we’ve all been there, and I know it’s hard because I’ve been there. I fell in that hole and believe me it’s was terrifying. I know what it’s like to not have a home, and worry about making enough money to pay for our next meal. I had to grow up faster than I wanted, or that my parents wanted. However falling down that hole made me toughen up, and after that I now truly know what it means to be grateful. Grateful for the lighter times in my life, and less defeated by the harder ones. We must appreciate what we have, despite the darker clouds that try to filter out the light. This is one of the lessons taught in ONE DAY, along with the importance of teamwork and leadership. I truly believe that everyone is capable of climbing out of that hole, even if that means getting a friend to help pull you out. We are all in control of how we look at life and what we do with what it gives us. It’s up to me and it’s up to you to help yourself, or someone else, out of the darkness.
Work Cited
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. New York, N.Y.: New American Library, 2009. Print.
In our lives, there will come a time for all of us where we have to work together with others, because as individuals, there's only so much we can accomplish on our own before we need help, and it's okay to need others, humans weren't meant to live alone, our creativity and productivity thrives in groups. However, when it comes to groups there must be a leader to help organize and, of course, lead the people, otherwise chaos will take over. Now when I say, leader, I don’t mean a boss. There are important differences between a boss and a leader, that is a boss demands action while a leader inspires one to act. Your people must respect you, and in order to gain respect, you must meet them at their level, not expecting them to work for you without something in return like how Tiurin does with his squad, “because he’s the one who feeds them. And he’d never make them work for nothing” (Solzhenitsyn 88). In life, you must know how to work with others because teamwork is required to do anything, and to be a leader you have to first get your followers to listen. You must gain their respect, not placing yourself on a higher pedestal, but by earning it. Along with leadership and teamwork, this story teaches an important lesson of gratitude. At the end of the book, Shukhov says this day to be “A day without a dark cloud. Almost a happy day” (Solzhenitsyn 167), despite all that's happened within the single day, he focuses on the good parts that made his day. By doing this and choosing to think this way, the good things start to outweigh and outshine the bad. Your situation can always be made better by how you look at things. Sometimes it's all a matter of perspective. This is what I believe to be the most important lesson taught in " One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich", learning to be grateful. We’re always rushing to the next place, running between different tasks and not taking the time to appreciate the now and what a true privilege it is to be experiencing all that we are. Those key lessons is what makes this book such a significant literary piece that should be read by all.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s astonishing story relates to each and every one of us. We all have days where we feel like the world has turned it’s back on us. We get dragged down into a dark pit and start to lose ourselves in the vast darkness, unable to climb our way out, giving up on all hope that someone will shine a light and show a new path. I know we’ve all been there, and I know it’s hard because I’ve been there. I fell in that hole and believe me it’s was terrifying. I know what it’s like to not have a home, and worry about making enough money to pay for our next meal. I had to grow up faster than I wanted, or that my parents wanted. However falling down that hole made me toughen up, and after that I now truly know what it means to be grateful. Grateful for the lighter times in my life, and less defeated by the harder ones. We must appreciate what we have, despite the darker clouds that try to filter out the light. This is one of the lessons taught in ONE DAY, along with the importance of teamwork and leadership. I truly believe that everyone is capable of climbing out of that hole, even if that means getting a friend to help pull you out. We are all in control of how we look at life and what we do with what it gives us. It’s up to me and it’s up to you to help yourself, or someone else, out of the darkness.
Work Cited
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. New York, N.Y.: New American Library, 2009. Print.