One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Compare and contrast Buinovsky and Fetuikov. How do their attitudes and experiences differ? Does Shukhov think they will survive their prison terms? Why or why not?

Identify the reasons why Shukhov, Tiurin, and Gopchik are imprisoned. How do their backgrounds influence the theme of The Human Cost of Stalinism? Use information about real-world political repression to support your argument.

Analyze the relationship between Shukhov and his family. Does he miss or care about his family? How do you know?

Examine the roles of the prisoners who have “cushy” jobs, like Tzesar, Der, Vdovushkin, and the Limper. Why are these prisoners shown favoritism? How do the other prisoners feel about those with “cushy” jobs?

Several symbols appear in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Identify three or more of these symbols and analyze their role in the text. How do these symbols advance the novel’s themes or complicate the author’s message?

Analyze the solidarity among the prisoners. Are the prisoners united or divided? How does the environment encourage division among the prisoners? What might happen if the prisoners unite?

How does the novel develop the setting, and how does the setting relate to the novel’s themes? Use examples from the text to support your argument.

Solzhenitsyn spent eight years in a forced labor camp. How did his personal experiences influence One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich? Is the novel autobiographical? Use external sources to support your argument.