I was slightly caught off guard by this book. Considering it's a first-hand look at the Soviet gulags the Stalinist 1950s, I assumed it would be hell on Earth.
Don't get me wrong. I do not want to spend one day in a Soviet prison. Then again, I wasn't the worst place in the world.
In fact, our hero, Denisovich, ends the day on a very high note, with hope and happiness as he drifted off the sleep. Another character, Alyosha, a Christian, sees prison as an ascetic experience, being able to concentrate on God.
During the work period of the day, the prisoners seem pleased to work, if anything to stave off the cold. But there's a pride in what they do.
Of course, maybe none of these guys really have anything else to look forward to so the extra bread ration, the Bible, a cigarette or a good day's work gives them peace and comfort where it would clearly not be enough for the free man.
This book also made me think about crime and punishment. No matter what we think about criminals -- no matter the crime -- we could never truly punish them. Of course, we kill criminals who receive the death penalty, but to say the prison experience could not be made tougher is crazy. But we -- especially Americans -- could never do it. As much as we hate crime, there are certain things we can not take away from the lowest of the low, the scummiest of the scummy.
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