The Harsh Morning Routine
The novel opens with this loud sound, signaling the start of another brutal day.
What is the wake-up bell?
Shukhov is careful to always stay in this part of the formation during headcounts to avoid unwanted attention.
What is the middle?
Breakfast usually consists of this thin, barely edible meal.
What is watery gruel?
Shukhov finds a small piece of this tool, which he hides for later use.
What is a hacksaw blade or metal piece?
The camp’s strict rules and punishments reflect this overarching theme about Soviet oppression.
What is totalitarianism?
Shukhov usually gets up early, but on this particular morning, he stays in bed because of this reason.
What is feeling sick?
Prisoners must remove this item before passing through the frisking gate to prevent hiding anything.
What is their hat?
Shukhov’s method of hiding extra food involves doing this to his bread ration.
What is tucking it inside his mattress or coat?
Instead of lining up last for food, Shukhov strategically does this to ensure he gets a good portion.
What is positioning himself near the front?
Shukhov’s careful control over his food represents this deeper idea about human survival.
What is resourcefulness or self-preservation?
The guards punish prisoners who don’t get up on time by making them do this.
What is scrubbing the floor or standing outside in the cold?
This brutal punishment awaits prisoners caught with stolen food or contraband.
What is the hole (solitary confinement)
Shukhov is allowed this many grams of bread per day, which he carefully manages.
What is 400 grams?
Shukhov’s skill in this type of manual labor earns him respect and a slight advantage in the camp.
What is masonry or bricklaying?
The cold, which dominates the prisoners’ lives, symbolizes this broader concept.
What is suffering or indifference of nature?
Prisoners must stand outside for this daily event, no matter the temperature.
What s the morning roll call?
Shukhov is part of this specific work gang in the labor camp.
What is Gang 104?
Shukhov is grateful for this small bonus in his breakfast, which adds some taste to the bland meal.
What is a tiny piece of fish or fat?
To conserve warmth, prisoners try to obtain extra layers of these.
What are jackets or mittens?
Shukhov’s daily routine shows how prisoners find small victories, reinforcing this theme.
What is resilience?
Before going to work, Shukhov carefully hides this personal possession to avoid it being confiscated.
What is his spoon?
This prisoner, the foreman of Gang 104, has the power to make work slightly easier or harder for his men.
Who is Tiurin?
Who is Tsezar?
Shukhov barters with Tsezar for this luxury item, which represents a small pleasure in the camp.
What is tobacco or a cigarette?
The contrast between different prisoners’ attitudes (e.g., Alyoshka’s faith vs. Buynovsky’s bitterness) highlights this major philosophical conflict.
What is spiritual survival vs. physical survival?