Privileged prisoners in the labor camps Essay

In the novel, One daytime in the vitality of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, we are proven the horrendous conditions in Stalins labor camps with the protagonists eyes. We share only 24 hours of Shukhovs flavour, as shown by the title of the novel, simply the awful living conditions are wellhead shown. The author cr occupyes a dramatic foil between the privilege and commonplace prisvirtuosor, also c t turn out ensembleed zeks. In these camps we know t wear food is the money and that without it you sensnot survive, it is a occasion The contrast shows the corruption and injustice that this actor brings some zeks subvert the power that is given to them and misuse it by treating otherwises badly, others make correct use of it and care out the rest of their team, finally, the rest of these privileged zeks take advantages of their power but would still share some of their wealth with the frequent zeks.In this novel, on that point are many examples of abuse and c orruption. The main one is the mess foreman and the limper. The mess chief has the money of the camp he is the most muscular prisoner in the camp. By the way Shukhov describes him, we realize how profane he is. The mess chief was a fat swine, with a head wish a pumpkin and a mighty pair of shoulders. Once theyd tried to beat him up but all the cooks choice thugs they were had leaped to his defense. (100).This detail description shows well the mannikin of person the mess chief is. He knows he has the control and he abuses it as much as he substructure, hes as yet recrudesce off than civilians with his lambskin undershirt It also illustrates the way that he uses his immense power to crush much advantages than any other prisoners in the camp. This is shown by the fact that he is a strong and healthy person, and that he is full of energy. He doesnt be in possession of to wear a number out-of-pocket to his incredible influence on the camp authorities. Another strong o pprobrious character is the Limper, hes hated by all the zeks, the filmer purgetually turn backs his cruelty and abusive temper during the passage where Shukhov describes his activity while going to the mess hall. Because of his claudication he had managed to get classed as disabled, . He hit the down-and-outs. (99). This quote illustrates very clearly the fact that the Limper is a coward and is full of cruelty.He already has privileges, he doesnt go to work, but yet he has to abuse the banausic prisoner who had a hard work day and show them how much more than powerful he is. It also shows that whenever a prisoner has some power, they need to get more of it, no matter what it takes. just now the Limper also has to lower other prisoners to make himself feel better and typeface more important. This especially happens when the zeks are waiting for their turn in the mess hall. One hundred and fourth shouted the Limper. Where dyou come back youre crawling, shit? He whammed a ma n from some other group on the back of the neck with his cudgel (102). The way he treats familiar prisoners stresses the Limpers disrespect towards them. He has to insult them to make him look care hes better off than the rest of them. This shows that hes in fact lower than the rest of the zeks, just comparable the squealers.Another example for this category of zeks is Der and Shkuropatenko. Der is the kind of prisoner that betrays any zeks, not quite like a squealer because he gets privileged treatment. full after the incident with Tiurin Der went across the afford g assail, looking haggard. To warm up in the office. He must buzz off had the wind up. He should confirm pleasant with aggroup leaders like that, then hes have nothing to worry about the camp authorities didnt insist on his doing any real hard work, he legitimate top category rations, he lived in a separate confine what else did he want? Giving himself airs, trying to be smart. (74). This emphasizes the fa ct that Der wants more, even though he has everything an ordinary zek could look for, but it doesnt contact him. It shows that a little power corrupts you to the point of wanting everything, even what you cant have. We also know that Der used to be an important mental image in the political world.Up the ramp came yet another snooper, another chief building-foreman Der. A muscovite. Used to work in some ministry, it was express. (71). exactly like the mess chief, Ders clothing differed somehow from the ordinarys zeks. Der was wearing a regulation camp coat, but it was new and clean. His hat was stylish, made of leather (72). In these quotes we clearly see the fact that Der was a previous important political figure and he still has privileges. overdue to his position and attitude, hes not well seen from the other prisoners, yet the ordinary zeks cannot do much about it because of Ders sympathetic traffic with the authorities.Another prisoner whos shown as taking advantages of his status is Shkuropatenko. Hes not shown as taking directly advantages of his role. The lanky Shkuropatenko, a mere cipher, a trusty whod been given the temporary farm out of guarding the prefabs from any pilfering by the prisoners. Yes, it was Shkuropatenko who was most likely to spot them on the open ground (41). This pictures Shkuropatenko as telling on others to make himself look more important to the guards and authorities of the camp. In this way he doesnt have to work hard but he is vicious but he abuses the power he has by telling off everyone he sees. He even continues watching the prefabs from inside an office.Beyond him, like a dead set(p) pole, stooped Shkuropatenko B219. That eyesore staring out of the window, trying to see, even now, whether anyone was pinching some of his unique prefabs You didnt spot us that time, you gawk (59). This quote illustrates the hatred that the ordinary prisoners show towards the privileged ones and how they mock their devotion to th eir work. We clearly see why Shukhov dislikes Shkuropatenko as well as other abusive characters of the novel. He feels that they shouldnt be telling on other fellow zeks, even thought they have more power than him. This shows how power corrupts the simple minds to the bone. there are some zeks that dont abuse their powers at all and make use of it to help out others. Tiurin, the squad leader is one of them. He does his best to keep them out of trouble and get them keen rations. This is shown when Tiurin confronts Der about the prefabs Shukhov and Kilgas grasped previously during the day. Shukhov feared nothing for himself. His team-leader would never give him away. (72). This is a good description fro Tiurins strength, he would never betray his squad. He has privileges he doesnt abuse them, but uses them to get his men out of trouble. every last(predicate) the things he does are for his men, and when they talk about him, they always show a great deal of respect. He had no jokes o r smiles for his team, but he took pains to see they got better rations. (.)In camp the team leader is everything a good one will give you a act life () Hed only just averted the danger of the team world sent to work at the Socialist Way of Life Settlement, now he was probably deliberating over the percentage on which the teams rations for the next five days depended. (33). This adds to the generous picture of Tiurin. He would never use his power to get advantages for himself he would get them for his completely squad. This emphasizes that fact that he has a big heart and shares everything with his fellow squad members. The privileges brought by power dont interest him he despises corrupted zeks, such as Der and Shkuropatenko and does all he can to make life easier for his zeks some the camp. This is also why hes shown as a good squad leader. He is one of the only zeks that act like that towards the ordinary prisoners. unless, there is another example of zek, Tzesar is one of th em. Hes the kind of zek that had many privileges, slightly abuses them, but uses them to get things his way around the camp. Hes one of the few prisoners who gets parcels twice a month. He works in an office but he acquired this place done bribes. He doesnt have to go and work in the rimed unlike the other members of the 104th. He always has extra food to eat and something to smoke. These be extensiveings bring him power and influence in the camp. The ordinary zeks ask him for some of his special goods and his good heart usually gives some away. Tzesar Markovich, slobbered Fetiukov, ineffective to restrain himself. Give us a drag. His face twitched with greedy desire. . plainly the moment he lighted a cigarette he read in several pairs of eyes an unspoken plea for the fog-end. Tzesar turned to Shukhov and said Take it, Ivan Denisovich. (22). This shows that even though he doesnt share often, hes generous.He gives the fog-end to Shukhov without him asking for it directly. It mean s that hes kind deep down, even though hes using his privileges to get a better position.. Yet there is another side of him. He believes that hes higher than other zeks in the camp. When Shukhov brings him his lunch, he ignores him. Tzesar swung round and held out his hand for the bowl, not even looking at Shukhov, as though the kasha had materialized out of thin air (60). This shows how selfish he is, he doesnt care about other prisoners. He should be out in the cold like all the other zeks but due to his power, he sits all day long in warm office. Yet Shukhov feels pity for him as he knows that hes the kind of prisoners that can only survive as long as parcels as being sent to him This kind of prisoners can only survive as long as parcels as being sent to themIn One Day in the Life Denisovich, the different kind of privileged prisoners either makes ordinary prisoners lives worse or better. In the first case, the privileged prisoners are hated by all the zeks and could eventually g et murdered. For the other kind, the rest of the squad respects them as they give men a second life. No matter what kind of privileges they have, they are all a big foil to all the ordinary prisoners and bring about a sense of injustice towards the ordinary prisoners.