n after the work day was finishedShukhov still kept working. He took tremendous pride in hiswork. ^He was pleased. Not bad, eh, for one afternoon^s work?(Solzhenitsyn 123) Not only did Shukhov take pride in his ownwork but others took pride in what he was capable of as well. This was inspirational for Ivan Denisovich. The boss of gang 104asked, ^what the hell are we going to do without you when you^veserved your time? We^ll all be crying our hearts out for you^(Solzhenitsyn 123). By portraying this one day in the live ofIvan Denisovich in such a positive light, Solzhenitsyn isallegorically and symbolically representing the Soviet system. Luellen Lucid states:the novel^s portrayal of one good day in the life of atypical prisoner constitutes a reversal of socialistrealism, which Solzhenitsyn underscores stylisticallyby referring to the prisoners familiarly through theconsciousness of Ivan Denisovich while regarding theprison personnel and government officials impersonallyas they. (3304)Therefore, Solzhenitsyn^s use of style is also responsible foraccentuating the theme of hope in the novel. Food also gave Ivan Denisovich Shukhov hope. Time in thecamp was not measured by days or hours or minutes but by meals. To Shukhov the time between meals could seem an eternity if therewas nothing else to occupy his mind. Shukhov had come to therealization that to enjoy the time he had eating his food he hadto concentrate on nothing else but the food. ^He had to give allhis time to eating. He had to scrape the stuff out from thebottom, put it carefully in his mouth, and roll it around withhis tongue^ (Solzhenitsyn 88). Shukhov would do favors forothers with the small chance of getting a food reward. When thegang returned from their work detail, Shukhov saved a place inline for the captain so that he would be able to take his timereading the list to see if he even had a package. If there wasno package then Shukhov would get no other...
