Like the district police inspector who appears earlier on in the story, the Governor is known only by his title. This establishes him as a symbol of state authority and institutional justice, which Aksyonov decidedly rejects in recognizing the sole authority of God to deliver judgments and to right moral wrongs. When Makar Semyonov’s prison tunnel discovered, the Governor arrives and questions Aksyonov as to who is trying to escape. Even though the Governor appeals to Aksyonov’s spiritual righteousness, saying that Aksyonov has a good reputation and always tells the truth, Aksyonov refuses to inform on Makar and lies to the Governor, insisting that he knows nothing about the escape attempt. Tolstoy thus uses the character of the Governor to show Aksyonov’s rejection of social, institutional justice (embodied by the Governor) in favor of the ultimate prerogative of God to judge individuals’ souls.
The Governor Quotes in God Sees the Truth But Waits
The God Sees the Truth But Waits quotes below are all either spoken by The Governor or refer to The Governor. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
God Sees the Truth But Waits
Quotes
“I couldcover up for him, but why should I forgive the man who ruined me? […] Let him pay the price for all my suffering. On the other hand, they’re bound to flog him if I testify against him. And what if my suspicions are wrong? Would it make me feel any easier?”
[…]
“I saw nothing and I know nothing.”
Related Characters:Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov (speaker), Makar Semyonov, The Governor
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
115
Explanation and Analysis:
Only the final line of this quote (“I saw nothing and I know nothing,” Aksyonov’s false reply to the Governor when the Governor asks him who dug a prison escape route) is spoken out loud; what precedes it is Aksyonov’s thought process and deliberations as to whether he should inform on his fellow inmate, Makar Semyonov, whom he discovered digging the tunnel the previous night. Aksyonov’s ultimate decision to lie to the Governor and protect Makar, notably, does not amount to forgiveness of Makar; rather, Aksyonov’s two reasons seem to be, first, that he does not wish to see Makar Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta
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The Governor Character Timeline in God Sees the Truth But Waits
The timeline below shows where the character The Governor appears in God Sees the Truth But Waits. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
God Sees the Truth But Waits
...Makar digging an escape tunnel. The next day, the authorities discover the hole, and the Governor arrives on the scene to question the prisoners as to who was trying to escape....
(full context)
...the foot of his bunk. Makar, overwhelmed by Aksyonov’s goodness in protecting him from the Governor, confesses to having framed Aksyonov for murder 26 years earlier and begs his forgiveness. Makar...
(full context)