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Tsezar
Also known as “Alyoshka The Baptist,” he is a devoutly religious member of Gang 104. Alyoshka holds a vastly different view of the Gulag than the other characters, viewing his sentence not as unjust imprisonment but rather as a means for salvation. He sees the Gulag as providing him the ideal setting to develop spiritually, as he is denied material possessions and temptations, which would distract him on his spiritual journey. Alyoshka’s perspective of the camp as a cross he bears for God allows him to find purpose and happiness in the Gulag, which Shukhov notices and is intrigued by. Shukhov recognizes that Alyoshka’s humility leads to vulnerability in the hostile environment, but in the end, Shukov is inspired to give freely of himself after hearing Alyoshka’s spiritual message.
Alyoshka Quotes in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich quotes below are all either spoken by Alyoshka or refer to Alyoshka. 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:
).
Section 12
Quotes
“Well,” [Shukhov] said conclusively, “however much you pray it doesn't shorten your stretch. You’ll sit it out from beginning to end anyhow.”
“Oh, you mustn’t pray for that either,” said Alyoshka, horrified. “Why do you want freedom? In freedom your last grain of faith will be choked with weeds. You should rejoice that you’re in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Alyoshka Quotes in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich quotes below are all either spoken by Alyoshka or refer to Alyoshka. 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:
).
Section 12
Quotes
“Well,” [Shukhov] said conclusively, “however much you pray it doesn't shorten your stretch. You’ll sit it out from beginning to end anyhow.”
“Oh, you mustn’t pray for that either,” said Alyoshka, horrified. “Why do you want freedom? In freedom your last grain of faith will be choked with weeds. You should rejoice that you’re in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
