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Shukhov’s Spoon
A Zek’s life revolves around the attainment of bread. In a physical sense, bread is the main source of sustenance for the prisoners, and their skimpy bread rations allow them to survive on a daily basis. But survival in the camp goes deeper than the attainment of physical bread. The maintenance of ones identity, principals and dignity is another essential element of a Zek’s survival. In this way, the obsession with bread is destructive, as it causes prisoners to sacrifice their dignity and principals in the process of attaining bread. In a metaphorical sense, however, bread symbolizes spiritual sustenance that comes through preserving one’s dignity. Alyoshka recommends Shukhov ask God only for his “daily bread”, an allusion to the Lord’s Prayer, in which bread represents spiritual sustenance. In moving away from the obsession with bread in a physical sense, a Zek is able to find liberation from the physical circumstances in which he lives. This idea plays out at the end of the novel when Shukhov offers Alyoshka a biscuit without expecting anything in return. Shukhov’s sense of joy in the final moments of the novel are connected to his movement away from physical bread toward the idea of bread as a symbol of spiritual nourishment, suggesting that spiritual bread may be the truest form of sustenance available to a prisoner.
Bread Quotes in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich quotes below all refer to the symbol of Bread. 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:
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Section 12
Quotes
Even eight years as a convict hadn’t turned him into a jackal—and the longer he spent at the camp the stronger he made himself.
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Bread Symbol Timeline in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
The timeline below shows where the symbol Bread appears in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Section1 (Shukhov wakes up to Kolya taking Shukhov’s temperature)
...foreman, Pavlo, and the foreman, Tyurin, getting out of bed. Pavlo goes off to the bread storage room, and Tyurin goes to the Production Planning Department. Shukhov realizes that the fate...
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...hears another guard grumbling about how the gang should have received four twenty-five-ounce loaves of bread, but he was only given three. Meanwhile, Shukhov hears Alyosha murmuring his prayers.
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Section 2 (Kolya takes Shukhov’s Temperature to Volkovoy’s search)
...for the day. Shukhov holds it in his hand estimating the weight. He decides his bread is half an ounce short, but is not surprised because it is always short. He...
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Section 4 (The story of Shukhov leaving home to arrival at the work site)
...he is most likely thinking about the gang’s percentages, which will determine the amount of bread the group will be allotted. Tyurin’s face is pockmarked, and he walks into the wind...
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Section 5 (The arrival at the work site to the beginning of work)
...feels something sharp pressing against his chest and remembers he has hidden a piece of bread there. He always brought the same amount with him, but never touched it until dinnertime....
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...the same side of the room as his fellow gang members and nibbles at his bread. The two Estonians sit beside him sharing a cigarette from the same holder. These two...
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Section 6 (The beginning of work to news of the murdered stool pigeons)
...this money goes to the higher-ups, while the Zeks got an extra six ounces of bread, at best.
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Section 7 (The news of the murdered stoop pigeons to Tyurin’s story)
...is easier since you go home once your shift is over, plus prisoners received more bread.
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...standing in front of Pavlo, eyeing the extra bowls. He takes out the piece of bread he’d stored in his pocket that morning and cleans the edge of his bowl with...
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Section 8 (Tyurin’s story to the end of the work day)
...being kicked out of the army, he sold what rags he had and bought some bread “under the table” as the government had already started rationing. He was unable to buy...
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Section 10 (Arrival at the camp to Tsezar’s arrival at the parcel room)
...smuggle it through, will be very profitable for him, it would be as good as bread. He slips it into his right mitten.
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Section 11 (Tsezar’s arrival at the parcel room to the purchase of the tobacco)
When he arrives in the barracks, the place is in an uproar. Someone’s bread ration had been stolen during the day. Shukhov hides the piece of metal he’d taken...
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...the table so the best bowls are facing him. Kildigs arrives with a tray of bread, which is distributed based on the amount of work the men completed. Some are given...
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...the servers snakes for the tricks they play on their fellow Zeks. He saves his bread for the morning, although he is still hungry, noting that a Zeks stomach is a...
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...bowl, but brings his spoon all the way up to his mouth. U81 places his bread on a clean piece of rag instead of the dirty table. Shukhov notes that he...
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Section 12 (The purchase of the tobacco to Shukhov’s going to bed)
...the contents of his parcel out on his bed. Shukhov tells him he brought his bread back for him, careful not to ask whether he got the package, as that would...
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...boots. When Tsezar appears, he thanks Shukhov, and Shukhov pulls himself into bed for some bread and a cigarette before sleeping.
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...He tells Shukhov he should not pray for earthly things but only for “his daily bread.” Shukhov asks if he means his ration, but Alyoshka explains he is talking about the...
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