Who is “model survivor” in a special camp? Solzhenitsyn portrays an array of characters who manage to survive many years in a special camp, living under some of the most brutal conditions known to humans. They are in many ways different, but what is common in all of them is how they prioritize their needs. If we use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we can see that “survivors” focus primarily on physiological needs as most important ones, then on safety needs, next on belonging needs, esteem, and finally self-actualization.
Some of the physiological needs are breathing, water, food, sleep, or homeostasis. Solzhenitsyn describes in great detail how different prisoners satisfy their need for food. Some, like Shukhov, are resourceful and do little work or favors for others (e.g., sewing slippers for others or waiting in line for Caesar’s package). Some are scavengers, like Fetyukov, who is hunting for leftovers or simply begging or stealing food from others. There are those such as cooks, barbers, or others in position of “relative power” that had relatively unlimited access to food. There is also an emphasis on sleep deprivation among prisoners and how they try to beat the system to get a few minutes of sleep before morning count or on Sundays.
Other needs are also important to some extent. Consider esteem, for instance. Solzhenitsyn insists on importance of self-esteem that Shukhov has. He knows that he can lay bricks perfectly, even in windy, sub-zero degree weather. He is respected for that by his gang leader Tyurin and his assistant Pavlo, which means preferential treatment when it comes to food or other needs. But Shukhov also respects his fellow gang members for who they are and what they can do. Yet, this same Shukhov will first and foremost take care of his own food, sleep, or health needs (e.g., drying his boots in the best spot overnight), and his other actions are mostly a function of his basic needs.
"Yet, this same Shukhov will first and foremost take care of his own food, sleep, or health needs..."
ReplyDeleteAre you implying that Shukhov is a bit self-focused, beyond the simply maintaining his basic needs? My sense is that Shukhov is actually portrayed to be somewhat of a model person. He does not attempt to be the center of attention and, yet, appears to have proven himself among his group. Part of this I think is that he knows that his survival depends on preserving a healthy mentality that is reinforced by a supportive group. Not necessarily friends, but a group founded on respect for communal survival.
Gabe, I do not imply that Shukhov is self-focused first and foremost. He is a model person, I agree with you. However, many of his actions, such as waiting in line for Caesar's package, are driven by his most basic subsistance, physiological needs and survival rather than his altruistic soul. I think that other needs such as belonging (to a group, a gang in this case), self-esteem, respect of others... are all in him. However, I do think that physiological needs implicitly drive some of his "altruistic" actions and they are, at their core, selfish. I was just ordering the importance of needs hence actions, not making them be mutually exclusive.
DeleteI feel like a model survivor is different than a model person, but Shukov has both aspects. Although being in a group is important, selflessness can be detrimental in situations like this. Shukov helps out his fellow men to help the collective and form bonds for, as Gabe said, group survival. However, without a degree of selfishness, these men could not survive. They have to be thinking of themselves first. Providing for your own most basic needs is most important in times like these. Shukov, to the best of his ability, helps the other men while still making sure that he is surviving. I think this shows him to be the model person and survivor of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Shukov is a model survivor/prisoner in the novel. I think part of the author's point is the extent to which prisoners adapt to living without "un-necessary" things (by which I mean things that aren't necesssary for survival). I don't think the author means to say anything about Shukov as a person but rather wants to show that the idea of what it means to be happy changes very drastically in a situation like this.
DeleteI agree with this as well. Adaptability seems to be the main point about survival, as Sydney said. Really, the most interesting part of this to me is the seemingly simply dismissal of any mental stimulation in favor of food and other physiological needs first. While it is an obvious choice (yay, survival!), the matter in which it is portrayed in the novel is so blunt and direct that it seems to bring the situation to life (At least it did for me while I read it). This is especially true as this is a 20th century novel, and some of the other novels we read focused on having individual thought and all of that (I'm thinking of We here). It's interesting to see that sacrificed for survival.
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