How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Paragraph). We used H.T. Willetts's translation.
Quote #4
"But would it have got past the censor if he'd handled it differently?"
"Oh well, if that's what matters [....] Only don't call him a genius – call him a toady, a dog carrying out his master's orders. A genius doesn't adjust his treatment of a theme to a tyrant's taste." (495-6)
We encounter very few prisoners who are in the camp for some sort of cultural activity – most of the men are ex-soldiers, resistance fighters, peasants, etc. This debate stands out for bringing up art, and it also serves as an interesting metaphor for survival in the camps. To rephrase it, should a prisoner openly fight against a tyrannical camp system, or should he adapt to the system in order to survive and resist only in small ways?
Quote #5
You can turn a man upside down, inside out, any way you like. (827)
This is a powerful thematic statement for the entire gulag system, and sums up exactly how the gulag operates and exactly what the gulag's power really is.
Quote #6
Who is the convict's worst enemy? Another convict. If zeks didn't squabble amongst themselves, the bosses would have no power over them. (865)
We see signs of this sort of chaotic in-fighting among the zeks throughout the entire day, especially in the mess hall, where it is always five seconds away from a food fight/brawl. The bosses just have to set up a system where the zeks are forced to compete against each other.