Solzhenitsyn in confession

One vital thread of The Gulag Archipelago is Alexandr Solzhenitsyn’s rediscovery of his Christian roots. This rediscovery is predicated upon suffering, which, according to Solzhenitsyn, serves as a lever for spiritual growth. However, due to Cold War realities, upon The Gulag Archipelago’s publication, most critics emphasized its political significance. Only later was his Christianity underlined, mostly unfavourably. The intent of this paper is to track Solzhenitsyn’s spiritual rebirth following his arrest for expressing anti-Stalinist views. My introductory chapter documents how Solzhenitsyn radically challenged my worldview. Chapter Two: A Difficult Encounter with Self is a personal response to Solzhenitsyn’s confession. With a certain level of discomfort, I have chosen two years in Nigeria to highlight a shameful lack of moral discernment. Chapter Three: A Difficult Birth chronicles the journey to publication of The Gulag Archipelago. The final chapter, Solzhenitsyn in Confession illuminates Solzhenitsyn’s confrontation with his moral deficiencies.