Literary Study of Leo Tolstoy’s “God Sees the Truth, but Waits”

Title: “God Sees the Truth, but Waits”

Characters:

• Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov
• Vanya/Aksionov's Wife
• Makar Semyonich
• The Governor
• The Fellow Merchant
• The Official/Police official

Settings

· A small town in the Russian countryside called Vladimir in the 19th century.

· Jail in Siberia

Conflict:

·         Man vs. man between Aksenov and Makar

·         Man vs. society for judging Aksenov’s innocence.

 Tone:

·         Temperate/Calm

·         Terrible

·         Unjustifiable

 Point of view

Third-person because it focuses on the character of Aksenov.

Style:

• Parable
• Foreshadowing

Vanya dreamed about her husband Aksionov comes home with grey hair, which gives clue that something terrible would happen to the main character.

Theme

No matter how harsh the world is, just keep praying, and God will lead you to the truth.

Plot

Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov was living peacefully in Vladimir, in which he worked as a merchant. One day, his wife dreamed bad about him, but he ignored it and even joke about it, and go to a fair as a business venture. Although Aksionov was prone to drinking, he was not violent, and he was responsible and well-liked by people that knew him. Aksionov meets another merchant on his way, and the two decide to travel together. They check into an inn and have a good time by drinking, then they retire separately. Aksionov wakes early the next morning to get to the fair and leaves without the other merchant. Not far down the road, Aksionov is stopped by some policemen. They explain a merchant was just murdered and robbed, and then they search Aksionov's bag. They found a bloody knife, and despite Aksionov's claims of not being a murderer, he is sentenced and sent to Siberia. After his trial flogging, his wife can finally visit him, and she sees that Aksionov's hair has begun to go gray from the stress. Aksionov spends twenty-six years in Siberia, and, resigned to his fate, he dedicates his life to God. He is well respected by the other prisoners and also guards alike.

One day, Makar Semyonich, one of the new prisoners, is transferred to the prison. After overhearing several conversations, Aksionov is convinced that Makar Semyonich is the man who committed the murder for which Aksionov was blamed. Eventually, Aksionov confronts Makar Semyonich, but he denies committing the murder. One day the guards notice that someone had been strewing dirt around the grounds, and they search the prison and find a tunnel. Aksionov had found out earlier that it was Makar Semyonich that was digging the hole, but after being questioned by the police, Aksionov declares that it is not his place to speak about the matter. Makar Semyonich approaches Aksionov later that day and admits to Aksionov that it was he who killed the merchant. Aksionov forgives Semyonich and he feels as if a terrible weight had been lifted. Makar Semyonich confesses to the authorities, and the process for Aksionov to be cleared is begun. Unfortunately, Aksionov dies before he can go out of prison.

Reflection

No matter how good you are, that never guarantees the fact that you will be surrounded by good people also. So, you have to be careful in any way at any time. In this world full of wrongdoings, protect yourself in the name of God. Let God guides you to wherever you choose to be, and if bad things unfortunately happen, never gave up on God. Let God works on the truth and what is right. Also, don't judge people by their past. Being bad in the past doesn't make them less. Besides, you don't know if their past tells the truth about them. Only God knows about the person, and only He can judge the person, so let God works for him.