Everything flows by Vasily Grossman - Essay Example

Everything Flows By Vasily Grossman Everything Flows By Vasily Grossman The book, Everything Flows by the Grossman Vasily provides a detailed revelation to one of the key historical event; the release of thousand prisoners from Gulag in the 1950s. The release of Russian prisoners took place during Stalin’s anniversary in 1956. In reading the book, the reader identifies that Ivan the main protagonist returns to Moscow after twenty years in the camp. Ivan decides to meet his cousin Nikolary Andreyevich, a successful scientist.

In writing the words, "In the beginning was the word. That is truly so" Grossman Vasily tries to describe Ivan’s state of both mental and physical state after leaving the camp and returning home. Although Ivan needed a discussion with Nikolay, he discovered that meeting only escalates the guilt Nikolay feels for the several shameless compromises he made over the years. The meeting is not a success because no real conversation and true exchange of stories takes place because Nikolay felt threatened by Ivan’s presence.

Grossman (2011) explained in the book that, “…Nikolay feels threatened by Ivan’s presence-and the breath of the camp he brings with him (62).” The conversation provides evidence that Nikolay contributed to the arrest of Ivan. Ivan Grigoryevich realizes that the society that he left before leaving while still young has changed when he returns an elderly person. The 30 years that Ivan endured in Stalin’s Gulag camp during exile in changed his perception about his fellow Russian (Cohen, 2011).

Ivan feels that most of the Russian betrayed their fellow brothers and sisters for selfish reasons. Ivan feels that the Russians that spend numerous years in Gulag never deserved the punishment because of the trivial offence committed (Grossman & Chandler, 2006). ReferencesCohen, S. F. (2011). The victims return: Survivors of the Gulag after Stalin. London: I B Tauris & Co Ltd.Grossman, V. S. (2011). Everything flows. London: Vintage Classic.Grossman, V. S., & Chandler, R. (2006). Life and fate.

New York, NY: New York Review Books.