Summary and exercises of the story God Sees the Truth But Waits -- Writer: Leo Tolstoy

 

(God Sees The Truth But Waits)

Main Characters:

1. Ivan Dimitrich Aksionov (The Protagonist) : A young merchant from Vladimir (Russia) who was sentenced for a crime which he had not committed. A good example of dynamic character

2. Maker Semyonich : (Antagonist) The man who caused Aksionov's sufferings.

3.  Aksionov's wife

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A Short Summary of the Story :

This is a story of an innocent person who had to go through a severe punishment for a murder which he had not committed. 

The main character of this story is Ivan Dimitrich Aksionov who was a merchant and used to live in Vladimir (Russia) with his family.

 One day he started for Nizhny Fair for business, but his wife requested him not to go because she had a nightmare (very bad or fearful dream) about him. In her dream she had she had seen him returning from fair with all grayed hair. But Aksionov laughed at it and started for fair.

On his way, he met another merchant. They both stayed in an inn for the night. They drank together but slept separately in adjoining rooms (two rooms located next to each other.)

Next morning, however, he got up early and continued his journey without the other merchant. After sometime, when he was taking rest in an inn, a few policemen came to him and began questioning him. They said the merchant (he had met and stayed in the same inn the previous night) was found murdered in his room. They suspected him to be the murderer. 

They searched Aksionov's bag. They found a blood-stained knife there. He couldn't give a satisfactory answer about it  to the policemen, and as the evidences were against him, he was declared to be the murderer of the merchant.

He was imprisoned, flogged and sent to Siberia. His wife came to him. Even she suspected him to have murdered the merchant. This pinched his heart a lot. Then he thought that only the God knew the truth.

He spent 26 years in Siberia. All these years had changed him a lot both physically and spiritually. He had become old and a God fearing man. People in the jail respected him and called him 'Grandfather'.

One day some new prisoners were brought in the prison. One of them was Maker Semyonich. After hearing and overhearing him on several occasions, Aksionov became convinced that Maker was the real murderer

One night Aksionov found Makar digging a tunnel to run away from the jail. Maker even threatened him to kill if he disclosed the fact to the jail. He also offered to give him a chance to run away from there. But, however, Aksionov replied that he had no wish to run away from there, and maker had in fact killed him long ago. He would do as God would direct him. 

Next day the guards discovered the tunnel They asked Akisonov about it. But he only replied that it was not his place to speak about the matter. Thus Maker was saved.

That night Maker came to Aksionov and thanked him for saving him. he admitted to Akisnov that he was the real murderer for which Akisonov was punished. He also added that he had had planned to murder Akisonov also, but left after hearing some noises. 

Both sobbed together. Maker asked for forgiveness. Aksionov said that God would forgive him. 

Finally, Maker confessed his guilt before the authorities. But by the time the order for his release came, Aksionov had already left the world.

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Detailed Summary (Pointwise Breakdown of the story) :

1. Introduction : 

It is a Russian story of a businessman who had to spend 26 years in the jail of Siberia for a crime which he had not committed. He was Aksionov from the town of Vladimir (Russia), who was going to a fair at Nizhny. But it was his ill fate that he was arrested by police for an allegation of a murder (which he not committed). He could not prove his innocence. He was sent to Siberia as punishment. At the end, the real murderer came. he confessed his crime, but by the time the release orders for Aksionov came, he had already left the world.

2. Aksionov and His Wife's Dream :

Aksionov was a businessman from Vladimir. One summer he got ready for Nizhny fair. But his wife asked him not to go, because she had seen a bad dream about him. In her dream she had seen him with grey hair after he had returned from the fair. But he laughed at it and started for the fair.

3. Akisnov Meets a Merchant on the Way :

On the way of his journey, he met another merchant. They both stayed in an inn at night. Both took tea together and slept in adjoining rooms.

Vey early next morning Aksinov started his journey with his horses and coachman. After travelling for 25 miles, he stopped for a rest and to feed his horses.

4. Aksionov's Imprisonment :

But then two soldiers and an official arrived there. They started him asking him different questions. He answered them all, and asked why they were asking him such questions. 

(Officials arrived there)

Then it became clear that the other merchant with with whom he had stayed at the the same inn was found dead with his throat cut. Since they had spent the night in the same inn, he was suspected to be the murderer.

They even searched his bags, and surprisingly, a blood stained knife came out of it. He could not give a satisfactory answer as to how the knife came in bag. He only said that it was not his knife, and that he didn't know how it came in his bag.

(A blood-stained knife came out of Aksionov's bag)

Now he was a suspected murderer. They arrested him he was alleged to have murdered the merchant and to have robbed 20 thousand rubles. He could not prove his innocence in the trial and was sentenced and sent to Siberia, although he had committed no crime.

5. Aksionov's Wife Also Suspects Him:

His wife came to visit him. She didn't know what to do. He said they should send petition to the Czar. She replied she had already done that, but it was useless. 

Then she asked him if he had really committed the murder. Aksionov was shocked at it thinking that even his wife suspected him. He began to weep. Then she went from there. It was the last time that they met.

6. Aksionov's Faith in God :

When his wife had gone, troubled Aksionov thought that only God could know the truth. So he should appeal to him.

7. Aksionov Changes :

He spent 26 years there. During all these years he  became old. His hair turned grey and his beard grew long and grey. He stooped and walked slowly, spoke little and never laughed. He often used to pray.

8. Aksionov's Life in Prison : Spiritual Transformation:

There in prison he learned to make boots and earned a little money. He used to buy and read good books with it. On Sundays he used to go to church and read lessons. He had changed spiritually. He had earned a great respect form the jail officers and fellow prisoners.

(in the jail, Aksionov learned to make boots)

( In the jail, Aksionov used to read good books like The Lives of Saints)

9. Makar Semyonich : The Real Murderer :

One day a new group of new convicts were brought there. One of them was Maker Semyonich. He was of the same age as Aksionov and was from his town. He was suspected of stealing a horse. However, Maker said that once he had committed a grave (serious) crime, but that time nobody could know it. 

Now it was almost clear to Aksionov that Maker was the real culprit. Aksionov was full of anger and wanted to take revenge. However, he preferred not to look in Maker's direction. But he felt extreme restlessness.

10. After Two Weeks :

Aksionov was restless by heart. He was unable to sleep well. After two weeks, being unable to sleep one night, he was taking a walk. Suddenly he found Maker digging a tunnel to escape from there. 

11. Maker Semyonich's Threatening and Offer :

When Maker saw Ivan before him, he was afraid at first. But then he threatened Aksionov to kill him if he disclosed the secret to officials. He also offered to give him a chance to escape from there. Aksionov replied that he (Maker) had already killed him and that he would do as God would direct him. 

12. Tunnel Found :

Maker Semyonich's tunnel was found out by soldiers the next day. All the prisoners were asked, but nobody told anything about it. Finally Aksionov was asked, but he also didn't tell anything about it. Thus he saved maker's life.

13. Maker Asks for Forgiveness :

That night Maker came to Ivan and asked for forgiveness for what he had done with him. He even said that he would confess it and he (Ivan) be free to go home. He also started to sob. 

Ivan replied that God would forgive him. He didn't have any desire to go back home. 

14. Ivan Aksionov Leaves the World :

Finally Maker confessed his crime to the governor. But by the time the order for his release came, Aksionov had already left the world.

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Some Important Questions and Answers

Before Reading: 

Answer these questions:

a. Question : What does the title of the story mean ?

Answer : The title reminds us of the Biblical message that when the world is up and against you, or when you are in a difficult situation in life, God only knows the truth. It tells us that God has always best plans for us that we may not know it, we should be patient.

b. Question : Is it fair to punish the innocent people in the name of justice ?

Answer : No, certainly it is not fair at all. If this happens, the powerful and rich guilty people will never be punished for their guilts. They will always get their crimes pinned on poor innocent people. Thus there will be an anarchy and open injustice in society. 

There is a saying "Let Hundred Guilty Be Acquitted (go free), But One Innocent Should Not Be Convicted."

c. Do you believe dreams might predict the terrible fate of a person ?

Answer : Although many psychological researches have been done about it, nothing has been proved whether dreams can predict anything. So it is only a matter of belief. I do not believe that dreams might predict a person's terrible (or good) fate. 

Rather, we can say that frequent bad dreams can be an indicator of mental health problems, such as anxiety, stress, depression etc.

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Understanding the text:

Answer these questions :

a. What bad habits did Aksionov have before his marriage ?

Answer : Before his marriage Aksionov was an alcoholic person. He had a reputation for drinking and for unruly behaviour while drunk. But he had given up such habits after his marriage, and now he was known as respectable businessman.

b. What can be the meaning of his wife's dream ?

Answer : Aksionov's wife requested him not to go to the fair because she had dreamt he returned from there with all grey hair. 

The dream meant that something evil or very bad was going to happen to him in the fair. It was a symbol of a bad omen.

But, however, Ivan's interpretation of the dream was that it was a lucky sign.

c. Question: Why did Aksionov think of killing himself ?

Answer : After talking with Maker when Aksionov felt that it was Maker who had killed the merchant. He could not sleep that night. 

All sorts of images came in his mind. He thought of his wife, children. He also remembered his past happy days, and also how he was flogged. 

The thought of all these things made him wretched, and he thought of killing himself.

d. Question: Why did Maker disclose that he had killed the merchant ?

Answer : When the jail authorities asked Aksionov about the tunnel, he didn't disclose the fact. Maker was moved and impressed by this. He also felt ashamed of himself. He also felt remorseful (sorry), and finally he disclosed the fact.

e. Question: Why doesn't Aksionov wish to return to his family at the end of the story ?

Answer : There might be different reasons behind it. Firstly, his wife was dead  and his children had forgotten him. So there was no charm for him to return to his family.

Secondly, by the end of the story, he had gone through a spiritual transformation (change). So now he had no worldly desires left in him. He only wanted to pass his remaining days peacefully in the jail itself.

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Reference to the context

a. Question : "Well, old man," repeated the Governor, "tell me the truth : who has been digging  under the wall ?"

1. Who is that old man?

Answer : That old man is Aksionov.

2. Which truth is the speaker talking about ?

Answer : The speaker is asking about who has been digging a tunnel under the wall of the prison ?

3. Which wall does the speaker mean ?

Answer: The speaker means the wall of the prison.

b. Question: Describe Aksionov's character ?

Answer:  Ivan Aksionov is the central character of this story. He is a good example of a dynamic character. Before his marriage he was an alcoholic person. On such occasions he used to show an unruly behaviour.

But after his marriage he had given up such habits. Now he was a respectful and successful business man. In the first half of the story we find him a young and a carefree man, fond of singing and humour.

In the second half of the story, we find him a sober and pious person. 26 years in Siberia had changed him physically and spiritually a lot. He had become much older (as his wife had seen him in her dream).

Spiritually, he had developed a full faith and trust in God, forgiveness and acceptance. Other prisoners used to call him 'grand pa'. We respect him when he got victory over his anger and the feeling of revenge, and Maker. 

c. Question : What is the theme of the story ?

Answer: The story presented as a parable (a story used to give a spiritual, moral lesson), has more than one theme. Some of them are guilt, forgiveness, trust in God etc. 

But the major theme is that in time truth will always prevail (prove more powerful). Have trust that God knows his plan best for us, we should do efforts. 

d. Question : Which symbols are used in the story and do they indicate ?

Answer: The writer has used several symbols in this story. 

First of all, Aksionov's house and two shops are symbols of his good economic condition in the beginning of the story. Next, prison is the symbol of two important things. If it is the symbol of his sufferings, it is also the symbol of his physical and spiritual transformation (change). 

Another important symbol is the blood stained knife, which became the main evidence against him. The knife shows that he didn't have any control over his fate.

Aksionov's white hair is the symbol of wisdom and old age. 

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Reference beyond the text

a. Question : What role does religion play in Aksionov's life? How does he undergo a spiritual transformation in the story?

Answer: Above all 'God Sees the Truth But Waits' is the story of Aksionov's spiritual transformation. As a dynamic character we find him going through a drastic change from a cheerful to a saintly person by the end.

Religion has played a big role in this transformation. When innocent Aksionov arrived Siberia, hr turned to religion and God. He started reading lives of the saints and became a regular church goer too. 

Thus religion played a important role in establishing a connection to the divine. it helped him develop a deep faith in God. The prayers, chants, and hymns helped him develop saintly qualities like respect, forgiveness, mercy etc. 

Thus religion gradually led him towards a spiritual transformation. The culmination (climax, highest point) of his transformation is when he could win over his feelings of revenge and finally forgave Maker.

b. Question : What does the story tell us about the existence of unfair system of justice?

Answer : Although the major theme of this story is that "truth will always prevail" and "God knows his plan always best for us", another dominating theme of the story is injustice. 

Aksionov's story tells about that unfair unfair system of justice. He had not committed the murder, but he was charged with murdering, and without taking much labour, they punished him. Here we find imperfection of justice system.

The writer wants to say that humans have inherent quality of imperfections which affect the system of justice in a very negative way.

Lastly, in this particular case, we can also conclude by saying that 'justice delayed is justice denied.

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Analysis and Interpretation of the Story

1. Writer : 

(Leo Tolstoy : 1828-1910)

2. Genre: Short story / Didactic moral tale / Parable

3. Publication : 1872

4. Setting : Vladimir : Ivan's home / Inn / Siberia : Jail, where Ivan spent 26 years of his life

5. Point of View : The is written in third person narration, presented in past tense. The narrator seems to know all the things happened in the story. The narrative is presented from Aksionov's perspective.

6. Tone: The story has an objective and matter of fact tone.

7. Mood: The story has an anxious, nightmarish, sad, and finally calm mood.

8. Conflict :  

    a. Character Vs. Other Character

    b. Character Vs. Society

    c.  Character Vs. Self

The major conflict comes when Aksionov has a  mental struggle (internal conflict) , when he is asked by jail authorities if he knew who had been digging the hole. His lips and hands trembled for a long time and he couldn't speak. 

He had two opposing forces struggling in mind: on the one hand, he wanted too much to reveal the fact. It was a golden chance for him to take his revenge. On the other hand, he was stopping himself from doing that thinking about its futility, and finally didn't reveal it.

9. The Structure: The structure of this story chiefly depends on two important events : 

first, in the beginning of the story the young, light hearted Aksionov leaves for Nizhny Fair. But it was his ill fate, that he was wrongly accused of a murder which he had not committed, and was sent to Siberia. There he spent 26 years of life. All these years had changed him physically and spiritually.

second, after 26 years in Siberia, finally Maker comes. Akisnov knew that he was the real murderer. When Aksionov was asked about the hole, he didn't disclose the fact. As a result, the repentant maker confesses to the crime. But unluckily, by the time his release order came, Aksionov had left the world. 

10. Foreshadowing : Aksionov's wife's dream and her explanation of it is working as foreshadowing here. Through the dream the writer has given hints that Aksionov was going to fall in some trouble.

11. Irony : 

      A. Dramatic Irony : Aksionov's innocence

      B. Situational Irony : Maker's imprisonment / Maker's asking for forgiveness

12. : Moral Lesson : We just have to wait for the right time to realize what God plans for us in the end.

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[All Images Credit : Google images]

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