One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich: Deeper into the Character When Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in 1962, he crossed political barriers in his explanation of the field of Siberian captivity. Through his character Ivan Denisovich, Solzhenitsyn shows us a normal day in the camp. The book has no chapters, so it's as if the reader spends the day with Ivan. On this day he talks about people, living conditions, what should be done and what should not be done. One day. . . it takes us from alarm clock to lights out, with only meals and work in between. However, since it is only one day, it is difficult to truly know and understand the characters. However, Solzhenitsyn uses flashbacks to show different sides of his character, Ivan Denisovich. Solzhenitsyn uses some important flashbacks to show the history of the characters; however, there were two distinct examples that he uses to show Ivan's feelings. These two flashbacks help us understand his humanity and his optimism. When he is at his first labor camp, he receives many letters and packages from his wife. These letters talk about things that happen in the house while the packages contain food and tobacco. However, every time he receives a package, only a small part reaches Ivan after all the appropriate people have taken their share. So, despite his need for food, he writes to his wife telling her to stop sending the packages. He wants her to save bread for their children. Even though he asks her not to send any more packages, he still wants someone to run up to him and say "Shukhov (Ivan) what are you waiting for? You have a package!" (P.160). No one ever does, nor does he expect them to. As much as he wants the package, he doesn't want his family to suffer because of it. This situation shows the reader Ivan's caring and compassionate side. He shows the reader his ability to give up his own food on behalf of his family. Ivan is a very loving father, yet, without this example, the reader would miss an important aspect of his character. Only through this flashback do we get to see this side of him.