Home

Week of 3/23

Chapter 3 of The Gulag Archipelago focused on the concept of fear in the camps. The narrator describes fear as a constant, thus explaining that “peace of mind is something our citizens have never known.” It isn’t simply fear of arrest, but rather fear of basically everything, essentially stripping away any kind of individual rights. One manifestation of the fear was a state of constant betrayal. Betrayal presented itself in the simple way of not acting at all—rather than directly doing something bad. Another way this fear is expressed in society is through “the permanent lie.” Existing in a ‘normal’ manner is no longer safe since practically every word, expression, or motion is monitored, therefore everyone lives a life fully of little lies in order to protect themselves.

In my opinion, this chapter is a very clear example of a response to a totalitarian rule. The feeling of always being watched and controlled is at the center of Hannah Arendt’s definition of totalitarianism. While reading this, I was able to make a connection back to Witness and the way Whittaker Chambers was constantly being watched and criticized during the trial.