Prisoners in Dostoevsky's The House of the Dead, in a prison camp in Siberia work arduously to squirrel away whatever money they can scrounge up, work release, trade in contraband, vodka, they strive and connive to save up some money so that they can blow it all on one big night out, get drunk, feast, strut around the prison yard, party, pick fights, risking nearly everything, rape and murder, crazy debauches. Why? Why can't they turn their saving industry to more productive ends go the scornful reproaches of prison authorities. Here is an explanation of this prisoner behavior ending with a funny deadpan cautionary note characteristic of Dostoevsky but offered by one Aleksandr Petrovich Goryanchikov, nobleman and teacher sentenced to prison for murdering his wife,
Finally, they run some risk when they give themselves up to this boasting; in which
again they find a semblance of life and liberty—the only thing they care for. Would not a
millionaire with a rope round his neck give all his millions for one breath of air? A
prisoner has lived quietly for several years in succession, his conduct has been so
exemplary that he has been rewarded by special exemptions. Suddenly, to the great
astonishment of his chiefs, this man becomes mutinous, plays the very devil, and does
not recoil from a capital crime such as assassination, violation, etc. Every one is
astounded at the cause of this unexpected explosion on the part of a man thought
incapable of such a thing. It is the convulsive manifestation of his personality, an
instinctive melancholia, an uncontrollable desire for self-assertion, all of which obscures
his reason. It is a sort of epileptic attack, a spasm. A man buried alive who suddenly
wakes up must strike in a similar manner against the lid of his coffin. He tries to rise up,
to push it from him, although his reason must convince him of the uselessness of his
efforts.
Reason, however, has nothing to do with this convulsion. It must not be forgotten
that almost every voluntary manifestation on the part of a convict is looked upon as a
crime. Accordingly, it is a perfect matter of indifference to them whether this
manifestation be important or insignificant, debauch for debauch, danger for danger. It is
just as well to go to the end, even as far as a murder. The only difficulty is the first step.
Little by little the man becomes excited, intoxicated, and can no longer contain himself.
For that reason it would be better not to drive him to extremities. Everybody would be
much better for it.
But how can this be managed?
No comments:
Post a Comment