The Gulag Archipelago

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1973

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Before You Read

Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-4

Part 1, Chapters 5-12

Part 2, Chapters 1-4

Part 3, Chapters 1-7

Part 3, Chapters 8-14

Part 3, Chapters 15-22

Part 4, Chapters 1-3

Part 5, Chapters 1-6

Part 5, Chapters 7-12

Part 6, Chapters 1-7

Part 7, Chapter 1-P.P.S.

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Solzhenitsyn compares the labor camps before and after the Russian Revolution. How does he believe the Soviet Union’s use of forced labor differs from the Tsarist regime?

The Gulag Archipelago is built on the memories of Solzhenitsyn and other inmates. How does Solzhenitsyn use these anecdotes and experiences to bolster his description of the Gulag?

How does Solzhenitsyn use metaphors like handcuffs and chains to explain the hold the Gulag has over people?