God sees the truth but waits

Understanding the text

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

Aksionov used to drink before his marriage and was riotous when he drank too much.

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

The meaning of his wife’s dream can be the bad fortune or unluck.

c. Why did Aksionov think of killing himself?

When the Aksionov meet the real murderer of the businessman, he had lost everything. He was not getting support from the family members too, kept in prison for 26 years, grown old before time. So he thought of killing himself.

d. Why did Makar disclose that he had killed the merchant?

Makar disclosed that he had killed the merchant because he realized his mistake and thought that he should not let other be punished for his crime. He did so because he felt pity over Aksionov.

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

Aksionov doesn’t wish to return his family his wife was dead, he didn’t know about his children and lived in the name of God at the end of the story.

Reference to the context

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

i. Who is that old man?

That old man is Aksionov.

ii. Which truth is the speaker asking about?

The speaker is asking about the truth of digging an escape hole.

iii. Which wall does the speaker mean?

The speaker means the prison’s wall.

b. Describe Aksionov’s character.

c. What is the theme of the story?

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

Reference beyond the text

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

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