Assignment on Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

Introduction of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

In this paper there is the analysis of the One Day on the Life of Ivan Denisovich, however, the writing/directing of Orange is the New Black is very good as the novel and season is based on the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's the classic novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Kerman). Both novels are not just a story but it is a great lesson for all the readers as well who wants to learn. It is always great to have a story with some lesson to learn, as it served two purposes; one, it provides entertainment; second, it helps to spread awareness. Let’s start the essay of this famous novel One Day on the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Behrouz Boochani is the world’s most famous prison narratives and testaments and it focused on the aspects related to the state-sponsored oppression, time of genocide, slavery etc. 

Life of Ivan Denisovich is analyzed by the Behrouz Boochani and Orange is the New Black. In the whole novel, Solzhenitsyn portrays different ways in which conflict and competition both among the prisoners makes the life even much worse at times. There exists a hierarchy between the different prisoners who work from inside and those who also work outside the camp. There are many prisoners who have power or skills in different things like, cooking or building of the foreman and punishing the other prisoners. So, story very much covers each and every aspect of the prison life (Tofighian).

Thesis Statement of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

“How Orange is the New Black and Behrouz Boochani portrayed Life of Ivan Denisovich? What can be some comparisons and contrasts?”

Word humanity is being forgotten of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

Both Orange is the New Black and Behrouz Boochani are based on the concepts of the prisoners’ life. It is important to understand that a human life in prison is way different than the life being spent normally, as two lifestyles can have so many aspects to look at. There is focus on the destruction of the human harmony takes place in many different formats like through the tribulations and trials of Ivan from the novel by the name of One Day on the Life of Ivan Denisovich along with many other fellow men of Ivan in the same camp through the hardcore work and force as well. Word Mercy is not shown at all in the hardcore camp where Ivan is living with his fellow men, they all are not given proper food which they can eat or anything of their use. Food is given to them according to the work they do and in many cases they are even made to work no matter how much they become ill or sick. The main enemy of the Zek’s is another by the name of zek.  As talked above, different kind of lacking do take place in the camp that even turn different prisoners against one another just for their survival.

Word humanity is being forgotten by different people and especially the prisoners in the camp. They completely forget about this word that one should take care of others around them as well. Writer has given much different kind of examples related to the word humanity to make people realize about it in a better way. The people, who are in the prison, why it happens that they, forget about normal things or concepts of life such as being able to show humanity. Question is that whether this word humanity which actually is a feeling is important or not? Humanity is important or beneficial for survival or not? Writer is telling about the old prisoners and also about the new prisoners that how do they manage to live. Writer is saying at one place that there are some men who like the leftovers of other men, then there are many people who completely rely on the doctors to pull them through the tough conditions and in the last there are some people who cry upon their own bodies. Purpose of mentioning these things is that such people can’t survive long according to the writer. Though writer do know that squealers do survive no matter what and even at the stake of their own humanity (Tofighian).

The concepts related with the different prisoners

Both Orange is the New Black and Behrouz Boochani have the concepts related with the different prisoners as in the One Day on the Life of Ivan Denisovich Shukhov lived in a camp with many other different fellow men where different prisoners exist and their languages are even being controlled by the authorities. No longer residents of the Soviet Union, they are now not allowed to call the guards “comrade” however ought to check with them as “citizen,” therefore marking through their very language their reputation of their inferior popularity. Similarly, the requirement that each one prisoners do ff their hats to guards while passing them within the paths of the camp forces the prisoners to understand their inferior, powerless status. How then, in an environment in which their every move and phrase is managed and monitored, can a prisoner preserve his freedom and humanity? This depicts the fondness and the slavery of human beings (Солженицын).

Different things have been discussed by now in the essay above but we have not talked about the Ivan that how he came to a place like camp which is a very difficult place to live and survive. Well, now before digging further a bit let’s talk about the Ivan from the novel “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” Ivan is one of the most innocent person but why did he get punished and have to live in the camp even after being innocent? Well Ivan is being punished by the Government for being a spy. Spying is an act which is not allowed by the Government and is considered wrong no matter what. Shukhov woke up late one day because of his sickness as mentioned in the novel and for getting up late in the morning he was asked to go and clean the guardhouse. This was just a minor punishment and nothing else as compared to many other big punishments that have been discussed in the book already. People or prisoners one can say living in the camp feel much difficult as they can’t fulfill their even basic needs. All the readers of both novels see the life of a Russian camp only through the eye of Denisovich. Each and every kind of information has been given through his thoughts what he thinks right is written right and what he thinks wrong about anything has been written wrong. Information of the camp has also been given through his feelings and actions (Kerman).

Cope up with prisoners sins of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

Orange is the New Black and Behrouz Boochani can be different at some points as there is the solitary man. However, the main purpose of this book is to let people know about what have they done wrong in one way or the other and how they need to cope up with their sins. Making prisoners live in a camp is not for the sake of Government or they will have any benefit but all this act is being done for the people who gets involved in different activities, wrong deeds and for what they need to be stopped. If they don’t get stopped ultimately they will move towards greater sins and that will become not an issue for their own self but for the whole community as well. Each and everything for the prisoners in the camp was being managed by the commandants in a proper way and through proper track as well.

In the novel we have seen a very famous incident which states that one day Ivan was busy in smoking and all of a sudden Shukhov hears a noise or whisper of someone shouting and saying that the guards are stripping all of them one by one towards their undershirts in search of different items. Chief security by the name of Lieutenant Volkovi is one of the most horrifying character of the whole novel who not only scares the prisoners in the camp but guards as well. So he is the one supervising the whole incident so reader can easily imagine the condition of both the guards and prisoners that how much tense that situation must have been. Whenever he visits the camp he always bring a very thick leather whip with him and he lash that leather whip to those whom he see standing in the form of groups as compared to making a straight line and standing in proper position. This is not just a one way of showing the illogical way for the searching but it also shows the dirty politics that how often prisoners get insulted (Kerman).

Prisoners in the novel has been shown doing work as labors, they are even treated worse than the labors at different scenarios. A statement which is very famous in the novel by the prisoners is that “we carry loads now and we shall carry loads forever” this statement shows the clarity of the different laborers and prisoners as well.

Well this whole story in the novel revolves around the different incidents that takes place in the camp and how they get manageable. Above mentioned are some of the very famous incidents that needs to be highlighted. Every person in this do make some sins and they should be told that they have done wrong and I guess Government is making a right decision to make them well aware of the outcomes because if hardships won’t become a part of their life then they won’t learn. But on the other side giving this much torture and punishment to the people is also not good as it can make them even way stronger in thinking that we shall take revenge after getting freedom. Everything needs to be done in a mutual way.

In both novels there is the unique and the main goal behind both novels is to make sure that the human dignity remains intact which has been seen in the form of Ivan, who clearly thinks about the fact that human need to be survive with full dignity and along with this they also need to serve the humanity in different ways (Tofighian).

Conclusion of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

It can be concluded that Behrouz Boochani and Orange is the New Black is based on the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Humanity is being depicted and torture is another word that is opposite of the word humanity. One should always avoid using or applying this word or act in their life as there is no religion on this earth that has allowed a person to do torture on the other human beings. Every person in this world is made by God and they have been given an equal importance. No one is superior to the other and they should not even think about it once because of money, job, vacancy or anything. Every person in this world should think rationally and they should also support other people as much as possible for them. Every person should think others problem as their own problem, one should try to solve them in all the possible ways. Another important think is respect, everyone deserves to get respect and we all should try to respect the other person around us instead of humiliating or torturing them.

Both novels are very good way of letting people know about the word Humanity and how it needs to be used in everyday life. People in such a busy life have completely forgotten about this deed. Both novels have let people realize that they should apply it in their daily life again. Hurting others will not give peace but being support of one another in difficult times is a useful thing and makes people not only happy but lively as well. It is important to understand that life is not about having one’s own comfort or luxuries, but it is also about having humanity and sympathy for others around you.

Works Cited of Prison writing of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and ‘Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison Narratives’

Kerman, Piper. "Orange is the new black: My year in a women's prison." Random House Digital, Inc. (2010): 1-199.

Tofighian, Omid. "Behrouz Boochani and the Manus Prison narratives: merging translation with philosophical reading." JOURNAL OF MEDIA & CULTURAL STUDIES 32.4 (2018): 532–540.

Солженицын, Александр Исаевич. One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich. Bantam Books, 1990.