GOD SEES THE TRUTH BUT WAITS hair.

hair. Aksionov laughed and even husband about the rejection of the petition
interpreted the dream as a sign of luck. On to the Czar. • Aksionov wept when his own
• God Sees the Truth, But Waits' is an aptly
the halfway, Aksionov met a merchant wife raised a suspicious question to him.
titled short story that reinforces the biblical
from Ryazan with whom he drank and Aksionov said good-bye to his family for the
message that when the world is up against
spent his night at an inn. Both of them slept last time. For him, God was the only one to
you, God alone knows the truth. Ivan
in adjoining rooms • Next day, before expect for mercy. He was tortured severely
Dmitrich Aksionov is falsely imprisoned for
dawn, he set off with his horses and there. Aksionov was sent to a Siberian
26 years for a crime he did not commit but
coachman while the air was cool. When he prison for twenty- six years to work in the
puts his trust in God. • This short story
had gone about 25 miles, he stopped to mines. His hair and beard turned white and
“God Sees the Truth, But Waits” is a heart-
feed his horses. He ordered samovar and grey. He walked slowly, spoke very little
touching tragic story which has been
started playing his guitar. • At the and never laughed. He learnt to make
written by a Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.
meantime, two soldiers and a district boots and earned money. He bought a
This story is about a young merchant
officer came to him and questioned him a book named “The Lives of the Saints”. He
named Ivan Dimitrich Aksionov who lived in
lot of questions related to the merchant used to read the chapter in the dim light of
Vladimir, a town of Russia. This story has
with whom Aksionov had spent his last the cell and every Sunday he used to read
presented the imprisonment of this main
night. They informed Aksionov about the and sing the chapter at the church • His
character for murder which he hadn’t
merchant’s murder. The dead body of fellow prisoners respected him and called
committed. According to this plot,
merchant had been found at an inn’s room him Grandfather or the Saint. Prisoners
Aksionov was quite a handsome man who
with his throat cut. They took Aksionov would go to him for justice if there were
had two shops and a house. He was so
back to inn’s room and searched his fights in the prison. He spent his every
jovial and very fond of singing. Before
luggage. They found a blood-stained knife single day in God’s devotion and on the way
marriage, he used to drink much and even
in his luggage. Aksionov trembled with fear. of truth. One day, a gang of new prisoners
become riotous. • After marriage, he drinks
• He was charged for murdering the came to the prison. Among those prisoners,
much and even become riotous. After
merchant and even robbing twenty- one was Makar Semyonich. He was a tall,
marriage, he gave up much drinking. He
thousand roubles from him. Aksionov was strong man of about sixty with grey hair. He
had a wife with small kids. Once, during
arrested and sent in prison. His wife came related his story to others about his arrest
summer, Aksionov planned to go to Nizhny
there to meet him along with her small in horse stealing case. He was also from
fair to sell his goods. Before setting off, his
kids. She got permission to meet her Vladimir. When he got known about
wife stopped him going to fair. She
husband from the official after begging Aksiono’ds story, he kept on laughing
informed him about a nightmare which she
much. She fainted to see her husband shamelessly. • Aksionov couldn’t get to
had dreamt. She related that nightmare
among the criminals and thieves in sleep that night after hearing Makar’s
saying that he returned town with grey
criminal’s dress. Later on, she informed her words. He felt sure that Makar was the
person who killed the merchant. He kept
on thinking about his family, his long time
sufferings and so on. After months of
knowing each other, Aksionov discovered
that Makar is the one who killed the
merchant from Ryazan. He was quite angry
with Makar but didn’t speak a word about
it. One night, Aksionov discovered Makar
digging a tunnel under his sleeping shelf.
Makar threatened him not to tell a word
otherwise he would kill him. Aksionov
didn’t bother about Makar’s threatful
words. • Next day, soldiers discovered the
tunnel. The governor arrived to question
the prisoners but no one spoke a word
about the tunnel. When Aksionov was
asked about the tunnel, he also denied
saying about Semyonich. • That night
Makar quietly came to Aksionov. Makar
begged for forgiveness. He confessed the
truth about the murder of the merchant
and also about the fact of a hidden knife.
Aksionov remained silent. Makar knelt
upon the ground and again asked for
forgiveness. He admitted confessing his
crime to the governor. Makar didn’t rise,
bent his head on the floor and wept for his
forgiveness. Aksionov even wept along
with Makar. Aksionov felt his heart lighter.
He longed to stay and die in prison. • God
Sees the Truth, but Waits” is a short story
by Leo Tolstoy originally published in 1872.
The story, a parable about forgiveness that
explores religious and spiritual themes,
tells of a man sent to prison in Siberia for a
murder he did not commit. The story has
been adapted for various media, including
films and radio programs. This guide refers
to the 1990 Norton Critical Edition. • Set in
Tolstoy’s contemporary Russia, the story is
narrated in the third person in a simple and
straightforward style. The main character is
Ivan Dmitrich Aksenov, a successful
merchant from the town of Vladimir.
Aksenov is a carefree man who led a
somewhat wild youth before settling down
and starting a family • One summer, as
Aksenov prepares to leave town on
business, his wife approaches him and begs
him to delay his departure. She recounts an
ominous dream in which she saw Aksenov
return from his journey and take off his cap,
only to reveal that the hair underneath had
turned gray. Aksenov casually dismisses his
wife’s concerns and sets out. • During his
journey, Aksenov meets another merchant,
an acquaintance of his, on the road. The
two spend the night at the same inn. The
next morning, Aksenov rises early and
continues his journey without waking the
other merchant. Soon, however, the police
stop and question him, revealing that the
merchant with whom Aksenov stayed the
night before was murdered. While
searching through Aksenov’s baggage, the
police find a bloody knife and conclude that
Aksenov murdered the merchant and stole
his money. Aksenov insists that he is
innocent and the knife is not his, but the
police do not believe him. They arrest
Aksenov and take him to a nearby town,
where he is imprisoned. • Aksenov is
charged with murdering the merchant and
robbing him of 20,000 rubles. His wife visits
him, bringing their children with her. She is
overcome when she sees her husband,
asking him what to do and reminding him
that she warned him not to leave town
when he did. She then asks if Aksenov really
committed the murder. Aksenov is
horrified that even his wife suspects him.
After his family leaves, he determines that
only God knows the truth and that he must
turn to God for mercy. • Aksenov is
convicted, flogged, and sentenced to hard
labor in Siberia, where he spends 26 years
as a convict. During this time, he acquires a
reputation for piety and meekness; the
other inmates nickname him
“Grandfather” and “The Saint.” • One day,
a new prisoner named Makar Semenich
turns up at the prison camp. Aksenov
suspects that Makar is the man who really
murdered the merchant. He experiences a
moral crisis, longing for vengeance against
the person who caused all his suffering. •
The conflicted Aksenov soon happens upon
Makar digging a tunnel out of the prison.
Makar tells Aksenov of his plan to escape
and promises to get Aksenov out too if he
cooperates, but he threatens to kill
Aksenov if he reports the tunnel. The next
day, the authorities discover the tunnel and
interrogate all the prisoners. When they
ask Aksenov if he knows who is responsible,
he considers betraying Makar and letting
him pay for ruining his life. However, he
decides to keep silent and responds that it
is not God’s will for him to speak. • Makar,
deeply moved, approaches Aksenov that
night and begs for his forgiveness,
confessing that it was he who murdered
the merchant 26 years before. He promises
to tell the truth to the authorities so that
Aksenov can go home. Aksenov is reluctant
to forgive Makar, saying that he no longer
has a home to go back to. Makar breaks
down in tears, still begging for forgiveness,
and Aksenov weeps with him. Finally,
Aksenov tells Makar that God will forgive
him; he himself identifies with Makar as a
sinner. At this moment, Aksenov is released
from all desire except the desire to die.
Though Makar confesses to the authorities,
Aksenov is dead by the time the order for
his release arrives.
• Understanding the text
• Answer these questions.
• wretched that he was ready to kill
• a. What bad habits did Aksionov
have before his marriage?
• ➜ Aksionov was a very handsome
and jovial person who used to seek
his happiness. Before marriage, he
had very bad habits of drinking
alcohol and involving in fights. He
used to drink much and become
riotous.
• b. What can be the meaning of his
wife’s dream?
• ➜ The meaning of his wife dream
can be a sign of bad omen. In her
dream, she had seen her husband
returning his town with grey hair.
She became quite afraid of her
husband. She supposed the dream
as a sign of evil.
• c. Why did Aksionov think of
killing himself?
• ➜ Aksionov thought of killing
himself because he remembered
all those harsh situations which he
had faced in his life without
committing any crime. He
remembered his torture, the
people around him while he was in
chains, the convicts, twenty-six
years of imprisonment, his
premature old age etc. All these
painful thoughts made him so
himself.
• d. Why did Makar disclose that he
had killed the merchant?
• ➜ Makar disclosed that he had
killed the merchant because he felt
ashamed of himself. He felt pity
over Aksionov. Aksionov saved
Makar from the governor though
he was a victim of Makar’s crime.
The act of Aksionov made Makar
feel ashamed and disclose his
crime.
• 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 at the end of the story
because he has become quite Old.
He has spent his entire life in prison
without committing any crime. He
is feeble too at this age. He desires
to die in the prison instead of going
to his family.
• 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 who
has spent his twenty-six years in
prison.
• 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.
• ➜ Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov was a
young wealthy merchant in the
town of Vladimir in Russia. He had
two shops and a house. He was a
handsome man with fair-curly hair.
He was full of fun and very fond of
singing. He used to drink much
before marriage but later on, he
changed himself and became a
good man. He had virtuous
qualities such as faith, forgiveness,
freedom and acceptance. He was
accused of murdering a fellow
merchant and robbing him. He
suffered a lot in prison and spent
his twenty-six years waiting for
God’s judgement. He was also
mentally strong because he was
able to endure many unfortunate
events, such as losing his home and
his business. Finally, he displayed a
strong religious devotion by
growing closer to God during
difficult times. He was a truthful
man, holding his peace till the end
but circumstances changed his fate
and he died in prison at last.
• c. What is the theme of the story?
• ➜ We find various themes here in
this story “God Sees the Truth, but
Waits”. The major themes in the
story are guilt, forgiveness, faith,
conflict, freedom and acceptance.
The story has presented all these
themes. Among these themes,
forgiveness is one of the greatest
themes. Here, we find forgiveness
of Aksionov for Makar Semyonich.
Although Aksionov has spent his
twenty-six years in prison for a
crime he didn’t commit, he is able
to forgive Makar who committed
the crime. This story has shown the
best form of revenge which is
forgiveness.
• Which symbols are used in the
story and what do they indicate?
• ➜ Answer: We find the use of
many symbols here in this story.
Following are the symbols used in
the Story: 1. House and
Shops: House and shops symbolize
the earthly material possession
which doesn’t favour anyone and
remain forever. Aksinonov doesn’t
get the support of his possession
till the end.
• 2. Nightmare (grey hair): The
terrible dream of Aksionov’s wife
symbolizes the terrible fate of
Aksionov. The story has presented
the bad results of the nightmare.
The grey hair in the dream turns
out to be real in Aksionov’s life.
• 3. The prison: The prison itself is a
symbol of Aksionov’s suffering and
his eventual spiritual
transformation. Prison is the place
where he finds pains, tortures and
even spiritual transformation.
• 4. Book (The Lives of the Saints):
This is the symbol of religious
transformation within Aksionov
Due to this book Aksionov devotes
his life towards God and keeps
faith till the end.
• Reference beyond the text
• a. What role does religion play in
Aksionov’s life? How does he
undergo a spiritual
transformation in the story?
• ➜ Religion plays a very vital role in
Aksionov’s life. He has spent his
whole life in Siberian prison
expecting for the right judgement
of God. After being suspected by
his wife, he gives up all his hopes
and tells himself that God only
knows the truth. For twenty-six
years as a convict in Siberia, he
grows older. In prison, Aksionov
works hard and learns to make
boots. He earns a little money with
which he buys the book ‘The Lives
of the Saints’. He devotes his life in
the name of religion being much
faithful on God. He starts reading
and singing this book in the
prison’s church on Sundays. He
realizes about various aspects of
life, fate in connection with the
religion. The prison authorities
even like him for his meekness. His
fellow-prisoners respect him and
call him “Grandfather” or “The
Saint.” He knows about fate,
spirituality, God’s devotion,
righteous path, acceptance,
forgiveness etc. He keeps on
showing his truthfulness. He meets
the real murderer of the merchant
but remains silent. He even saves
the convict from the governor. He
gets self-realization and forgives
Makar at the end. Aksionov
realizes that forgiveness is the path
to peace. He obtains peace at last
and dies. In this way, we find him
and his life-transforming from
materialism to spiritualism only
because of religion.
• b. What does the story tell us
about the existence of unfair
system of justice?
• ➜ The story tells us about the
existence of an unfair system of
justice through the main
protagonist’s incident of life. Here
in this story, a good and innocent
man is wrongly imprisoned on a
charge of murder, punished for 26
years and made to lose everything
and his entire life for no fault or
crime of his own, but only based on
evidence. He suffers a lot entire his
life but get self-realization and dies
peacefully at last.