Illustrious Artist - Juliana R.

Week 3

Page 68 to 105

Illustrious Artist

          I chose this picture because Shukhov and his gang, Gang 4, are working together to complete their tasks. They are all in the Power Station using teamwork to prevent the cold so they can continue to work during the night at a temperature in a temperature which they can survive. They are helping each other because they know that if they want to win an award and be a good Gang they need to help each other to get there. The Gang is more important than the individual since the rewards are given to the groups and not to one person. Shukhov begins  fitting pipes together to form a smoke outlet to keep the stove from smoking up the place, though he lacks the necessary tools to do so. Yet, he does not gives up and clears his mind to be concentrated on the labor on his hands. 

          This part stood out to me because it shows us how teamwork is important and how they were big risk takers because if his temperature plan failed, they would die. The image shows three people contributing with what they have, and it shows how everything works out when all parts are connected. Therefore, this scene was meaningful for its teamwork message and it inspires me to make my contribution in any time I need to work in a group, since it will probably be something great in the end. 

          Money is something many people nowadays are interested in having more and more each day. So did people in 1951. Shukhov and his wife wanted more money, like any other person, he wants to be wealthy. After finally sending his wife a letter, something he does only twice a year, she explains to him how people are getting wealthy by making carpets out of sheets with designs stenciled on them. He acts not to be interested. His wife continues and states how it is not government controlled, so some bribery is required. She tries to persuade him to get this job after he gets out of the camp. He acknowledges the plan, but has no interest in designing carpets. He also does not like the bribery part. He does not want bribery to be his way of life.

         This shows how everyone always wants more money and to be wealthy, yet it isn't easy. Everyone wants to have a job they like, but sometimes it is not the best job if you need more money to have a good life. In Shukhov's case, he has the opportunity to take a job to be wealthy, but he won't be happy making carpets and bribing, two things he has no interest in to take as his way of life. This scene was significant to me because it showed the difficulty of being happy and wealthy at the same time was hard at the time, and how it is nowadays as well. 

Image Team Work: Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin., Clinical. Working Together to Make It Better. Digital image. Clinical & Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Sept. 2014. <https://ctsi.mcw.edu/event/working-together-to-make-it-better-communities-academics-irbs/>.

Money image: Studio, Julia. "Thoughts on Wealth Creation." Path Conscious RSS. Julia Studio, 25 May 2011. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. <http://www.pathconscious.com/thoughts-on-wealth-creation/>.