Appreciation Towards The Story “God Sees the Truth, But Waits” by Leo Tolstoy

In my view, this story is really amazing. Sad story actually. But it is great. You should read it. I also put the appreciation at the bottom. Enjoy...

Story:

In the town of Vladimir lived a young merchant named Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov. He had two shops and a house of his own.

Aksionov was a handsome, fair-haired, curly-headed fellow, full of fun, and very fond of singing. When quite a young man he had been given to drink, and was riotous when he had had too much; but after he married he gave up drinking, except now and then.

One summer Aksionov was going to the Nizhny Fair, and as he bade good-bye to his family, his wife said to him, "Ivan Dmitrich, do not start to-day; I have had a bad dream about you."

Aksionov laughed, and said, "You are afraid that when I get to the fair I shall go on a spree."

His wife replied: "I do not know what I am afraid of; all I know is that I had a bad dream. I dreamt you returned from the town, and when you took off your cap I saw that your hair was quite grey."

Aksionov laughed. "That's a lucky sign," said he. "See if I don't sell out all my goods, and bring you some presents from the fair."

So he said good-bye to his family, and drove away.

When he had travelled half-way, he met a merchant whom he knew, and they put up at the same inn for the night. They had some tea together, and then went to bed in adjoining rooms.

It was not Aksionov's habit to sleep late, and, wishing to travel while it was still cool, he aroused his driver before dawn, and told him to put in the horses.

Then he made his way across to the landlord of the inn (who lived in a cottage at the back), paid his bill, and continued his journey.

When he had gone about twenty-five miles, he stopped for the horses to be fed. Aksionov rested awhile in the passage of the inn, then he stepped out into the porch, and, ordering a samovar to be heated, got out his guitar and began to play.

Suddenly a troika drove up with tinkling bells and an official alighted, followed by two soldiers. He came to Aksionov and began to question him, asking him who he was and whence he came. Aksionov answered him fully, and said, "Won't you have some tea with me?" But the official went on cross-questioning him and asking him. "Where did you spend last night? Were you alone, or with a fellow-merchant? Did you see the other merchant this morning? Why did you leave the inn before dawn?"

Aksionov wondered why he was asked all these questions, but he described all that had happened, and then added, "Why do you cross-question me as if I were a thief or a robber? I am travelling on business of my own, and there is no need to question me."

Then the official, calling the soldiers, said, "I am the police-officer of this district, and I question you because the merchant with whom you spent last night has been found with his throat cut. We must search your things."

They entered the house. The soldiers and the police-officer unstrapped Aksionov's luggage and searched it. Suddenly the officer drew a knife out of a bag, crying, "Whose knife is this?"

Aksionov looked, and seeing a blood-stained knife taken from his bag, he was frightened.

"How is it there is blood on this knife?"

Aksionov tried to answer, but could hardly utter a word, and only stammered: "I--don't know--not mine." Then the police-officer said: "This morning the merchant was found in bed with his throat cut. You are the only person who could have done it. The house was locked from inside, and no one else was there. Here is this blood-stained knife in your bag and your face and manner betray you! Tell me how you killed him, and how much money you stole?"

Aksionov swore he had not done it; that he had not seen the merchant after they had had tea together; that he had no money except eight thousand rubles of his own, and that the knife was not his. But his voice was broken, his face pale, and he trembled with fear as though he went guilty.

The police-officer ordered the soldiers to bind Aksionov and to put him in the cart. As they tied his feet together and flung him into the cart, Aksionov crossed himself and wept. His money and goods were taken from him, and he was sent to the nearest town and imprisoned there. Enquiries as to his character were made in Vladimir. The merchants and other inhabitants of that town said that in former days he used to drink and waste his time, but that he was a good man. Then the trial came on: he was charged with murdering a merchant from Ryazan, and robbing him of twenty thousand rubles.

His wife was in despair, and did not know what to believe. Her children were all quite small; one was a baby at her breast. Taking them all with her, she went to the town where her husband was in jail. At first she was not allowed to see him; but after much begging, she obtained permission from the officials, and was taken to him. When she saw her husband in prison-dress and in chains, shut up with thieves and criminals, she fell down, and did not come to her senses for a long time. Then she drew her children to her, and sat down near him. She told him of things at home, and asked about what had happened to him. He told her all, and she asked, "What can we do now?"

"We must petition the Czar not to let an innocent man perish."

His wife told him that she had sent a petition to the Czar, but it had not been accepted.

Aksionov did not reply, but only looked downcast.

Then his wife said, "It was not for nothing I dreamt your hair had turned grey. You remember? You should not have started that day." And passing her fingers through his hair, she said: "Vanya dearest, tell your wife the truth; was it not you who did it?"

"So you, too, suspect me!" said Aksionov, and, hiding his face in his hands, he began to weep. Then a soldier came to say that the wife and children must go away; and Aksionov said good-bye to his family for the last time.

When they were gone, Aksionov recalled what had been said, and when he remembered that his wife also had suspected him, he said to himself, "It seems that only God can know the truth; it is to Him alone we must appeal, and from Him alone expect mercy."

And Aksionov wrote no more petitions; gave up all hope, and only prayed to God.

Aksionov was condemned to be flogged and sent to the mines. So he was flogged with a knot, and when the wounds made by the knot were healed, he was driven to Siberia with other convicts.

For twenty-six years Aksionov lived as a convict in Siberia. His hair turned white as snow, and his beard grew long, thin, and grey. All his mirth went; he stooped; he walked slowly, spoke little, and never laughed, but he often prayed.

In prison Aksionov learnt to make boots, and earned a little money, with which he bought The Lives of the Saints. He read this book when there was light enough in the prison; and on Sundays in the prison-church he read the lessons and sang in the choir; for his voice was still good.

The prison authorities liked Aksionov for his meekness, and his fellow-prisoners respected him: they called him "Grandfather," and "The Saint." When they wanted to petition the prison authorities about anything, they always made Aksionov their spokesman, and when there were quarrels among the prisoners they came to him to put things right, and to judge the matter.

No news reached Aksionov from his home, and he did not even know if his wife and children were still alive.

One day a fresh gang of convicts came to the prison. In the evening the old prisoners collected round the new ones and asked them what towns or villages they came from, and what they were sentenced for. Among the rest Aksionov sat down near the newcomers, and listened with downcast air to what was said.

One of the new convicts, a tall, strong man of sixty, with a closely-cropped grey beard, was telling the others what be had been arrested for.

"Well, friends," he said, "I only took a horse that was tied to a sledge, and I was arrested and accused of stealing. I said I had only taken it to get home quicker, and had then let it go; besides, the driver was a personal friend of mine. So I said, 'It's all right.' 'No,' said they, 'you stole it.' But how or where I stole it they could not say. I once really did something wrong, and ought by rights to have come here long ago, but that time I was not found out. Now I have been sent here for nothing at all... Eh, but it's lies I'm telling you; I've been to Siberia before, but I did not stay long."

"Where are you from?" asked some one.

"From Vladimir. My family are of that town. My name is Makar, and they also call me Semyonich."

Aksionov raised his head and said: "Tell me, Semyonich, do you know anything of the merchants Aksionov of Vladimir? Are they still alive?"

"Know them? Of course I do. The Aksionovs are rich, though their father is in Siberia: a sinner like ourselves, it seems! As for you, Gran'dad, how did you come here?"

Aksionov did not like to speak of his misfortune. He only sighed, and said, "For my sins I have been in prison these twenty-six years."

"What sins?" asked Makar Semyonich.

But Aksionov only said, "Well, well--I must have deserved it!" He would have said no more, but his companions told the newcomers how Aksionov came to be in Siberia; how some one had killed a merchant, and had put the knife among Aksionov's things, and Aksionov had been unjustly condemned.

When Makar Semyonich heard this, he looked at Aksionov, slapped his own knee, and exclaimed, "Well, this is wonderful! Really wonderful! But how old you've grown, Gran'dad!"

The others asked him why he was so surprised, and where he had seen Aksionov before; but Makar Semyonich did not reply. He only said: "It's wonderful that we should meet here, lads!"

These words made Aksionov wonder whether this man knew who had killed the merchant; so he said, "Perhaps, Semyonich, you have heard of that affair, or maybe you've seen me before?"

"How could I help hearing? The world's full of rumours. But it's a long time ago, and I've forgotten what I heard."

"Perhaps you heard who killed the merchant?" asked Aksionov.

Makar Semyonich laughed, and replied: "It must have been him in whose bag the knife was found! If some one else hid the knife there, 'He's not a thief till he's caught,' as the saying is. How could any one put a knife into your bag while it was under your head? It would surely have woke you up."

When Aksionov heard these words, he felt sure this was the man who had killed the merchant. He rose and went away. All that night Aksionov lay awake. He felt terribly unhappy, and all sorts of images rose in his mind. There was the image of his wife as she was when he parted from her to go to the fair. He saw her as if she were present; her face and her eyes rose before him; he heard her speak and laugh. Then he saw his children, quite little, as they: were at that time: one with a little cloak on, another at his mother's breast. And then he remembered himself as he used to be-young and merry. He remembered how he sat playing the guitar in the porch of the inn where he was arrested, and how free from care he had been. He saw, in his mind, the place where he was flogged, the executioner, and the people standing around; the chains, the convicts, all the twenty-six years of his prison life, and his premature old age. The thought of it all made him so wretched that he was ready to kill himself.

"And it's all that villain's doing!" thought Aksionov. And his anger was so great against Makar Semyonich that he longed for vengeance, even if he himself should perish for it. He kept repeating prayers all night, but could get no peace. During the day he did not go near Makar Semyonich, nor even look at him.

A fortnight passed in this way. Aksionov could not sleep at night, and was so miserable that he did not know what to do.

One night as he was walking about the prison he noticed some earth that came rolling out from under one of the shelves on which the prisoners slept. He stopped to see what it was. Suddenly Makar Semyonich crept out from under the shelf, and looked up at Aksionov with frightened face. Aksionov tried to pass without looking at him, but Makar seized his hand and told him that he had dug a hole under the wall, getting rid of the earth by putting it into his high-boots, and emptying it out every day on the road when the prisoners were driven to their work.

"Just you keep quiet, old man, and you shall get out too. If you blab, they'll flog the life out of me, but I will kill you first."

Aksionov trembled with anger as he looked at his enemy. He drew his hand away, saying, "I have no wish to escape, and you have no need to kill me; you killed me long ago! As to telling of you--I may do so or not, as God shall direct."

Next day, when the convicts were led out to work, the convoy soldiers noticed that one or other of the prisoners emptied some earth out of his boots. The prison was searched and the tunnel found. The Governor came and questioned all the prisoners to find out who had dug the hole. They all denied any knowledge of it. Those who knew would not betray Makar Semyonich, knowing he would be flogged almost to death. At last the Governor turned to Aksionov whom he knew to be a just man, and said:

"You are a truthful old man; tell me, before God, who dug the hole?"

Makar Semyonich stood as if he were quite unconcerned, looking at the Governor and not so much as glancing at Aksionov. Aksionov's lips and hands trembled, and for a long time he could not utter a word. He thought, "Why should I screen him who ruined my life? Let him pay for what I have suffered. But if I tell, they will probably flog the life out of him, and maybe I suspect him wrongly. And, after all, what good would it be to me?"

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

Aksionov glanced at Makar Semyonich, and said, "I cannot say, your honour. It is not God's will that I should tell! Do what you like with me; I am your hands."

However much the Governor! tried, Aksionov would say no more, and so the matter had to be left.

That night, when Aksionov was lying on his bed and just beginning to doze, some one came quietly and sat down on his bed. He peered through the darkness and recognised Makar.

"What more do you want of me?" asked Aksionov. "Why have you come here?"

Makar Semyonich was silent. So Aksionov sat up and said, "What do you want? Go away, or I will call the guard!"

Makar Semyonich bent close over Aksionov, and whispered, "Ivan Dmitrich, forgive me!"

"What for?" asked Aksionov.

"It was I who killed the merchant and hid the knife among your things. I meant to kill you too, but I heard a noise outside, so I hid the knife in your bag and escaped out of the window."

Aksionov was silent, and did not know what to say. Makar Semyonich slid off the bed-shelf and knelt upon the ground. "Ivan Dmitrich," said he, "forgive me! For the love of God, forgive me! I will confess that it was I who killed the merchant, and you will be released and can go to your home."

"It is easy for you to talk," said Aksionov, "but I have suffered for you these twenty-six years. Where could I go to now?... My wife is dead, and my children have forgotten me. I have nowhere to go..."

Makar Semyonich did not rise, but beat his head on the floor. "Ivan Dmitrich, forgive me!" he cried. "When they flogged me with the knot it was not so hard to bear as it is to see you now ... yet you had pity on me, and did not tell. For Christ's sake forgive me, wretch that I am!" And he began to sob.

When Aksionov heard him sobbing he, too, began to weep. "God will forgive you!" said he. "Maybe I am a hundred times worse than you." And at these words his heart grew light, and the longing for home left him. He no longer had any desire to leave the prison, but only hoped for his last hour to come.

In spite of what Aksionov had said, Makar Semyonich confessed, his guilt. But when the order for his release came, Aksionov was already dead.

 Appreciation:

1. After you read the dialog from actor, who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist in this story according to you?

Answer: After I read dialog in the story, I got the protagonist is the merchant, Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov, and the antagonist is Makar Semyonich.

2. What do you think about the protagonist? What has he done so he called good character? Explain!

Answer: In my view, the protagonist is the main character in the story. He is the mutual point of story. He is the most common thing which tells in the story. He also usually and almost always does something good, never doing bad thing. Many people love protagonist because he makes people want to do something good like what protagonist do. In this story, the protagonist is the merchant, Ivan Dmitrich Aksionov, he always do something good in the story.

3. Do you like him? Why?

Answer: Yes, I do. I do really like him so much. I don’t know how I can tell how I like him in this story. He is really a very good and kind man. In this story, he was suspect as a murder and condemned. I like him because actually the case is he clean. He never killed anybody. So he was got in the jail as a convict which he never done. When he met the real murderer, Makar, he felt very angry but he was not angry to him. Then, he forgave Makar because he thought why he should not forgive him. At the last, he was dead in holy.

4. Is there any character that you dislike? Who? Why you hate him/her? What character of him/her that you dislike?

Answer: Yes, of course there is. I really hate the murderer, the antagonist in the story, Makar. He was a robber and murderer. I hate him because he had killed the merchant, friend of Aksionov. Then, the knife that he used he put into Aksionov’s bag. And he escaped with free at that time. When he did that worst thing, he never thought about another, what will happen to people because of his action.

5. Where the story happened? Do you like the setting or not? Why?

Answer: At the first time of the story, it happened at Aksionov’s home when he bade to his family. Then, he met the merchant who he knew. They stayed in the inn for a night before go to Nizhny fair. Because of the misfortune, he went to jail. Those are the main place happened in the story. I like the setting. Every place explained was clear and reasonable.

6. Is the story tells about good things? Is it reasonable?

Answer: Yes, it is. The story tells about the merchant who was slandered being a murderer, Aksionov. Because of the slander, he went to the jail for 26 years. You can imagine how long it is, going to jail for a long time just because misfortune, not exactly his sin. At the first time he was in jail, everybody suspect him as a murderer, including his wife. He was very sad. So he prayed to God everyday and every time because he knew that only God knew he was not a murderer, he just was slandered. Because of his praying, he found the real murderer, his name Makar. But he knew Makar after 26 years he was in the jail. Aksionov still forgave Makar at the end before he was dead. He is really a good man, I learn so much good thing in this story.

              This story is also really reasonable. Even in this era, the thing like this story can be happened. There are so many slanderer hiding, even our friend. So, we must be very careful in doing every activity in our life. Just be careful and always pray to God, Allah SWT.

7. Is the style of the story communicative of figurative? Explain!

Answer: The style of the story is communicative. It is easy to understand. The vocabulary is also easy. I just got several difficult words. When you read the story, you will feel really enjoy the style of story. It was not boring. You will just flow to read and read again until finish. For me, when I read the last part, I still want to read again because I love this story. And it is easy to understand for me.

8. What event in the story do you think is very important? Why?

Answer: I think event in this story that very important when the merchant, Aksionov bade good-bye to his family. At that time, his wife didn’t let him go because she dreamt Aksionov returned from the town, and when he took off his cap, she saw that his hair was quite grey. She was afraid there would be something bad happened to him. But Aksionov laughed and said that’s a lucky sign, he didn’t believe it. I choose this event become very important event because if Aksionov heard his wife and didn’t go that day, he would be safe from the slander and he could always together with his wife and children without going to jail for 26 years. I really hope he listened for his wife and didn’t let himself go.

9. Can you feel what is felt by the character? What does he/she feel?

Answer: Yes, I can feel what the character felt. The wife’s feeling, she really afraid what would happen to her husband when he went to the fair because of the dreamt that she dreaming. Then, when she heard her husband in the jail, she really shocked. So she went to the jail to meet Aksionov. At jail, she found her husband in the cell, she felt so sad why it could happen with him. But she still not really believe when Aksionov said that she was not the murderer because everything was like show he was as a murderer.

              For Aksionov’s feeling, at first he wanted to go, he really sure there would not bad thing happen, he felt everything would be okay. Then, when someone slander him he really afraid, he was afraid not because of his guilty but because he never did it and someone put knife on his bag. At jail, he felt sad, no one believe him. So he prayed to God, he felt okay, he felt in peace. He never felt vengeance with the real murderer.

10. Would you do the same thing if you were the protagonist character? Explain it.

Answer: Yes, I will do the same thing like the protagonist character if I am in his position. When someone slandered me, I would be very afraid when I found a knife in my bag covered with blood. But I will not feel like guilty like him, I will surely tell the police that I do really didn’t do it. Besides, police can checked first, called “sidik jari” to make sure the real murderer. When police didn’t find mine, so I was not the murderer.

   Then, when I found the real one who slanderer me like that, I think I will do the same thing with him, just forgive him because if I don’t do like him it also can make me have a sin for me because God can forgive human, so we as a human also can forgive human like us.

11. Can you imagine what happens? Explain it!

Answer: Yes, I can imagine what happens. This story tells about merchant name Aksionov who slandered as a murderer of his friend who also a merchant. One day before he went to the fair with his friend who also a merchant, his wife dreamt about him and didn’t let him go. But Aksionov just thought that a funny thing so he still went to fair. Because of the slander, he was in jail for 26 years. In his 26 years at jail, finally he found the real murderer named Makar. He really hated him, but he still forgave him. Last, at the day Aksionov was free and could go from the jail, Aksionov was dead.

12. What characters that the protagonist has?

a. honest          b. good and kind         c. responsible, discipline, and independent

Answer: In my view, the protagonist character, Aksionov, has those characters. He is honest, good, kind, responsible, discipline, and independent. He always honest with his wife, his friends, and police when he answered the question. He never lie. He is good and kind with everyone. Although a long time ago he used to drink and people thought he was bad, but actually he is good and kind. He also responsible, he proved it with his wife and his job. He did his duty as a husband and he also responsible with his job as a merchant. He also discipline and independent. It showed when he was went to the fair for his job.

13. Why did the protagonist character do the action?

Answer: When the protagonist went to fair that his wife didn’t let him go, he still go because that’s his job, he must have responsibility to go. Then he was in the jail because of the slander. He couldn’t do anything because he really couldn’t. He had tried to take amnesty, but still couldn’t. So he just can pray to God because no one believe him, everybody suspected him. Then for about 26 years he prayed to God, God answer his question. He knew who was the real murderer. But, he still forgave him because he thought it was not a bad thing to forgive. Besides, he was getting too older, his wife was dead, and his children didn’t know him anymore, so he forgave him before he was dead for the day before he free to jail.

14. What do you think of the protagonist character’s action?

Answer: I think he was done everything in a best way of him. He thought everything he did was right and the best. When he went to the fair, he thought he would back home with much money from the fair, but the fact someone slandered him and he went to jail. At jail, he also tried to take amnesty, but the fact he couldn’t too. So he always prays to God and he got the answer after 26 years waiting.

15. Do you agree or disagree the bad action done by anyone to the character? Why?

Answer: I do really disagree with bad action done by the antagonist, named Makar. He was really bad. He was not only robbed, but also murdered. He used to do that for a long time. He is the antagonist character in this story. He was the slanderer. He slandered Aksionov that made Aksionov in the jail for 26 years. He was really bad creature and bad man.

16. In your point of view, what does the story talk about?

Answer: In my point of view, the story is talks about the answer from God. God will always answer the pray from anyone who pray to God. When someone never believes us, God know us every time. God know everything we do, He know whether we are right or wrong. In this story, God know that Aksionov was a good man although others thought he was bad. Because of Aksionov have prayed every time in the jail, God answer his pray, but Aksionov must wait for the answer. God know everything about us.

17. Choose one important and interesting word according to you. Then explain it.

Answer: I choose “pray”. Pray is the most important thing in this world to do every day and every time. Sometimes when we didn’t have someone to become a listener when we sad, we pray to God. He will listen to us every time. God will always listen to us even when we were in happy or sad. Just pray to God every day and every time.

18. Why do you choose it?

Answer: I choose it because in this story, there’s no one believe with Aksionov, even his wife. So he always prays to God, God always listen to him. Then God answer his pray, He show who was the real murderer to Aksionov. Everything happened in this world because of God let it happened.

19. Do you have the same experience with the story?

Answer: I don’t have the same experience with the story. I hope I will never ever have the same experience with this story. This story is really sad story, I don’t want it happen in my life. I hope not and never going to be happened.

              But, my neighbor ever have the same with the story, not really same but similar. It was happened about eight years ago. He was my neighbor in near my grandfather’s home. He was killed someone near his house because the man who was killed was a bad man, he wanted to made my neighbor’s wife became his but his wife didn’t want with him and the man who was killed wanted to kill her. The husband was really angry and didn’t want his wife to be killed, so he killed him. Everyone thought he was bad man because he killed the man, but actually he did it with a good reason. So, he was in the jail because he wanted to help his wife. I think this story has similar with my story because both of the men in the jail were a good man. They didn’t want to do it in the real but it happened to them.

20. Have you ever watch the same film or read book similar with this story?

Answer: I ever watched film like this. I remembered the film was in Indosiar channel. There were many title of film I’ve ever watched which has the same experience with this story. In the film, I watch the man was slandered by his friend. So he was in the jail because of the slander from his friend. Then he prayed to God for everything and please showed who was right. Finally, God answer his praying and he was release free. But, when I watch the film, I saw happy ending story. At the end of the film, he could meet his family again and live ever after. Then the truly murderer live in the jail forever.

21. Please connect this story with social life, culture, and your religion. How you do it?

Answer: In my social life, the experience which same like this story is not common. Because I think it is seldom happened someone slander another because of money. But, this story is also talks about pray to God. God know the truth, but we should wait with pray. There are many people do pray in my social life. In our culture, slander someone is really bad thing. You will have great sin if you do that. According to my religion, Allah said in:

ü  Al-Isra: 33

Means: “And do not kill the soul which Allah forbidden (to kill), but by a (reason) is right. And whoever is killedunjustly, then indeed we have given power to heirs, but heirs do not exceed the limits in the killing. Indeed he is the person who get help.”

(Shows It is forbidden to kill.)

ü  Al-Mukmin(40):60

Means: “And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you”

(Shows pray to Allah.)

ü  Az- Zalzalah(99): 7-8

Means: ”So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.”

(Shows Allah know everything.)

ü  Al-Maidah (5): 2

Means: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah , witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”

(Shows do something beneficial and good together, not bad thing.)

ü  Al-Ikhlas  : 2

Means: “Allah , the Eternal Refuge”

(Shows Allah is everything.)

ü  Al-Baqarah: 186

Means: “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.”

(Shows Allah hear when someone pray to Him.)

ü  Al-Baqarah: 153

Means: “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”

(Shows be patient and pray to Allah.)

Al-Furqon: 77

Means: “Say (unto the idolaters): ‘My God does not keep you, but if there is ibadatmu. (But how do you worship Him), whereas you really have rejected Him? Because it later (the punishment) would (happen).”

(Shows Allah will punish someone who reject Allah.)

22. Please connect or tell how the protagonist character shows this:

a. Lovely

b. Care

c. Cooperation

d. Confident

e. Creative, hard worker, and never give up

f. Love God and nature

g. Toleransi, peace, and persatuan.

Answer: I think the protagonist has all the characters above. He is lovely, he loves his wife and his children, so he went to fair because wanted to get money from there for his wife and his children.

  He also care with his wife and children, also when he was in the jail, he really care with his friends in jail. When people in jail wanted to petition the prison authorities about anything, they always made Aksionov their spokesman, and when there were quarrels among the prisoners they came to him to put things right, and to judge the matter.

  He did cooperation with his friend when they were together wanted to go to the fair.

  He was really confident man. He felt confident to go to the fair though his wife didn’t let him go because of her dreamt, but Aksionov still go, he confident everything would be okay.

  He also creative, hard worker, and never give up shown in his responsibility with his job. Everything would be happened he still work hard.

  He really loves God. It is shown when he always prays to God when he was in the jail. Besides, he loves peace. Although he knew Makar was the real murderer who slander him, but he didn’t fight with him, he love peace.

23. Is the story interesting? Explain!

Answer: Yes, the story is interesting. With this story, I can imagine what Aksionov looks like, how about his wife, Makar, also their home, his job, place inside the story, etc. That’s makes me think more what happened in the story. The story also tells about good things and bad things, so I can choose what I should do and what I shouldn’t do.

24. Is the story valuable? What values did you get from reading the story?

Answer: Yes, the story really valuable. It tells us how important pray it is. Anytime we need God, He always beside us when we pray. Besides, with this story, we know what the right thing to do and what the bad thing. We know that murder is really the worst thing, even slander.

25. What do you think of the author?

Answer: The author in this story can make simple words become large meaning. Inside of the story he wanted people pray to God every time. The author must be someone who always prays to God when he has some problems in his life which he can’t handle it by himself. He believes God will always help him. He just has to wait the answer from God.

26. Is the protagonist has this:

a. respect         b. polite           c. justice and leadership

Answer: Yes, he has. He respect with his wife, his children, and the police who ask him about the murder and knife. He was also polite with every people and has justice and leadership. It was shown when police ask him, he answer politely though he was not the murderer. Then, in jail, he spoke polite with everyone and people called him “grandfather” and “The Saint”.