Within every human, even the most innocent and purehearted among us, rests a Gollum of sorts — a miserable, bitter, resentful, insane, irrational, covetous wretch capable of unspeakable malice and self destruction. The creature Gollum, previously known as Smeagol, is a manifestation of our own Jungian shadows, and a dormant possibility within each of us. The quicker we realize this, and the more we acknowledge this grim and sneaky possibility, the quicker we will be able to deal with it in a healthy fashion.
The bipolar, internal dialogue between Smeagol and Gollum in “The Passage of the Marshes” exemplifies this perfectly. In a bout of pure masochism, he argues whether it would be best to “take the Precious” because he “hates Bagginses,” (Tolkien 632) or continue to guide the Hobbits towards the ring’s destruction. This is symbolic of the human condition, and displays the good vs. evil struggle that we all must endure.
Similar mental turmoil plagued even the kindest spirits within the horrid boundaries of the Soviet Gulag Archipelago. Although their plight is grossly underrepresented in academia and beyond (due to inexplicably lingering sentiment for leftist totalitarianism), these people had to experience the worst that mankind has to offer. Surrounded by cacosphere of death, starvation, abuse, and disease, the consciences of all were tested.
Thus, it is nothing short of saintly that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was able to write (to ANY degree) sympathetically about even the Communist loyalists. He is able to swiftly articulate their reasons for justifying Communist doctrine at all costs, stating that it is simply “the price a man pays for entrusting his God-given soul to human dogma” (Solzhenitsyn 243). In this way, he both casts away his tested Jungian shadow, all the while exercising the waning principle of Christian forgiveness. It is a testament to Solzhenitsyn’s strength of character.
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