"Yet, this old man is unlike all the other zeks. He sits upright and brings his spoon up to his lips. He does not put his bread on the dirty table, but on his clean rag. Somehow, even through countless years of prison life, he has maintained a sense of dignity." He manifests his acute morals in all situations regardless of the status in which he is situated. He stands out, even though he is no different from any other, for many were wrongfully imprisoned for actions not justifiable to the communistic government. Not only does he strive to keep his acute morals uncluttered but he also aspires to maintain a conscientious form of integrity in all his actions. With his deal with one of the Estonians "They always shared and share alike and wouldn't use a single shred of tobacco without the other knowing. They said something to each other under breath and Eino got out his pouch stitched with pink cord. He took some tobacco and put it in Shukov's hand. Then he had another look and threw in a few more strands just enough to make a cigarette but no more." Shukov demonstrated his integrity by attaining trust among the prisoners, a trust gained only from his previous engagements of sincere and honest deeds. Ivan's moral values strived close to that of a nobleman maintaining his dignity without stooping to the lower levels of poor desperate men. Although he was an honest and moral man, not all aspects of his purpose in life focuses on his moral but mainly on his optimistic attitude in excruciating situations. .
Ivan's optimistic attitude motivated the others around him to perform the given tasks with a can do attitude. To a man, ones aspect of life can aspire a man to perform a great deed with a positive attitude, which Ivan had accomplished within the power plant. The 104th gang was stationed at the power plant to finish the construction of the half built structure, in which all members of the gang were assigned a specific task.