After reflecting on Alyosha's religious faith, Ivan thinks about the god-like power of the gang boss. This thought association is not accidental: in Ivan's world, the gang boss replaces Alyosha's God as the omnipotent authority. As Ivan will state in a later conversation with Alyosha, his (Ivan's) world is based on existential principles, in which metaphysical authorities do not operate. In Ivan's world, the gang boss makes all decisions, and these decisions directly affect the all-important food rations. In comparison to this situation, even the Camp Commandant is unimportant, and, significantly, we never even see this supposedly powerful figure. We see only his lackeys.
While the men wait for the work assignments, they discuss the fact that there has not yet been a blizzard this winter which would prevent them from marching to work. It should be noted, though, that a blizzard could hardly be much worse than the sub-zero temperatures and the winds which they have to endure on this particular day; in addition, they have to make up all lost working days by working on Sundays. Significantly, however, any break in the boring routine is welcome.
After another brief look at the unadaptable Buynovsky and at the disgusting Fetyukov, we observe the gang receiving their work orders. Ivan Kilgas (the Latvian) and Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, both named Ivan, are teamed up. Their identical first names are an indication of their parallel backgrounds as skilled, conscientious workers. While neither one of them is important in terms of the bureaucratic hierarchy of the gang — Caesar Markovich's packages carry more weight there — they are respected for their skill and for their practical problem-solving ability. They may not be fortunate enough to be able to provide food to bribe officials, but they assure the well-being of the gang by appropriating material to keep the bitter cold out of the workroom and by assuring the fulfillment of the work quotas by fixing the stove and the cement mixer. In this sense, they are of equal, or greater, worth than Caesar, the rich intellectual, who has been able to bribe himself out of doing hard work altogether.
