Beyond merely describing the environment, how does the "smoke-begrimed and greasy atmosphere" and the "chill morning twilight" function as an active, oppressive force shaping the workers' physical and psychological states? If this setting were benevolent, how might the opening chapter fundamentally change?

From the book

street. With somber faces they hastened forward like frightened roaches, their muscles stiff from insufficient sleep. In the chill morning twilight they walked through the narrow, unpaved street to the tall stone cage that waited for them with cold assurance, illumining their muddy road with scores of greasy, yellow, square eyes. The mud plashed under their feet as if in mocking commiseration. Hoarse exclamations of sleepy voices were heard; irritated, peevish, abusive language rent the air with malice; and, to welcome the people, deafening sounds floated about--the heavy whir…

to her, was lower than the factory chimneys. The mother sighed, and adjusted the collar of her dress, which choked her. She felt sad, but it was a dry sadness like the dust of the hot day. "Gee!" mumbled the driver, shaking the reins over the horse. He was a bow-legged man of uncertain height, with sparse, faded hair on his face and head, and faded eyes. Swinging from side to side he walked alongside the wagon. It was evidently a matter of indifference to him whether he went to the right or the left. "Gee!" he called in a colorless voice, with a comical forward stride of his crooked…

to be able to eat they drank, long and deep, goading on their feeble stomachs with the biting, burning lash of vodka. In the evening they amused themselves idly on the street; and those who had overshoes put them on, even if it was dry, and those who had umbrellas carried them, even if the sun was shining. Not everybody has overshoes and an umbrella, but everybody desires in some way, however small, to appear more important than his neighbor. Meeting one another they spoke about the factory and the machines, had their fling against their foreman, conversed and thought only of…

s stiff with insufficient sleep" _Frontispiece_ "The mother ... strained her untrained mind to listen" 34 "It seemed to Vlasova that the officer was but waiting for her tears" 92 "Taking out one package of books after the other, she shoved them into the hands of the brothers" 116 "The mother's heart quivered with impatience" 142 "'Listen, for the sake of Christ'" 232 …

eeth. But now there was animation in their voices, and even gladness. The servitude of hard toil was over for the day. Supper awaited them at home, and respite. The day was swallowed up by the factory; the machine sucked out of men's muscles as much vigor as it needed. The day was blotted out from life, not a trace of it left. Man made another imperceptible step toward his grave; but he saw close before him the delights of rest, the joys of the odorous tavern, and he was satisfied. On holidays the workers slept until about ten o'clock. Then the staid and married people dressed…