White as Snow (Simile)
During his twenty-six years of wrongful imprisonment, Aksionov's hair turns "white as snow." More than a means of describing the pure white color of Aksionov's hair, Tolstoy's simile echoes a Bible verse in which the Lord says "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," a passage understood as God's desire for sinners to be pure of heart so that he may forgive their sins. The reference speaks to Aksionov's purity and devotion to God as he awaits God's forgiveness for the sins he may have unwittingly committed.
His Heart Grew Light (Metaphor)
At the end of the story, Aksionov finally grants God's forgiveness to Semyonich. Tolstoy writes that Aksionov's heart grows "light" as soon as the words leave his mouth. In this metaphor, Tolstoy uses figurative language to illustrate the combined emotional and physical effect of granting forgiveness. Having released his resentment toward Semyonich, Aksionov feels as though his heart, which the burden of resentment and injustice have weighed down, undergoes a physical transformation in which it becomes lighter.
The Saint (Metaphor)
As Aksionov undergoes a physical and spiritual transformation in the Siberian prison camp, devoting himself to studying The Lives of the Saints and attending church, he comes to be known by fellow inmates as "The Saint." In this metaphor, Tolstoy uses the figurative language of a nickname to convey to the reader how Aksionov's meekness, equanimity, and religious devotion create an aura of godliness that the other inmates recognize as qualities belonging to a saint.
