Relevance of Ivan Ilych

Paper Summary:

In this study of "The Death of Ivan Ilych" by Leo Tolstoy, the writer notes that the book is very relevant today because of its message concerning living an empty life, one that is filled with pursuing all the wrong things. The writer points out that Tolstoy gets straight to the truth about life and how it should be lived, in this story about a very ordinary man that realizes he has wasted his life. The writer discusses that Ivan shows how people can become manipulated by egotism, falsity, and hypocrisy and waste their lives chasing these things in vain. Further, the writer demonstrates that the story is pertinent today, because we find many individuals living the same kind of life that Ivan did without even knowing it. In addition, the writer discusses that death is inevitable and instead of chasing after empty ideals, man should think of life beyond death. The writer concludes that through this point of view, one sees how Tolstoy was a severe realist, which allows his message and social commentary to remain just as significant today as ever.

From the Paper:

"The phsyical death that Ivan endures is "merely the last phase of mortality" . From this perspective, we can see how Tolstoy inserts his belief that all things in life are coverings for the reality of death. In short, death is inevitable. How Tolstoy approaches this particular death forces us to think about the meaning of our own lives. Death is more than death. When we see Ivan's attitude change, we see a ray of hope that we can life a life that is right, good and satisfying, if we choose. What we must realize is that the choices are difficult and sometimes not always clear. This is the truth of Ivan's life.
This notion leads us to another concept that Tolstoy supported, which was that one must listen to his or her own inner voice. This is a problem our society struggles with today because we are constantly bombarded with messages from every angle. If we do not find our own voice and find our own way, we will surely be lead atray by meaningless efforts."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Nabokov, Vladimir. Lectures on Russian Literature. Fredson Bowers, ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 1981.
• Tolstoy, Leo. "The Death of Ivan Ilych." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. R. V. Cassill, ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company. 1981. pp. 1370-1415

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