Leo Tolstoy's The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

Tolstoy uses” The Death of Ivan Ilyich” to illustrate to his readers the undesirable consequences of living a life as Ivan Ilyich did. The theme of the story is lies and deceit. Ivan Ilyich made decisions centered on the thoughts and perceptions of what others thought. He also placed much emphasis on monetary benefits during making decisions. The closer Ilyich becomes with his own mortality, he grasps that he had wasted everything that was pure and meaningful in his life for acceptance, work, and money. The theme of lies and deceit is portrayed throughout the book. “Ivan Ilych wanted to weep, wanted to be petted and cried over, and then his colleague Shebek would come, and instead of weeping and being petted, Ivan Ilyich would assume a serious, severe, and profound air, and by force of habit would express his opinion on a decision of the Court of Cassation and would stubbornly insist on that view. This falsity around him and within him did more than anything else to poison his last days” (Tolstoy 760). Leo Tolstoy’s use of point of view and imagery in ‘The Death of Ivan Ilych’ illustrates inner turmoil between living for their own satisfaction and living for the approval of others
Tolstoy utilizes imagery throughout the story. According to Danaher, the use of light and dark imagery is not
I have discovered that many people live life similar to the way Ivan did. Individuals that live for status therefore living shallow lives with little or no meaning I have learned that life is short and that we only have one life to live. Each person should live each day for happiness and contentment as Gerasim did. Tolstoy ability to use imagery and point of view is masterful. This leads me to a better understanding of the position many individuals find themselves in. Ivan like many others lived his life for the acceptance of others and not his own