Tolstoy's The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

“The Death of Ivan Ilyich” makes us understand that death is a must for all of us. This is a fact that we unpleasantly believe in; the bitter aspect being that we have to suffer first before facing death. Though our medicines may be better than those applied on Ivan by his doctors, we have not gotten closer to evading mortality (Tolstoy, 1886). Nowadays medicine might be better than the medicine that Ivan had . In fact, many people still die after long fight with disease . The story helps us understand what individuals go through before or when they are dying,
According to the author , the primary features of human nature are mortality and pain. Ivan lives a carefree a life that is “most simple and ordinary therefore most terrible (Tolstoy, 1886).” Like other people, he understands that he sails through his life climbing a social ladder: with a wife who demands too much than he can afford. Also, he suffers a lot as he tries to work his way up so as to become a magistrate. Basically, Ivan’s focus on his work more than his family his family life becomes intolerable.
This is depicted where Ivan falls awkwardly and hurts his side as he was trying to hang curtains for his novel home. He doesn’t concentrate much on the fall until he starts experiencing pains on his side. His behavior towards his family grows irritable as the pain brings discomfort to him. Finally, his wife suggests that he visits a physician. As cited in the story, the physician cannot ascertain the primary cause of his pain, though it emerges that his condition is terminal. Disturbed by this diagnosis, Ivan tries all his best to find cure for his worsening condition (Tolstoy, 1886). The pain grows so intense that he is forced to stop working and thus spends most of his time in bed receiving