The Death Of Ivan Iliych Analysis
Wolfe 2
Wolfe
J.L. Nason
LIT 425
14 September 2012
Reflection 2 In The Death of Ivan Iliych, the root of Ivan’s suffering is illustrated by the passage, “He wept on account of his helplessness, his terrible loneliness, the cruelty of man, the cruelty of God, and the absence of God” (Tolstoy 47). He is unable to accept that decisions that he had made throughout his life had brought him to this point. He does not see that his selfishness; his inability to develop personal connections, and his lack of compassion for his wife, his family, his professional and social acquaintances, or his lack spirituality are being reflected in his illness. Ivan was incapacitated with terrible, uncontrollable pain, and under the influence of opium, possibly causing heightened anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia. He lay awake many nights, terrified by his undiagnosed illness. It was ruining his life, and in turn he took out his anger on those around him. So he lived, “all alone on the brink of an abyss, with no one who understood or pitied him” (28). Although he realizes he is dying he can’t believe it is happening to him. The only small relief he can find in his physical …show more content…
He is unable to resolve why he is dying. “His mental sufferings were due to the fact… the question suddenly occurred to him: “What if my whole life has been wrong?” (52). Although he ponders this, it is not until the priest hears his confession he “was softened and seemed to feel a relief from his doubts and consequently from his sufferings” (54). On his deathbed his son sits beside him and weeps. He realizes that his life was not as it should have been; that he had been cruel and emotionally selfish to his family. He realizes that he can change this by dying and ending the suffering of those around him, and this in turn will release him from his
Wolfe
J.L. Nason
LIT 425
14 September 2012
Reflection 2 In The Death of Ivan Iliych, the root of Ivan’s suffering is illustrated by the passage, “He wept on account of his helplessness, his terrible loneliness, the cruelty of man, the cruelty of God, and the absence of God” (Tolstoy 47). He is unable to accept that decisions that he had made throughout his life had brought him to this point. He does not see that his selfishness; his inability to develop personal connections, and his lack of compassion for his wife, his family, his professional and social acquaintances, or his lack spirituality are being reflected in his illness. Ivan was incapacitated with terrible, uncontrollable pain, and under the influence of opium, possibly causing heightened anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia. He lay awake many nights, terrified by his undiagnosed illness. It was ruining his life, and in turn he took out his anger on those around him. So he lived, “all alone on the brink of an abyss, with no one who understood or pitied him” (28). Although he realizes he is dying he can’t believe it is happening to him. The only small relief he can find in his physical …show more content…
He is unable to resolve why he is dying. “His mental sufferings were due to the fact… the question suddenly occurred to him: “What if my whole life has been wrong?” (52). Although he ponders this, it is not until the priest hears his confession he “was softened and seemed to feel a relief from his doubts and consequently from his sufferings” (54). On his deathbed his son sits beside him and weeps. He realizes that his life was not as it should have been; that he had been cruel and emotionally selfish to his family. He realizes that he can change this by dying and ending the suffering of those around him, and this in turn will release him from his