Be Yourself

The Death of Ivan Ilych effectively exploits the reader’s emotions to achieve its thematic effects. By placing the funeral ceremony in the beginning of the novel, the readers are introduced with an obscure scenario that involves indifferent attendees, which in its intended effects will typically stimulate the readers’ interest. At first, the readers do not know who this dead person really was and could care less of his identity, but as the story progresses and as the readers begin to understand Ivan Ilych’s character do we become more considerate and respectful of his death. As a result of Tolstoy’s additions of these attendees who play cards along with the widow who only wants to speak with Ilych’s best friend about additional pensions, the readers begin to feel sympathetic for Ilych, which also provides a rational transition to the reason of Ilych’s death. As discussed in our class, I too agree that by adding the true motives of the “so-called friends” in the beginning of the novel, it allows us to accurately perceive each character as the story unfolds. Themes involving deception and denial within its depressing plot further enhance our emotional attachment to Ivan Ilych.

Deception and irony are important aspects of this novel because it is the root of Ilych’s death. Ilych must suffer from whether or not he is doing the right thing in order to live a guilt-free life. Simply hoping to mask the family’s faults by masquerading their social life under the aristocratic façade, Ilych attempts to blend in with the people in high society to be recognized as an important person to boost his ego and especially satisfy his indulgences. However, I find it sad how people are judged by their possessions as the narrator explained, “all things people of a certain class have in order to resemble other people of that class.” Although we feel happy that Ilych has finally received his high-paying job, we soon feel sympathetic when the detrimental aspects of wealth consume him. As Ilych is assimilating into the upper class lifestyles, he assumes the notion that wealth is what life is all about and soon becomes consumed by materialism. The root of Ilych’s death is his neglect of his health (not taking medicine, playing bridge late into the night, eating unhealthy foods like sturgeon) because he must please other people in order to fulfill his perception of belonging to the same class. Ilych’s failure to hang the drapes acts as a metaphor in which the falling of the drapes is the final act of exposition of his deception. The drapes are symbolized as a curtain that rendered his perception of life in which money can solve everything.

People like Ivan Ilych tend to deny certain facts because they cannot stand to face their faults and fears. By not facing the problems at hand, it gives Ilych a false sense of feeling eased and contentment as he recklessly indulges in his lavish lifestyle, even though he had been diagnosed with his illness. As exemplified in Love in the Time of Cholera, men fear aging because it signifies their deterioration of health, which eventually leads to death. I feel sorry for Ivan because he is helpless to a point in which he cannot even raise his own legs, yet his family still denies that he is on his deathbed. The sad emotional aspect is further underscored when he no longer refuses to acknowledge his ill health and tries to exclaim to his family, “Stop lying! You know and I know that I am dying. Then at least stop lying about it!” At the end of the novel, we are pleased to see that Ivan finally understands doing the proper thing. (618)