Ivan Ilych In Leo Tolstoy's The Art Of Dying

Did Ivan ilych have a “good death”? Death has been one of the most mysterious part in someone life: hard to describe, but yet very present. In the book “The Death of Ivan Ilych” by Leo Tolstoy the main character Ivan Ilyich finds himself fight and eventually accept death. Following the four guidelines of “The Art of Dying” and the story plot, it can be concluded that Ivan didn’t have a good death. What makes his story tragic is not based on his physical death, but on the emotional one. Death starts with suffering, and Ivan goes through a long journey which is the repudiation by his own life. Ivan doesn’t suffer “because he is being punished for his sins, [but] because it’s a consequence of his own or others’ bad choices” (note slide 6). At the beginning of his life Ivan only values material possession and power more than he values himself and his own family. His suffering is the reaction out of his sin against his family. His fall is the result of his work and power driven mind. From a moral point of view Ivan didn’t have a “good death”. Following the 4

[She is] sorry for papa, but why should [she] be tortured?” (The Death of Ivan Ilych 54) His family doesn’t understand what suffering is and what means to him, and therefore felt to be blamed. Instead of alleviating her dad’s suffering she decides to repudiate him and affirms to be tortured, which shows no respect and no dignity. Death happens and should be recognized that is a unavoidable mystery. Some death can be good and other bad. Ivan’s was not a “good death”. He learned and understood suffering as his end was closer, but was not able to consider is death a good one for the lack of care from his family. He had the strength to live through pain and to learn from it. He was able to recognize that god was pivotal at that moment in his life, but he was not able to coalesce his family into a united one to make his suffering less