The Death Of Ivan Illyich Rhetorical Analysis

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An epiphany of life is greatly needed in the world today, even if it is during death. In the book, "The Death of Ivan Illyich", by Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Illyich, the main character, does just that. In the beginning of the book this man named Ivan Illiyich has died. The book then continues to explain Ivan Illyich's life and how his life was very immoral. Ivan Illyich then dies but just as he takes his last few breaths, he has an epiphany and understands that there will be a better life waiting for him. The theme that best fits this book would be live a meaningful life, not a superficial one for the authors changing tone and the characters development throughout the book support it perfectly.

The authors changing tone in the book perfectly supports the theme of live a meaningful life, not a superficial one. One example would be in the very beginning of the book. At the beginning the tine the …show more content…

As Ivan Illyich settled in St. Petersburg. He acquires a beautiful house with over the top finishes. Tolstoy wrote, "Thus the continued to live. And everything went on as if it would ever be so, and everything was very good" (30). The passage just oozes the tone of satirical. At the very start of the book it explains that Ivan Illyich dies and in the chapters before this passage it explains that Ivan Illyich leads an immoral life, has an abusive wife, and has a lot of miscarriages. Ivan Illyich's life is definitely not good, people could even say it is superficial, and this sarcastic tone the author expresses about Ivan's superficial life only helps the theme. One other example of the authors changing tone would be in the end of the book. At the very end of the book the authors tone dramatically changes to a tone of joy. As Ivan Illyich is in his last hours of life, he has an