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The Death Of Ivan Ilyich Essay

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The Death of Ivan Ilyich: The Lesson
Tolstoy’s work of art is an education of a man’s transition to death. It is far from physical or even psychological; it is the mental, emotional, and spiritual battle that plagues Ivan Ilyich's inner being. The bodily deterioration of Ivan Ilyich is categorized by a corresponding increasing pursuit for purpose and meaning. Ivan Ilyich realizes that he did not live a good life and regretted the choices he made. By the time he actually realized his life was not what it should have been, he was unable to change it and make it better. The Death of Ivan Ilyich is one which undoubtedly depicts the ethical message of how the choices we make in life directly correlates with how we experience death.
The Death of Ivan Ilyich, is a tale of a man whose life ends …show more content…

My only consolation was the pages were minimal in this one. As I continued reading I thought about how arrogant and self-centered his relationships were. Poor guy to have lived with such people. Continuing through the pages I realized; although learned, Ivan Ilyich was just as shallow and self-centered himself. While reading there are instances which trigger my memory and thoughts; this happened at the time Ivan received his fatal injury. The thought wasn’t related to his fall, it was related to his hanging curtains and feeling pride. This was me, for a period of time. Just like Ivan, I did not have the best role models and the ones I did have relayed a message that happiness comes in materialistic form. The concept was, as long as everything looked good on the outside (to others) all was well. It did not matter what was felt on the inside. The happiness derived from new curtains or a car was fleeting, and if lucky would last a few days. I would look at my house and things with pride. If I had died at this point I would have had a death similar to Ivan

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