Ivan Ilych's Character

Leo Tolstoy sets up the story of The Death if Ivan Ilych in such a way that first the reader comes to an understanding of the society in which Ivan lives, second he/she develops a negative/neutral picture of the self-centered Ivan, and finally he/she empathizes with Ivan as he approaches death. When I read the first chapter of The Death of Ivan Ilych, there were many signs that his friends did what they did because they thought it was the proper action and that the society was based on promoting one’s own well-being and social status. When someone died it was not too traumatic on their friends because the friends were simply happy that they remained in good health. Even Ivan’s supposed best friend is upset that by going to Ivan’s funeral, his regular game of bridge is delayed. Also, at Ivan’s funeral, Praskovya is more upset about her current financial situation, rather than the death of her husband. As I learned more about Ivan though the story of his own life, I saw him in a negative light. He did not desire to do jobs that helped anyone or that followed his interests, rather he chose his career by what he thought the proper thing to do. All the choices in his life were made by consideration of what he should be doing not what he wanted of what was best for his family. He is neither compassionate towards others, nor a particularly good man in any sense. Yet, when he becomes sick it is easy to forget that Ivan got himself into his predicament by living a life empty of human compassion and full of false friendships. Ivan’s inner issues that he only begins to sort out in a time of desperation are self induced. Ivan resents the false nature of his friends and family concerning his illness. Everyone pretends that he will get better and that he is not nearly death daily. The reader feels bad for Ivan and also becomes frustrated with his family, but Ivan is only breaking through his falsity shell when he is faced with death. Had Ivan’s wife been the one sick, I believe that Ivan would show equally little compassion toward her that she shows toward him, and he would never undergo the realization brought on by his terminal illness that his life “had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible” (55).
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