From the very outset of lvan‘s rise to prominence as a noblemen within Petersburg Russia, we are introduced to a world filled with individuals marked by astute intelligence, and abundant wealth. Ivan Ilyich is among them. He stands as one well acquitted in the art of eloquence and civility, held in high regard by his family and peels, One may as well assume that Ivan is set for the ideal life. What more could a man want? Ivan is riches; he is respected. He is even married, Who would possibly expect such a life to change for the worse? However much like Ebenezer Scrooge of A Christmas Cami, by Charles Dickens, Ivan Ilych, would soon learn what a self serving and isolated life he lead.
Subsequent to being Plagued, lvan undergoes a series of terrible misfortunes that result in physical as well as financial ruin. As a result of this Ivan is confronted with his neglected family affairs. he soon discovers that his relationship with his wife is hostile and argumentative, and he also learns the reality of his friendships. All of this is compounded with the reality of his inescapable mortality In the end, he is left with merely time, his thoughts, and the unnerving pain to wrestle with the meaning of life I+ an evaluative/ comparative thesis?| Part 1 “Each one felt, well hes dead but i ‘m alive! But the more intimate of Ivan Ilych ’s acquaintances, his so-called friends could not help thinking also that they would now have to fulfill the very tiresome demands of propriety”.
When we first encounter Ivan we are introduced to an individual someone who‘s from the very outset was bred and raised to be the nobility of Russia. Whether it is affluence, prudence, or ingenuity, growing up Ivan Ilych was regarded to be a great man of stature. As the middle child. Ivan was determined to follow in the father’s footsteps and become a lawyert The family soon focused all pride and family status, on the prospect of Ivan‘s success, as his brothers quickly proved themselves to be reckless, unstable, and don’t dependable. Ivan became engulfed with the sole responsibility and burden of caring the family name.
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This responsibility turned into an all-consuming drug that resulted in the consumption of his life which prevented him from developing meaningful relationships those he loved, This ill-fated decision to pursue wealth and status and to regard it as that being more important than life itself resulted In Ivan materialistic concept of the meaning of life. Part 2 “The Expression on their face said that who! was necessary had been accomplished, and accomplished rightly. Besides this there was in that expression a reproach and a warning to the living. This warning seemed to Peter Ivanovich out ofplace, or at least not applicable to him, he felt discomfort and so he hurriedly crossed himself once more and turned and went out of the door”.
According to Russian society Ivan had all the material signs of success He had affluence, money, and aristocratic friends and relations. He was a man described as being, someone who “ considered it his duty to be what was so considered by those in authority”. However, this was nothing but superficial gain, As Ivan would soon learn as he pursued the affluent life that society prescribed to him, it would come at a grave cost. Starting, with an injury after falling from a ladders This ill fated fall would lead Ivan to a reality check. He would be forced to see and deal with the morbid corruption that was the relationship of his family, and friends. These things would lead to his untimely death During these afflictions, Ivan gradually fights against accepting the reality under the veil of the once superficial life he lived.
After spending his life in pursuit of a successful life, he lays mined and exhausted; defeated on the floor of his own room isolated by the very family he in fact isolated. Having failed to spend Lime and build relationships with them, he now finds himself surrounded by a hell of his own making. In this one on one reflection with his own mortality, Ivan for a brief moment acknowledges the possibility of his own fate. However, rather than reforming from his old superficial ways he tells himself a lie more broadly , everyone else telling him this liel. Ivan convinces himself, through a series of lies, that he is alright and that despite these series of misfortunes he is just fine.
However, this consoling lie just goes to make his situation worse Ivan goes from mere vexations of brief pain to unbearable sensations of anger and utter grief for the inevitable His slow but agonizing demise highlights the real persona behind Ivan’s superficial nature. His handling of his fall from grace, and ruin reveals a man who built his life on a falsehood of beliefs, In this strange and final fate, he realizes that his pursuit of what he thought was happiness was a most unhappy quest. Part 3 “He wept an account of his helplessness, his terrible loneliness, the cruelty of man, the cruelty of God, and the absence of God .”
Despite the best of Ivan‘s attempts fate was not willing to budge. His pain and affliction merely progressed overtime, and with it so did his yearning to redirect his plight to the others around him. During his suffering Ivan would find the only friends who ever showed affection to him, Gerasim, his servant and Peter Petrovitch, a friend who aided Ivan through law School., Though they show him unconditional love to the end, the feeling wasn’t enough to quiche Ivan’s suffering. Throughout his sufferings Ivan held onto utter resentment and bitterness. He showed very little appreciation for those who stood by his side.
When Gerasim cared him and attempted to ease his pain by setting his ailing legs upon his own shoulders, only to be scolded and unappreciated. In Ivan’s agony he cries out in anger to God and questions him saying. in reaction to his afflictions. “Go on! Strike me! But what is it for? What have I done to Thee? What is it for?”. He found his answer in the recesses of his soul/consciousness. Part 4 “What do you want? What do you want?” he repeated to himself. “What do I want? To live and not to suffer,” he answered. Inice quote] In this uncanny encounter with himself, Ivan finds the answer from the only person that could give him such an answer, himself. Within this portion of the text Ivan comes to the morbid realization of his fate and desperately reaches for any possible way of salvation.
In this dialogue between himself, and his soul, he questions what is a meaningful life is. Ivan can recall very few memories that were actually pleasant at all. In fact in this moment, Ivan comes to the realization that he hasn’t been happy at all. The pursuit of his superficial passions, like Law School, aristocratic relations, and his marriage with his wife, have not yielded any happiness. We now begin to see the contrast between a meaningful life, which I would describe as a life led owning responsibility for one‘s actions, while making the best of ones circumstances and strategically organizing ones own path. while keeping in mind those around you that will be affected as a result of those decisions.
Compared, to pursuing worldly positions and status. without wavering, and concern for the cost and the effects on those around you. Part 5 “He sought his former accustomed fear of death and did not find it. Where is it? What death? There was no fear because there was no death. ” This is the contradiction that is Ivan’s life and interpretation. Ivan thinks that having a successful life. and a meaningful life because derives from its external influences In fact to obtain such successes required that Ivan suppresses his individuality, in order that he can embody social requirements and social expectations, in order to obtain success and status.
This is stark opposition, of what I believe and the ideas I adhere to I define success, as the creating and pursuing of goals that will not only benefit me, but contribute to the wellbeing of my community as well nice. More in depth comparisons would have helped here] Ivan’s despite the reality of his circumstances, which are a direct reflection of the decisions he has made in the past. Ivan decides to continue to pursue the life he lead before becoming sick. This despite the hard conclusions revealed to him during his soul searching epiphany, Ivan dismisses his experience as simply being an strange experience . In his last dawning moments of life Ivan pain can no longer be controlled, his body has weakened to a state of utter frailty and the last strand his mental state is unhinged.
Subsequent to his strange encounter with himself. Ivan is left with the implications of his life Within the three days he remained unwilling to admit his imminent death. The further the pain as the hours passed. the louder the screams of pain grew in lvan’s soul. However one brief moment of serenity, this being his moment of connection with his youngest son whom out of all of the people who have left him after he lost his money he remained. Moreover within this moment, Ivan realizes what his life could have been, as he places his hand on his baby boys head. He realizes finally at this moment that I could have been something so much more than someone who neglected love.
