Ivan Ilyich is the protagonist of the novel "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Leo Tolstoy. Ivan Ilyich is a person who admires and wants to imitate other people who have high social standings. Tolstoy describes the people in this story as materialistic who show little emotional connection and sympathy toward each other. Ivan ... acquiring such a wife and did something that gave him pleasure and, at the same time, did what people of the highest standing considered correct." (Tolstoy 49) He was not in love with his wife. He considered in marrying her because people thought that it was a good idea ...

• Word Count: 1126
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... beliefs, Voltaire clarifies them by refuting the Enlightenment through exposing the contradictions caused by an attitude toward life of blind, unquestioned acceptance of reality at face value. In contrast, Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich reflects the objective realism of his time. The 19th century realistic movement was a direct rebuttal to earlier romantic ideals, including the Enlightenment. Not surprisingly ... , this "anti-romantic" school of thought emphasized a focus on concrete truth, with minimal personal interpretation. Simplicity is the cornerstone of realism, and as suc...

• Word Count: 953
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Parallel Themes in Metamorphosis and The Death of Ivan Ilyich Several themes occur in both Franz Kafka's, Metmorphosis and Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich, however the way in which these themes are presented and the meanings associated with them vary in each work. Isolation, materialism, and self discovery are ... an insect is incapable of communicating with them. Rather, he must stand by in silence; powerless to speak, complain, or protest anything. The idea of isolation presents itself differently in Tolstoy's story. The isolation that Ivan experiences comes from the fact that whene...

• Word Count: 1195
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School