The Need for Belonging

In a vain attempt to compensate, rather than resolve, the vast sense of futility that accompanies confronting our own mortality, we fill this emptiness with material possession. Contrary to his denouncement of apathy towards our purpose, however, Voltaire ends Candide with the resolution that all philosophical consideration is a waste of time, thereby further complicating any definitive identification of his view towards existentialism. When Candide finds happiness by keeping so busy he leaves his mind no time to wander, we are left with an ambiguous message: clearly Voltaire advocates questioning, yet he condemns the merit of intellectual reasoning. Still, without explicitly outlining his 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 such, Tolstoy vehemently advertises the need to return to nature while chronicling Ivan's decay. As Ivan becomes increasingly detached from the race for perfection he thought gave his life meaning, he simultaneously gradually embraces a simpler, basic lifestyle which brings him clarity, and ultimately happiness. Nothing symbolizes this transformation more than the change in Ivan's closest personal relationships. As his family and friends slip away, Gerasim becomes closer to Ivan than anyone else. Interestingly, from his new perspective, Ivan cherishes Gerasim's compassion above all else, but in the wealth-based hierarchy he used to subscribe to, Gerasim's value as a friend and confidant had no weight.