Angelica CienegaProfessor R. DickersonENG 232-102417 November 2013Textual AnalysisFor Leo Tolstoy's character, Ivan Ilych, death is the end of an empty life. It is only after receiving a vague diagnosis of illness that he realizes his mortality. In this epiphany, he realizes that his relationships with family, friends, and colleagues are all artificial, if not at least superficial. Because of this he becomes depressed and wonders if he has really lived his life the right way. Ilych always treated his relationships very formally, and when he died, his so-called friends could barely pay tribute to him. Through Ilych, Tolstoy shows that life is not simply a game or a business. Tolstoy's story sends a warning to his readers that if they do not have genuineness, passion, or individuality in their lives, then they will not live a truly fulfilling life. In the second chapter readers first learn the story of Ilych's early life. Ilych is described as a man who has always been attracted to high-ranking people in society, so this is the kind of life he pursued for himself. He was the second and friendliest of three brothers, a law graduate, and managed to gain the favor of the people he met. The people he tried to gain favor with were simply people of "good standing," not truly "good," and the things he did to gain their favor "made him feel disgusted with himself when he did them..." (Tolstoy 746). Tolstoy goes on to say that this doesn't bother Ilych too much because once he realized that people didn't think those “disgusting” things were “wrong,” he was able to “forget them altogether or not bother to remember them at all.” them” (747). Not only was... the center of the card... Lych endures the final days of his life, but spends time reflecting on his actions and relationships with people. He realizes that the preoccupation with his outer life was the flaw in his inner personality. He spent all his time trying to make his life seem successful, which he managed to accomplish in the eyes of superficial people in high society. Unfortunately, though, he sacrificed his personal needs and ruined his relationships in the process. Or rather, he did not build real relationships to the point of ruin, he simply clung to empty ones that led to resentment and pain. Tolstoy's story of Ilych's life warns readers that their opinion of themselves is more important than anyone else's rotten opinion, that honesty and romance are important in marriage, that friendships are not won in competition and that children will be better than their parents if they are not taught to be.