Examining Character Development in 'The Death of Ivan Ilych'

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“The Death of Ivan Ilych” Character Analysis” What is character? Is it something innate, or is it something we develop over time. What defines character in a person, the life they want to lead, or the life their leading? These are all questions that are answered in the short story The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy. dictionary.com defines character as “An account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.” Ivan Ilych had many different personas that he would put on throughout the story. One of the best examples of this is in chapter III, “Ivan Ilych possessed this capacity to separate his real life from the official side of affairs and not mix the two,” (Tolstoy 16) While working he acts in a professional and formal way, yet he is What frustrated him even more than not knowing what his illness was, was the way doctors treated him. He was treated with the same tone and professionalism as he used to treat those in the court room. (Tolstoy 19) Its interesting to see how he needed to experience himself in order for him to realize how he treated other people. Ivan treated people in the court with far too much formality. He was indifferent about peoples situations in the courtroom, and so was the doctor towards his illness. Ivan illness did not effect the doctor, just as Ivans decisions in the court room did not effect him. The story The Death of Ivan Ilych does a great job of explaining not only the events leading up to the death of Ivan Ilych, but what defines a person. Throughout the story, we get a deeper understanding of what character is and how it effects someone. Ivan had many different views of the world and in turn had many different character traits. Some of his traits were moral, some social, some were emotional. These traits are not only what makes up Ivan Ilych, but what defines a person. These traits are a persons

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